Re:tro Re:view - The Patriot!

The Patriot is a 2000 film, throw away any pretense of historical realism, and get caught up in this tale of the cost of war and the people who fought to build this country! The historical underpinnings of the story with figures like Charles Cornwallis and of course George Washington and the setting of the American Revolutionary War are all true, but the rest is mostly fiction.  Another hesitation may be the lead, Mel Gibson, who is controversial, but hopefully audiences can separate actor from the role. This is Gibson in his prime, five years after Braveheart. There is also the director, Roland Emmerich, who is known for spectacle films like Independence Day (1996), but here he is not over-the-top, and allows this story its dramatic potential. The screenplay is by Robert Rodat whom also wrote Saving Private Ryan (1998).  

There is a close-up of a tomahawk placed in a chest of other weapons as we get the words of Benjamin Martin (Gibson) who says he feared his sins would return and he closes the chest.  Gibson had just finished Lethal Weapon 4 (1998). The music is somber, one of the best scores by John Williams, the previous year he composed the music for Angela’s Ashes (1999). I talked to one of the filmmakers who said that money was spent for the very best in all aspects of the production.  It shows on the screen. This opens at the farm where the two young sons, Nathan (Trevor Morgan) and Samuel (Bryan Chafin), see the arrival of the post rider carrying mail. The incredible visuals are captured by Caleb Deschanel, director of photography for Anna and the King (1999). At the house, Margaret (Mika Boorem) is showing letter cards to William (Logan Lerman) as the rider approaches the house.  

The rider gives the mail to the housekeeper, Abigail (Beatrice Bush), as older sons, Gabriel (Heath Ledger) and Thomas (Gregory Smith) are walking back from hunting. This is three years since Ledger was Conor in the fantasy series, Roar, so he was just about to break out as a star. Nathan and Samuel run to the barn to tell their father about the mail. Watching her father is Susan (Skye McCole Bartusiak), the youngest and probably most adorable, it is a large family of interesting siblings. Benjamin finds that the time he spent working on a rocking chair is a failure like other attempts, a funny moment, it shows he is not a builder, but a destroyer. We get that it is South Carolina, 1776, as we see Benjamin go to the grave of his wife, Elizabeth who died three years ago. There is a dissolve from the north star on the gravestone to the north star in the night sky.  

Margaret tells Susan that their mother is watching over them. Benjamin says good night to his daughters.Thomas is working on setting up his lead soldiers, this becomes important later, it is a childhood fascination, but not understanding of war. Benjamin comes down the stairs to pour himself a drink as Gabriel watches from his book. He asks about the mail and his sons race to check it. Benjamin tells his sons that he has been called to Charleston in the morning. The family rides in several wagons with Gabriel riding behind them on a horse to the town. It is impressive to see the town and ships at harbor (probably a matte painting, but nice). The kids rush to see Aunt Charlotte (Joely Richardson) who remarks that Susan is still not talking. Night, the town is filled with revelers and Gabriel goes to hear the speech of Peter Howard (Joey D. Veira). He has lost his leg and part of his hearing in the French Indian War which ended thirteen years before this time.  

Gabriel goes to talk to Howard’s daughter, Anne, played by Lisa Brenner in her first film. Brenner is also in the crime film, Bad Samaritan (2018), directed by Dean Devlin, producer of this movie.  She is still not happy that Gabriel put ink in her tea, a point that needs to be remembered later.  The next day is the levy for the Continental Army. Colonel Harry Burwell attends the meeting played by Chris Cooper who was in the drama October Sky (1999). He speaks about the upcoming signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the forming of a nation. This is said to be treasonous by James Wilkins (Adam Baldwin). The actor of course is well known for playing the mercenary Jayne Cobb in the sci fi show Firefly. Benjamin stands up to say he doesn’t want war with England fearing that it will be fought in front yards. Gabriel leaves to sign up for the army in defiance of his father. Harry tells Benjamin that he will put Gabriel under his command. The Don’t Tread on Me, the Gadsden flag, flies above the town and we get a dissolve to the British flag.  Gabriel narrates his letter to Thomas as we see British soldiers march into the town.  

