The Patriot (2000)

Peaceful farmer Benjamin Martin is driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolution when a sadistic British officer murders his son.

Director:

Roland Emmerich

Writer:

Robert Rodat

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Gibson	...	Benjamin Martin
Heath Ledger	...	Gabriel Martin
Joely Richardson	...	Charlotte Selton
Jason Isaacs	...	Col. William Tavington
Chris Cooper	...	Col. Harry Burwell
Tchéky Karyo	...	Jean Villeneuve
Rene Auberjonois	...	Reverend Oliver
Lisa Brenner	...	Anne Howard
Tom Wilkinson	...	Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis
Donal Logue	...	Dan Scott
Leon Rippy	...	John Billings
Adam Baldwin	...	Capt. Wilkins
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Occam
Joey D. Vieira	...	Peter Howard
Gregory Smith	...	Thomas Martin

Storyline

It is 1776 in colonial South Carolina. Benjamin Martin, a French-Indian war hero who is haunted by his past, now wants nothing more then to live peacefully on his small plantation, and wants no part of a war with the most powerful nation in the world, Great Britain. Meanwhile, his two eldest sons, Gabriel and Thomas, can't wait to enlist in the newly formed "Continental Army." When South Carolina decides to join the rebellion against England, Gabriel immediately signs up to fight...without his father's permission. But when Colonel William Tavington, British dragoon, infamous for his brutal tactics, comes and burns the Martin Plantation to the ground, tragedy strikes. Benjamin quickly finds himself torn between protecting his family, and seeking revenge along with being a part of the birth of new, young, and ambitious nation.

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Plot Keywords:

british | french | revolution | american revolution | south carolina | 

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Taglines:

Before they were soldiers, they were family. Before they were legends, they were heros. Before there was a nation, there was a fight for freedom.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong war violence

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 June 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

El patriota

Filming Locations:

Botany Bay Plantation - 7510 Botany Bay Road, Edisto Island, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$110,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,033,767 (UK) (14 July 2000)

Gross:

ESP 1,071,627,714 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Centropolis Entertainment, Mutual Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

165 min 175 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After the explosion of the cargo ship we see (or hear, actually) Tavington smashes his glass when placing it down. He really just places it down, but it was decided to add a smashing sound for comic effect. We never actually see the glass breaking.

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Goofs

In the final battle between Tavington and Martin, Martin's tomahawk head is bent, but when it is knocked out of his hand it's straight again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[repeated line]
Benjamin Martin: I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost is more than I can bear.

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Connections

References Star Wars (1977)

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Soundtracks

"Leanin' on de Lawd Side"
Traditional
Performed by Marquetta L. Goodwine and the Gullah Cunneckshun

User Reviews

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