Great Film: The Patriot
While it's definitely no Braveheart, it's still a solid film.
It's very easy to label this film as a Braveheart rip off from the trailers
(which is what I thought), but after watching it, it's actually a completely
different film.
The basic plot involves Mel Gibson's character and his family's experiences
surviving and fighting in the American Revolution in South Carolina.
The film really excels in it's cinematography and the beautiful locations.
Almost every shot in the film is picturesque and dripping with detail and
rich colors. The acting is also extremely well done with another rock solid
performance by the dependable Mel Gibson. In fact, I really couldn't find a
weak person in the cast.
Possibly the major flaw that I found was the film's running time of 165
minutes. There are some points where the film drags a bit and I think that
with a bit more editing and fine tuning of scenes this film could have be a
lean and mean 120 min. film.
Another complaint that I had was the battles. While technically well staged
and choreographed, they also didn't quite get me involved like I thought
they would. In fact, I thought that some of the quieter scenes in the film
were some of the most successful.
Overall though, I enjoyed the film and while it has it's share of problems,
it's still turned out much better than I was anticipating.
Rating:8
Cast
- Charlotte Selton played by Joely Richardson
- Gabriel Martin played by Heath Ledger
- Col. William Tavington played by Jason Isaacs
- Jean Villeneuve played by Tchéky Karyo
- Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis played by Tom Wilkinson
- Reverend Oliver played by Rene Auberjonois
- Dan Scott played by Donal Logue
