Patriot: Directorâs Cut
If one is looking for historical accuracy in a cinematic depiction of the Revolutionary War (outside of the awfully bloody fighting that actually took place in South Carolina at the time) then it would be prudent to look elsewhere as this film measures up as a decent action flick at best and not really much else, compounded by an overlong running time and some bits that just donât work. Mel Gibson stars as an SC farmer who resists the temptation to join with the colonists against the British, even as his backstory reveals him in battle as an uncaged animal who slaughtered the Indians and French in prior wars. However, after the murder of his young son at the hands of the Brits, he takes up his guns and tomahawk axe and begins to massacre the bad guys left and right. Gibson at this stage of his career still had the gravitas to make this type of character compelling, even as some late hour dramatics where he laments about the wages of combat seem a little forced. As his son who is gung ho about joining the fight, Heath Ledger (in the role that put him on the A List) shows the necessary charisma and presence to match up well with Mad Mel, even as the script drags its feet depicting his romance with a local maiden. And as the ruthless, pernicious bastard of a British Colonel who inspires Mel to take up arms, Jason Isaacs does very well in the role of one of the most hissable villains in recent memory, a man who shows no remorse in killing women, children, and wounded POWs to achieve his ends, making the audience that much more determined to watch HIM die, even as his lack of honor among his own commanders leads them to assign him to capture and kill Gibson at any cost in exchange for full control of Ohio(?). The rest of the cast, while capable, merely seem to serve out their paychecks, including Joely Richardson as the sister of Gibsonâs dead wife who takes on the care of his rapidly dwindling flock of children; Chris Cooper as a commanding officer that comes off somewhat inept; Tcheky Karyo as the clownish French officer who seems mostly useless and superfluous for much of the film until he starts kicking ass in the final battle; Rene Auberjonois as the preacher who takes up arms to fight as most of his congregation cowers in fear; Lisa Brenner as Ledgerâs VERY cute paramour; Tom Wilkinson as Lord Cornwallis who finds himself very flustered by Isaacsâ tactics; Donal Logue as a racist soldier who finds himself inspired by the ability of a an ex-slave turned soldier (Jay Arlen Jones); Leon Rippy as a degenerate militia member who just wants to kill some redcoats; and Adam âAnimal Motherâ Baldwin in what winds up being a wasted opportunity as a Colonist who joins the British only to be haunted by the atrocities he carries out, especially since his character disappears at the end of the film and we never find out what happened to him! Still though, the action and battle scenes are brutal and carried out with plenty of aplomb by director Roland Emmerich, even as he stumbles over plot points like Gibson using his dead sonâs toy soldiers to make bullets or the awkward romance that develops between him and Richardson. Nonetheless, certain scenes, shots, and dialogue retain a bit of power, and while not the masterpiece it could have been, a capable and sometimes exciting depiction of how our country won its freedomâŚ
7/10