The Patriot, like Mels earlier film Braveheart, has the potential to be a very good film, and in many ways it is. What lets both these films down is the fact that they try to pass themselves off as stories set against a factual historical background and both fail on that score.
First a brief run through the plot. The film opens in 1776, the American War of Independance as it became known is raging and the Declaration of Independance is being drafted. Mel is a widower, Benjamin Martin, head of a large family, estate owner and a man who holds in a dark secret from his youth. His headstrong son, Gabriel, played by Heath Ledger, has come of age and against his fathers wishes goes off to join the Continental Army (Americans) to help oust the British from the colonies.
After a short campaign Gabriel finds his way home, injured, and carrying despatches important to the war effort. Whilst at home a British dragoon officer William Tallington, finds him and because of the despatches he is carrying hauls him off as a rebel spy. There is a scuffle over his arrest and in the process one of the younger son is killed.
Mel then vows revenge and attacks the column transporting Gabriel, freeing him and giving birth to a myth of a ghost fighter who is praying on the British Redcoats. When Gabriel re-joins his regiment, his father Benjamin goes with him, and the rest of the film is based around a cat and mouse game of strategy between the Martins and Tallington.
The first thing that strikes you is that the film portrays a very clear cut good versus evil slant on the events. The British are the baddies and the Americans are good, and there is no room for any deviation from this state of equilibrium. There is the constant reference to this brave new world that the over throw of the British will bring, the freedom that they are fighting for and how everyone will be better off once they achieve their goal.
The reality of the American War of Independance is that it was more akin to a civil war than a revolution. Both sides were made up of American colonists, the loyalists who sided with the British and the Patriots or Rebels who were looking to establish their own government. The war was mainly about taxes not freedom or liberty and in any event the war did not effect the day to day living of most of the population.
Also there were many different nations fighting in north America as the war was really an extension of the wars in Europe, as such regiments of French and Irish fought with the Patriots and Hessians and Germans fought with the British, and Indians fought on both sides, with rapidly altering alliegences. Thats the confusing realities underpinning Mels morality play.
That aside, I must say that I still find the film appealing if you manage to ignore the above points, the depiction of combat is both graphic and absorbing. The early battles take place in the dew and half-light of dawn and are filmed from a distance giving a fantastic quality, all subdued lights and disembodied shouts that seem to haunt and mesmorize.
When the action is close up you get a scary insite into the nature of warfare in the age of the flintlock, very hands on and close quarters. Again one quibble is that when the American attack, the British redcoats seem to stant in a bunch and panic. These men remember are part of the best trained army of its day, top of its game and well equiped, and as soon as the shots begin to fly they seem to be outclassed by the local farmers.
The British officers are a class act, Tom Wilkinson as Lord Cornwallis, Peter Woodward as Charles O`Hara and particularly Jason Issacs as William Tavington pull of the swagger and aristocratic manner to do the parts justice, they have obviously been taking lessons form the cast of Hornblower.
There are some very emotional moments, as you would expect from a film with a body count this high, and all are dealt with in a sympathetic and believable manner. There are quite a few sub plots played out on this level, Benjamin and his Sister in Law (Joely Richardson) form the love interest and the interaction between Benjamin and his youngest daughter who hasnt spoken since the death of her mother are also touching.
One scene that did make me laugh was one were our Mel is seen riding full tilt along the length of a retreating army, Stars and Stripes in hand, didnt he do a similar ride by in Braveheart. Still if you have a good card to play it seems a shame to throw it away after just on use. Also it is amazing the power that the flag has, at one point just by waving it he turns the whole army around as it is about to quit the field.
As you can see most of my critisms are about the historical aspects of the film, those aside it is very watchable. High on the action, some great cinematography, especialy some of the night time shots and the long views of battle. If it didnt sell itself as a historical possibility I would have no problem with it, but by using real figures from history, namely Tavington and Cornwallis it opens itself up to such critism.
So watch the film, enjoy it as a good action adventure, but remember just as John Wayne didnt really win World War 2, Mel Gibson didnt really drive the British out of North America, not on his own anyway.