Featured Audience Ratings

• EightThirty .

  
  03/09/2012 (Blu-Ray)

• Melvin W

  
  Colonel William Tavington: Let it be known if you harbor the enemy you will lose your home.  "Some things are worth fighting for." I have seen The Patriot countless times by now, and yet I still love it. While a lot of epics seem distant and cold, this one has an amazing… More
  Colonel William Tavington: Let it be known if you harbor the enemy you will lose your home.  "Some things are worth fighting for." I have seen The Patriot countless times by now, and yet I still love it. While a lot of epics seem distant and cold, this one has an amazing amount of heart involved. That isn't to say that it isn't the violent war film it is notable for. There's an extreme amount of blood, but in between the battles, there's also an extreme amount of feeling. The film is long, but not a second is wasted. There's always something going on. If there isn't a battle going on, there's character development or plot development. This film is as much about family as it is about the Revolutionary War. There's a humungous cast of good actors, some big names(Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Tom Wilkinson) and a variety of other character actors(Joely Richardson, Donald Logue). Besides being just another war movie, this has a lot more going on. It's at times beautiful, at times brutal, at times sad, at times humorous, and at times exciting.  The Patriot centers the Revolutionary War around a man named Benjamin Martin and his involvement in the war. At first he doesn't want South Carolina to go to war along with some of the other colonies because he knows innocent people will die. When the war happens in his front yard and one of his sons is murdered by Tavington(a truly good villain), he joins up. The Continental Army is vastly undermanned, which brings up the usage of guerilla warfare, which Martin and his militia use to great effectiveness. His men aren't real soldiers, but "farmers." They are just ordinary men who join up to fight off the Redcoats. The most notable thing about the film is obviously the battle scenes. They are violent and pretty realistic. The battle scenes are filmed beautifully, for lack of a better word. This is easily Ronald Emmerich's best film. He's done some other stuff that is fun, but not what you'd call great filmmaking(Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012), but this is grand, epic filmmaking. I know there's a lot of people out there that don't believe this film to be great, but I certainly don't agree with them. As far as war epics go, this is about as big and good as they can come. I'm not saying it is the best war movie ever, but it deserves more respect then it has gotten. It's an emotionally powerful movie in my opinion. Sure it shows a fictionalized story on how America came to be through the Revolutionary War, but the family themes of the movie is what shine through more then anything else. There's a lot of big themes going on here too: freedom, love, honor, respect, revenge, and perseverance; but in the end, family is the biggest theme. The Patriot just misses being a complete masterpiece, but as it is, it's still an amazing achievement and a great film.

• Alexander D

  
  Appallingly bloody but nevertheless greatly poignant epic stars Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, a hero in the French and Indian War, but preferring to just be a farmer. He is shocked to find that his son Gabriel (Heath Ledger) will soon enlist to fight in what we now know as the… More
  Appallingly bloody but nevertheless greatly poignant epic stars Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, a hero in the French and Indian War, but preferring to just be a farmer. He is shocked to find that his son Gabriel (Heath Ledger) will soon enlist to fight in what we now know as the American Revolution, and in protection of his son, Benjamin diffidently returns to fight for freedom from the brutal British. If you're looking for a war film that is beyond simply decent, I would highly recommend THE PATRIOT. At the Oscars, it was nominated three times (Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Sound), and the only thing that truly cuts it down from absolute supremacy is its running time--165 minutes in length, as well as an extended edition released with an extra ten minutes. <b>Full Review: http://wp.me/p1Urcx-vi</b>

• Universal D

  
  "Yay! Let's get all patriotic and misty eyed!" And that appears to've been the goal in this Braveheart redo, American style, only revenge is the rationale given for freedom here, for patriotism. Sumptuously filmed and grandly staged, it certainly looks… More
  "Yay! Let's get all patriotic and misty eyed!" And that appears to've been the goal in this Braveheart redo, American style, only revenge is the rationale given for freedom here, for patriotism. Sumptuously filmed and grandly staged, it certainly looks impressive though.

• Jeff "

  
  The Patriot directed by Roland Emmerich is an impressive war film set during the American Revolution. If you hate most of Emmerich's films, then you may want to see this one. The Patriot isn't your normal "Roland Emmerich film". The film is very different from his… More
  The Patriot directed by Roland Emmerich is an impressive war film set during the American Revolution. If you hate most of Emmerich's films, then you may want to see this one. The Patriot isn't your normal "Roland Emmerich film". The film is very different from his others, as this is of course, not a disaster picture. The Patriot tells the story of Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) a veteran of the French and Indian wars. He seeks to find peace, but when the war that is being fought on American soil is brought to his doorstep and with one son captured by the British and his other son murdered by Colonel William Tavington in a brilliant, and ruthless performance by Jason Isaacs, he is forced to take up arms. The Patriot follows the same path as Mel Gibson's Braveheart. What makes the film very good is the diverse talent involved in the project, and the drama throughout the conflict, which like Braveheart, was phenomenal. The Patriot also has incredible battle scenes, costumes and amazing soundtrack by John Williams The film may be Braveheart set during the American Revolution, but this is still an impressive drama war film. The cast do a fine job and Roland Emmerich has probably made his masterpiece with this film. A truly unique film, even though it's nothing new. The film is still impressive and worth watching. Of all the films that Roland Emmerich has made, I'd have to say that The Patriot is one of favorites, and along with Independence Day is his best film. But the only difference is, is that there's more human elements to this story, and it makes for a terrific viewing.

