Yank patriotism, Aussie Style

Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is the 'P' man - a Peacnik, a Plantation owner, a Prodigious Pater and lest we forget, a Patriot. He has his hands full raising a flock of children (7 at last count) and tending vegetation on his sizeable property.

Understandably then, he isn't very happy when his eldest son Gabriel (Heath Ledger) enlists in the Army during the American Revolution. Further tragedy strikes when wicked British officer Colonel Tavington (Jason Isaacs) stomps in leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake. Benjamin proceeds then to coral together a rag tag militia that predictably kicks ass of the British variety.

Gibson is outstanding as Benjamin Martin. He's one of that dying breed who is both a Star and an Actor. He holds this entire film together even though it's a bit overlong at three hours. Jason Isaacs as the villanous Col. Tavington is the quintessential uni-dimensional villain with no redemptive qualities to him. Consequently, you feel like whooping out triumphantly when Mel Gibson teaches his colonial tormentor a lesson or two.

The movie is essentially a revenge saga. The Revolutionary setting is novel enough and provides ample scope for various cannonball and tomahawk decapitations. Rather brutal but vastly entertaining overall.

Rating: 'The Patriot' is chock-a block with old fashioned cliches of love, loyalty, patriotism.....it's meant to make you wring your hankies while shedding copious tears when you aren't busy flinching at all the gory violence. All in all though, director Roland Emmerich has come up trumps with this Revolutionary War saga.

Post Comment

Name : Email : Password : Comments :