Cast: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson & Jason Isaacs
Director: Roland Emmerich
Rating:
Enetertainment Quotient: 60%
Genre: Action/War
Runtime: 165 min
MPAA rating: Rated R for strong war violence.

Synopsis:
Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is an ex war hero and a widower. He retires from military and leads peaceful life with his seven kids. That is when American Revolution is started against British. He keeps himself away from conscription into the American military for the sake of his motherless kids. In the process one of his kids is killed by a British colonel. The rest of the story is all about how he joins the army and raises his own militia to wage a battle against the British and drives them out of the country.

What I liked in the film?
Patriot is one of the finest war epics shot ever. The screenplay, emotions and the execution is pretty good. The director maintained the tempo of the film throughout by making the sons of the hero as sacrificial lambs.

What I did not like in the film?
The film is titled The Patriot. But the story appears like a personal revenge story. Benjamin drives out British not because they occupied America, but they killed his sons.

The scenes I liked

1. The scene in which Benjamin says, "I am a parent. I don't have the luxury of principles."
2. The first assault in which Benjamin kills 20 redcoats to rescue his son.
3. The militia recruitment scenes in church and bar.
4. Gabriel taking permission from the father of the girl.
5. Benjamin making fools of British during prisoners exchange scene.
6. The scene between Benjamin and his little daughter Susan before the climax.

Similar films: Gladiator, Brave Heart, Glory, Kingdom of Heaven

Tailpiece:
This film is initially offered to Harrison Ford. But he refused it because of historical inaccuracies and for mocking the American Revolution by showing it as a personal revenge of a single person.