The Patriot Review

by Tim Wick

All right, for all you history buffs out there, I have to get one thing straight up front. The Patriot is based on a true story. This means that it is FICTION. That is very important. If you go to this movie expecting an accurate depiction of any part of the revolutionary war, you are not going to be pleased. If you go to this movie expecting a work of FICTION about the revolutionary war, you will probably have a good time.

The Patriot is the fifth film by the team of Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. Their history as filmmakers has been mixed - in the sense that they consistently made bad films, but sometimes the public liked them anyway. Their most recent film, Godzilla, was easily the worst film of the 1998 movie year. Even on the scale of a popcorn film, the movie was a waste of two hours. They also created Independence Day - which I personally enjoy despite it's completely idiotic story line and it's over the top patriotism, and Stargate - which was a decent movie that has spawned a great TV series.

So, with a track record that is at best spotty, they decided to take on the revolutionary war. They managed to pull off something I would not have expected. A good movie.

Now, don't get me wrong. This film is filled with Devlin & Emmerich moments. They have the need to be heavy handed when a light touch might have made for a better film. Many times a character would say something they had already created non-verbally because the director and writers did not have confidence in the actor. About every war movie cliche was dug up for this film and reused. Yet, in spite of that, it worked for me.

In one scene, we are treated to the well-worn patriotic speech ending with "who's with me?" As one expects, slowly one man after another stands while the music swells. I sat in the theater thinking of how many times I had seen this before and was amazed that I was caught up in the moment. I can't tell you why, but somehow they managed to make a moment that I fully expected to respond negatively to and make it one of the more powerful moments in the film.

Now, there is a really good reason why this film works even during the most syrupy stupid moments. His name is Mel Gibson. Abandoning his standard heartthrob appearance, he looks prematurely old in this film. His Benjamin Martin is a man who has done some terrible things in his youth and he doesn't want to be a part of the war. He supports what the patriots are fighting for, but he has seven children and they are more important to him than an ideology. As he realizes that he does not have luxury of remaining neutral, he lashes out with a savagery that is almost animalistic. He is a complex character and Gibson makes him even more so.

The acting all around is strong. Gibson holds the cast together, but his character cannot defeat the British alone. Heath Ledger, in a play to become Hollywood's latest Leo, is Gabriel, Benjamin's revolutionary son. He just drips the right amount of youthful idealism. Jason Issacs plays the evil Col. William Tavington. The character is a bit over the top in terms of sheer brutality, but Issacs carries it off pretty well. Joley Richardson is hardly seen as Gibsen's romantic interest and the sister of his dead wife. She makes an impression more for her good looks than she does as an actress. It's not really her fault - female characters have never been Devlin & Emmerich's strong point.

The battle scenes are very blockbusteresqe. Huge numbers of men march against each other and kill each other in an attempt to show the horrors of war. It's horrible all right, but in a clean summer movie sort of way. The violence never gets too personal or too gritty. It's just enough to remind you that people die in this kind of war, but not enough to make you feel too much either way.

I can't hide the fact that this is the right film at the right time. I'm an American and I happen to like my country (some of the time). I do have a certain amount of pride that I live in a free country where I am allowed to speak my mind, question my leaders' judgement and try to make a difference. The revolution was a step on that road and I know a bit too much about it for my own good. The fact is that most of us cannot help but be moved by the sight of revolutionaries being spurred on by the American flag and routing the British. That sort of thing makes us proud of who we are.

So I can't deny I was taken in. I was moved when they movie wanted me to be moved. Cliche or no, that is the ultimate goal any filmmaker should strive for.

The Patriot

Four Beakers
(out of five)

So I can't deny I was taken in.