Roland Emmerich directing a movie that doesn't feature major special effects gadgetry or giant creatures pulverizing metropolitan cities? Say it ain't so. Well, it is so, and so is the fact that star Mel Gibson reportedly received a cool $25 million bucks for making this period piece. But with the word of mouth starting off strong and the success of another periodic epic still riding the wave of the early summer box-office (can anyone say GLADIATOR), things are looking mighty good for the man behind such popcorn fare as GODZILLA and INDEPENDENCE DAY.
PLOT: A widowed father of seven children is suddenly pulled back into the savagery of battle when his family is threatened by the American Revolution. With his oldest son by his side, the father reluctantly joins the fight against the British Redcoats and hopes to bring about the freedom of their nation.
CRITIQUE: A slow-starting film, which presents an interesting story, some entertaining battle sequences and a flawless representation of the times, ultimately succeeds with an emotional connection to its characters, but not without its sporadic lags. Surprised was I to find myself tearing up in some spots of this movie, with numerous comfort moments needed for the Mrs. as well. In fact, much unlike the GLADIATOR, this film manages to pack many moments of emotion into its web of war, and further unlike the former epic, does so without breaking any major ground with any of its battle sequences. Mind you, the last 30 minutes of the film are definitely rock-solid, with an all-out attack scenario sure to have most glued to their seats. But the core of the film is centered more around its characters, with Mel juggling the state of his family, sins from his past and the brutality of war, while his son, the effective Heath Ledger, rides along with his idealistic deliberations of honor and pursuit of justice. I liked the people in this film, they seemed real to me and I ultimately cared about what happened to each and every one of them.
Having said that, the film did begin to spread its emotions a little too thin at some point, at which I wondered whether or not it would be able to maintain an even balance with the film's action. But it did indeed, with various small but carefully orchestrated battles spreading their way along to the major one in the end. I found a lot of this war unsettling, only because I wasn't used to this face-to-face combat, with lines of folks just standing in front of one another and firing away. Very strange. But ultimately, the direction and feel of the film just won me over and completely immersed was I in its time. And that's saying a lot, because I personally am not a fan of period films. Gibson kicked arse in the lead, with enough genuine pain, anguish, revenge and pure adrenaline pumping through his performance to demand your attention. But the film is really taken to another level with the aid of a tangible enemy, a villain who in this case is played to a tee by Jason Isaacs, slashing and burning everything in sight. A delicious part handled masterfully by the actor transports us from a seat among the audience, to a willing contestant and rooter for the home team. In the end, this is not a "fun" movie by any stretch of the imagination. It's bloody as heck, legs are chopped off, people get killed left and right, the struggle seems to go on forever, and very few (but timely) moments of comedic relief ever break through. But in the end, the sense of relief and unburden is all worth it, with the film's best cinematic moments saved for its last precious half hour.
A long arduous journey which definitely won't fulfill all appetites certainly does a good job of representing a frenetic time and place in history, presenting us with several well-developed characters and offering us a handful of exciting battle scenes. It might have benefited from a little trim and definitely provided one too many bleak moments for my taste, but all in all, a solid effort for everyone involved.
By : Berge Garabedian
Source: rec.art.movies.reviews newsgroup
Rating: 0
During the whopping two hour and 44 minute running time of "The Patriot," my mood shifted repeatedly. Early on, I found the oh-so-perfect picture postcard lighting of every single damn scene so maddening that I leaned to a friend and growled, "I hate this movie!" Then a juicy battle scene reinvigorated my fading spirits. Later, I even got a little misty during a quiet father/son moment. But just as I was ready to surrender to the story's rah-rah momentum, the filmmakers threw in a series of hero-charging-forward-waving-the-flag-in-slow-motion images so cheesy that I wanted to scream, "Run for your lives, they've remade 'The Postman!'"
What else should I have expected from a Revolutionary War epic presented by the producer and director team responsible for "Stargate," "Independence Day" and "Godzilla?" Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich are infamous for their ability to take intriguing premises and turn them into overcooked, cliché-filled, pop culture goulash. Many people find their concoctions satisfying, but as for me, pass the Pepto Bismo, please.
To be fair, "The Patriot" is one of their better offerings. The screenplay, by "Saving Private Ryan" author Robert Rodat, explores the horrifying concept of having a war fought in your own backyard, while effectively presenting the differences between the Brits' formal, "gentlemanly" approach to combat and the American militia's guerrilla tactics.
But Devlin and Emmerich's treatment of the script is remarkably ham-handed. John William's thunderous score assaults the viewer, as Mel Gibson turns from a war-wary father into a colonial Rambo. This film isn't about patriotism, it's about revenge. The ads should read "Gibson's back, and this time… it's personal! Welcome to 'Death Wish 1776.'"
Mel plays Benjamin Martin, a South Carolina widower determined to stay out of the uprising against the British and raise his seven children in peace. A veteran of the French and Indian War, he is haunted by memories of atrocities committed during battle. But his eldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), views the hesitancy of his father with disdain and defiantly joins the rebels.
Months later, the fighting draws near and Gabriel returns home injured. While caring for him, and other wounded soldiers from both sides, Benjamin is visited by British troops, led by the sadistic Colonel William Tavington (Jason Isaacs). In short order, Tavington has his men burn down the Martin home, arrests Gabriel and orders his execution and then shoots Martin's second eldest boy. As soon as Tavington leaves, Benjamin arms his children, rescues Gabriel and becomes leader of the area militia. His reputation as "The Ghost" grows to the point that British General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) sends out his troops to capture Benjamin Martin, by any means necessary.
At times, "The Patriot" delivers on its promises. Subdued conversations between Benjamin and Gabriel are moving, thanks to the skills of Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, a handsome Aussie with talent and charisma reminiscent of Gibson in his youth. A visit to a black refuge by the sea provides a welcome respite from the fighting. Best of all is a clever, well-staged prisoner-exchange negotiation between Martin and Cornwallis.
While a couple of the extremely graphic battle scenes are gripping, most lack focus, playing out as mere excuses for Director Emmerich to fill the screen with as much blood and gore as possible (he seems particularly fond of showing the effect of cannonballs on human extremities).
Many civilian moments are as cloying as the battles are grisly. Every scene is filled with gorgeous skies, sunbeams streaming through the trees and other storybook imagery that blunts the sense of realism. Young Anne Howard (Lisa Brenner) comes off more like a contemporary woman than a colonial lass as she challenges the men-folk to enter the fray. While delivering her speech, she exchanges so many coy smiles with Gabriel that her words seem less like a call-to-arms and more like foreplay.
The single most infuriating scene comes straight out of a teen slasher flick. A good guy shoots a bad guy, who falls to the earth face down. Our hero silently approaches and leans over the body when - surprise! - the villain, apparently possessed of considerable psychic ability, springs around at precisely the right moment to strike a fatal blow. Who knew that the great-great-great grandfather of Jason from "Friday the 13th" was British?
"The Patriot" has its moments, to be sure, and I fully expect it to be one of the biggest hits of this anemic summer movie season. But the next time Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich decide to crank out another of their manipulative popcorn epics, I hope they'll stick to aliens and giant lizards and leave our history alone.