• Dan S

  
  Cliched to the max but still undeniably likable due to Emmerich's sound direction (the only time I can say that, since his other movies are mostly terrible) and a star performance from Mel Gibson. Heath Ledger also gives a memorable turn as Gibson's oldest son. Sure, the… More
  Cliched to the max but still undeniably likable due to Emmerich's sound direction (the only time I can say that, since his other movies are mostly terrible) and a star performance from Mel Gibson. Heath Ledger also gives a memorable turn as Gibson's oldest son. Sure, the battle between Gibson and bad-guy Isaacs is completely Hollywood-ized, but the end result is absolutely satisfying. The acting is a cut above the norm, thanks to four terrific talents such as Gibson, Ledger, Chris Cooper, and Tom Wilkinson being in the cast, and the result is a well-constructed American epic that deserves a view.

• Jim C

  
  A respectable movie with great production, acting, and battle scenes. What it lacks is a story that drags you in.

• Conner R

  
  It's a lot cooler than people give it credit for. While it's not a flawless epic, it's extremely fun and has Mel Gibson in full rage mode. It's an easy to follow story with great visuals and a very realistic quality. Jason Isaacs portrayed a villain that will have… More
  It's a lot cooler than people give it credit for. While it's not a flawless epic, it's extremely fun and has Mel Gibson in full rage mode. It's an easy to follow story with great visuals and a very realistic quality. Jason Isaacs portrayed a villain that will have to go down in movie history as one of the most evil. Historically inaccurate it may be, but frankly I don't need to see something that's 100%. They took the Revolutionary War and shaped it into a really interesting and powerful narrative.

• Cassandra M

  
  The Patriot is technically a good movie. Nicely made with good characters, good acting, a strong storyline and fabulous cinematography. But, to say this movie distorts history would be an understatement. And that is extremely sad in a movie that sells itself as an accurate portrayal… More
  The Patriot is technically a good movie. Nicely made with good characters, good acting, a strong storyline and fabulous cinematography. But, to say this movie distorts history would be an understatement. And that is extremely sad in a movie that sells itself as an accurate portrayal of events during the revolution. The Patriot, unfortunately, crosses the line and try's to portray as 'actual fact' a film which is predominantly fictional. Hence, the 'real life' equivalent of Benjamin Martin actually used to scalp Native Americans in his spare time (a fact neatly overlooked by the director). This 'rose tinted' view of history is at its worst during the church-burning scene where a British Army officer ordered the murder of many innocent civilians by locking them in a church and setting it alight. This event never took place and yet, thanks to The Patriot, a whole generation of Americans will believe that the British Army actually committed this horrendous act in South Carolina -- when in fact history shows that it was not the British Army that burned a church full of people in 1776 but the Nazis that did during WW2. As a Brit, I don't so much mind Hollywood always portraying us as the 'bad guys' -- after all it is American money making these films -- I'm more concerned that some Americans actually believe what they watch. This is especially true in movies like The Patriot which 'pretend' to be real. It's a shame that in such a technically competent movie, which pays such attention to minutiae detail like the costumes, that something as significant as the accuracy of the screenplay could have been so grotesquely overlooked.

• Chris W

  
  It seems odd to me that this was directed by Roland Ememrich, as it is far removed from the rest of his filmography. It's certainly not a great movie, and don't get me started on how it treats history, but the performances are not bad, and the action scenes are well done.… More
  It seems odd to me that this was directed by Roland Ememrich, as it is far removed from the rest of his filmography. It's certainly not a great movie, and don't get me started on how it treats history, but the performances are not bad, and the action scenes are well done. Still though, I should probably shit all over this movie, and I want to, but that might give the impression that this should be avoided, which it shouldn't. Just treat it like mindless violent fiction and it's awesome...mostly.

• Tim S

  
  Nice action set piece.

