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Review by Susan Granger
4 stars out of 4
Do you realize there's never been a big, blockbuster
Revolutionary War movie - until now? "The Patriot" will change all
that. In 1776 in South Carolina, Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson), a
former hero of the French and Indian War, is now a widower and devoted
father of seven children. Rebuking those who advocate war against
England's King George III over taxation, he's become a pacifist -
until the battle literally lands in his backyard, as a cruel, arrogant
British colonel (Jason Isaacs) deliberately murders an innocent
child. Savage, bloody revenge quickly follows as Martin, wielding a
Cherokee tomahawk, organizes the civilian militia. These excellent
marksmen are guerrilla fighters, avoiding muzzle-to-muzzle
confrontations with Redcoats in an open field. But Martin's not the
real patriot - that honor goes to his idealistic son Gabriel (Heath
Ledger), whose early enlistment in the Colonial Army is motivated by
principle. Written by Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan") and
directed by Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day"), it's a challenging,
exciting, character-driven story, capturing the human element that is
too often lost in history - with heart-wrenching moments like melting
a lead toy soldier into ammunition. As the tale's emotional pivot, the
conflicted father and reluctant hero, Mel Gibson delivers a touching,
tautly textured performance, ably supported by Heath Ledger, Jason
Isaacs, Chris Cooper, Tcheky Karyo, Rene Aubjonois, Lisa Brenner and
Tom Wilkinson. Caleb Deschanel's cinematography is magnificent, even
when capturing the violence of war at its most brutal, and John
Williams's score is superb. Sure, there are some cliches, but on the
Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "The Patriot" is a compelling,
powerful 10. It's a stunning, sweeping, spectacular saga.
Copyright © 2000 Susan Granger
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out of 4