We are introduced to General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) and walking next to him is Colonel William Tavington (Jason Isaacs). Wilkinson was in the action movie Rush Hour (1998) and Isaacs, before playing Lucius Malfoy, played another colonel in the sci fi movie Soldier (1998). Benjamin later reads the personal writings of Cornwallis and calls him a “tactical genius.” Aunt Charlotte has moved to her plantation in the Santee River Valley. It is winter and we see Gabriel noting the defeats by the British Army in the North. He is moved back to South Carolina under Burwell’s command. Thomas reads the letter to his siblings as Benjamin watches them. He later takes out the tomahawk and red coat of his father. Benjamin sees his son and tells him he can enlist at 17.  Thomas asks about Fort Wilderness, but Benjamin doesn’t reply, this is a secret he keeps for most of the film.  The sun has set and a mist has fallen on the fields as there is sounds of gunshots.  All of the family goes to see what is happening. 

A weary figure appears with a pistol and later enters the house as the family is having dinner.  Benjamin has his pistol and then finds out it is Gabriel! Benjamin checks on his wounds and Gabriel explains that the army surrendered, but was cut down by the Dragoons. He was carrying dispatches. Benjamin watches a battle outside of his doorway. Morning, Gabriel wakes to see British and Colonial soldiers cared for by servants and family. British soldiers march in and then the Dragoons led by Colonel Tavington. He orders the house and barns burned and gets the dispatches. 

Gabriel says that he is the carrier and Tavington sentences him to be hanged, Benjamin tries to argue for proper treatment, and Gabriel lets out Benjamin is his father! This has tragic consequences, this may be too sad for some people. Benjamin runs into his burning house to collect rifles and his tomahawk. He gives rifles to Nathan and Samuel while telling Margaret to hide the others. They run into the forest, Benjamin instructs his sons about the ambush, and then sets rifles against trees. Gabriel is taken as a prisoner with several soldiers in the detail. It gets bloody with the young sons turned into child soldiers. All of the sons are stunned to see their father turned into a raging brute with his tomahawk, shades of his Fort Wilderness days. 

Colonel Tavington is shown to the lone survivor who says it was one man who ambushed them like a ghost. This may be based on Francis Maron known as the Swamp Fox. There was a Disney series with Leslie Nielsen playing the Swamp Fox. Wilkins declares his loyalty to Tavington. Benjamin takes his family to Charlotte’s mansion. The next morning, Gabriel is back in his soldier’s uniform, and leaves for the army.  Benjamin leaves his family and rides after his son. Gabriel is startled by a wagon of what looks like a looter, he enters the house to see a battle from a window, the two armies march calmly towards each other. He turns to see his father who says that General Gates is using British tactics and has lost to them. 

Cornwallis considers the Continental Army, “rustics” which he tells his second-in-command, General Charles O’Hara (Peter Woodward).  Benjamin and Gabriel ride up to the camp and Gabriel finds the tattered remains of a flag.  Burwell shows Benjamin the situation hoping to hold Cornwallis until the arrival of the French.  We get Jean Villeneuve (Tchéky Karyo) who knows about Fort Wilderness.  Karyo was in the film, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999).  He serves as the trainer for the soldiers, sometimes funny, but also a counter to Benjamin.  Burwell makes Benjamin a colonel to form a milita. 

Benjamin sends Gabriel to raise volunteers for the militia. Tavington meets with Cornwallis who is upset about his ruthless tactics.  Gabriel rides past several men hung from a tree and enters a church. There is Anne and her father, Peter Howard.  Gabriel makes an announcement to call for volunteers to Reverend Oliver (René Auberjonois).  Auberjonois is a genre favorite, unfortunately we lost him last year, but he was finishing the part of Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1999.  
One of the churchgoers, Dan Scott (Donal Logue) fears what King George would do to them.  Logue, before Gotham series, was in the comedy, Runaway Bride (1999). Anne speaks about the patriotism of all of the men. Volunteers stand including Dan Scott. This is my favorite moment of the film. 

They are all assembled when Gabriel goes to ask permission to write to Anne from Peter Howard. Very funny and establishes the romantic relationship. The volunteers are joined by Reverend Oliver. He is the Friar Tuck of the group. It is sunset when Benjamin and Jean ride up to a tavern. The room is full of rowdy types and later Benjamin signs up volunteers. An old man volunteers his slave, Occam (Jay Arlen Jones). Lastly, is John Billings (Leon Rippy), who was a soldier who fought with Benjamin. Rippy was in Emmerich's sci fi film, Stargate (1994). He is funny and serves as the Little John of the militia. The ragtag group of militia stand against the disciplined British soldiers with a very dark scene that tears through the innocence of the colonists, not historically accurate, but the spirit of the film is the threads that build a nation and the cost.  The Patriot is a war film that is on the epic and personal scale.

Four Flags out of Five!  

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