• Jason O

  
  When I first heard about "The Patriot," I knew it was going to be a good movie because its previews reminded me of "Braveheart" and it stars Mel Gibson. "The Patriot" isn't anything like "Braveheart", but it is a great movie nonetheless.… More
  When I first heard about "The Patriot," I knew it was going to be a good movie because its previews reminded me of "Braveheart" and it stars Mel Gibson. "The Patriot" isn't anything like "Braveheart", but it is a great movie nonetheless. Colonel Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) decides not to enter into the American Revolutionary War because he has a family to protect. However, after a British commander kills his son and his oldest son goes into the war against Benjamin's will, Benjamin does what he has to do and takes part in the war himself. While leading many people against the British, Colonel Benjamin Martin keeps his eye on the British commander that killed his son because he has a lot of revenge for him and Benjamin wants to take that revenge and make use of it. "The Patriot" succeeds in every way as a great movie. It has great acting by everybody, especially Mel Gibson and the brutal and unforgiving British commander that is in charge. The movie's plot is easy to follow and it'll be hard to take your eyes off the screen the whole time you're watching the movie. "The Patriot" also has decent special effects and the battle scenes couldn't have been done any better. If you like great movies, and especially if you like war movies, you'll like "The Patriot." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. I was being generous. I liked the movie enough, but it really wasn't one of my favorites, even of the genre or of Gibson's library. Rather overrated.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>Benjamin Martin: "I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost would be more than I could bear"</i> Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, the director/producer team responsible for such sci-fi blockbusters as Independence Day, Stargate,… More
  <i>Benjamin Martin: "I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost would be more than I could bear"</i> Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, the director/producer team responsible for such sci-fi blockbusters as Independence Day, Stargate, and Godzilla, take a step back in time with this drama set during the American Revolution. Farmer Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) was born and raised in South Carolina, and fought bravely during the French-Indian wars. But since the death of his wife, Benjamin has renounced violence and quietly tends his crops, raising his seven children alone. In 1776, over Benjamin's objections, his oldest son Gabriel (Heath Ledger) joins the fight against the British. Gabriel returns from battle seriously wounded, with Lord General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) calling for his arrest. A skirmish breaks out on Benjamin's plantation, and one of his children is killed as Gabriel is captured by Col. Tavington (Jason Isaacs) and sentenced to hang. Benjamin sets aside his vow of pacifism and rescues Gabriel; with the help of his former comrade-in-arms Harry Burwell (Chris Cooper), the father and son form a regiment of Carolina patriots whose cunning and ruthlessness make them heroes among the colonists -- and wanted men by British troops. This movie feels a lot like Braveheart at times. Switching one family member for a different one the whole story of vengeance is here. This is still a decent movie. There are a few times where a person groans when the over done patriotism gets going, but the battles are very well done. The acting is decent and its nice to see a war movie made about a period of time that changed the world. There really hasn't been a lot about one of the most pivotal points in the last five hundred years. Worth the time to watch it, just be prepared for two or three heavy helpings of cheese and Hollywood make believe. <b>3.5/5</b>

• Eliza N

  
  Unfortunately,this movie made revenge look like identical to the spirit of revolution. From the other side,there were many efforts for a funny view without any adequate results .In my opinion,that had no point of view .

• Coxxie M

  
  man after this all 27 of this guys sons die, i have respect for him to like keep living u know? but i dont watch movies for that.

• Mike S

  
  Dramatic, heart-rending and action-filled story, set during the time of the American Revolution. Great acting by Gibson as always and solid efforts by the rest of the cast. Maybe not the best I've seen by Roland Emmerich, but probably the most beautifully and skillfully directed… More
  Dramatic, heart-rending and action-filled story, set during the time of the American Revolution. Great acting by Gibson as always and solid efforts by the rest of the cast. Maybe not the best I've seen by Roland Emmerich, but probably the most beautifully and skillfully directed of all his film-making accomplishments. The first time I saw this was when it came out on dvd almost a decade ago, and it was as good now on the second watch, as I recall it was back then. So if you haven't seen it yet, you might wanna take a look.

• Cherry D

  
  "This battle was over before it begun."

• Ken S

  
  Braveheart in America, minus the awesome bagpipe music.

• Sanjaya &

  
  I'm very shocked knowing that Roland Emmerich is directed this movie... Knowing the reputation of Emmerich which is more directing for the movie with great special effects, directed this movie, just great... Maybe it's not outstanding as another Mel Gibson movie that similar… More
  I'm very shocked knowing that Roland Emmerich is directed this movie... Knowing the reputation of Emmerich which is more directing for the movie with great special effects, directed this movie, just great... Maybe it's not outstanding as another Mel Gibson movie that similar to this movie, Braveheart, but it's still great... I don't know and don't really care if this movie really based on a true history of the U.S.A. but it's still great... Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Chris Cooper, and many other great cast in this movie about war... It's great and emotional, the war thing is very cruel and so tragic... I don't like the ending too much, but the whole movie itself were great, a nice movie from Emmerich!

• E.J. B

  
  All I have to say is Roland Emmerich, you suck.

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