The Patriot (2000)

Love Gibson and his kids taking out a platoon of soldiers in the goriest way possible.

Hate that they totally set up Tavington getting impaled by the flag but then don't go through with it. Goddamn you, Emmerich. One of cinema's missed opportunities.

I would enjoy it more if it weren't 7 hours long, but it isn't without entertainment value. Tchecky Karyo is a lot of fun. Agreed that they should have just impaled Jason Isaacs on the flag.

I mean, the movie is really only slightly less over-the-top than Gibson's remake of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington on The Simpsons.

Happy birthday... Mr. President.

We all knows how this ends: a Payback-style adaptation of Gerry Adams' Cage 11 with Gibson starring as Adams.

I've always loved the way Gibson goes insane with the violence and hacks up the English soldiers. It was choreographed, but looked chunky and messy in the best way. Surprisingly brutal.

Issacs is delicious in this. Donal Logue is hilarious as the prejudiced dude that learns a valuable life lesson. Hahahahaha.

Also, sneering Adam Baldwin and a top-notch Williams score.

I blame this movie for creating the Tea Baggers.

They all think this is real history and that Black people really liked being slaves, so then when a Black gets elected President they can't handle it.

Damn you Mel Gibson!

I know you're joking, but the real reason that the far right has such a warped view of American history comes down to one guy: Ronald Reagan. He did a great job--outside of the "Born in the USA" squabble--of branding everything American with his very extreme brand of conservatism.

When you combine that with taking civics out of the classroom, having your cronies write the American history books used in the public schools with a historical bias favoring you, and stripping funding in the schools, you've laid the best groundwork imaginable for Fox News and the TEA Party "movement" to follow.

Well actually they work the lands as free men and he pays them. Remember that scene where the british force them to join up in exchange for freedom? One of the workers actually says that. I remember thinking "really? he's the only plantation owner who has paid labor?. I guess it's hard to root for a slave owner". Totally unrealistic but I guess it's hardily the most unrealistic thing about the movie. Hell him and his family even hide out with a bunch of freed slaves later in the flick. Still your right, totally fun. Plus I have to give the movie some props for having the balls for killing off BOTH of his sons and his sons new fiance with her family IN A MASSIVE CHURCH FIRE!

Not a big fan. For a post-Stargate Emmerich movie there isn't enough property damage for my tastes.

Not a terrible movie, but it flubs history a bit too much and makes me wish there were more good films set in the time period.

People damage >>>>>>>>> property damage

Granted, in that type of film there wasn't a lot of property to damage, but...

but...

Okay I don't have a good response. The Messenger had better "OH SWEET JESUS IT'S A BALL OF DEATH" moments though.

Just Netflixed that.

The Messenger is a bit of a mess, but it has it's action highlights, and the "OH SWEET JESUS IT'S A BALL OF DEATH" bits pale in comparison to the moment I will not mention. Still totally worth watching though.

Also, the Malkovich facial expressions are priceless, and Milla has never been more stunning than she is in the beginning of the film.

Sorry for the derail.

He was originally based on Francis Marion and a good deal of Marion's story's elements are still in there. Problem is that Marion wasn't exactly a poster child for progressive thinking. Notoriously racist indian killer and such.

Everyone in the film is a archetype. From the lovable rebs to the tories(with trademark arrogant to questioning to regretting arc) to the idyllic gullah inhabitants. Even the incredible Wilkinson (who steals every scene he's in) is too old for Cornwallis. It's a historical splitting of hairs and it doesn't really detract from the story, but it's apparent he's a cinematic shortcut to representing the "older" school of Brit generals that labored under (to the rebels) outmoded notions of warfare.

Also, Gibson's Martin turns out to be a kind of Forrest Gump Of The Revolution by getting a taste of every element of it from noted battles to war atrocities to being at both Guilford Courthouse (the climactic battle) and Yorktown (birthplace of the Peppermint Pattie).

Ultimately, since RevWar films are extremely rare, it's probably going to be a while before we see some battles depicted as gloriously on screen again. Tactically wonky, sure, but grab the blu-ray and throw on that first daylight battle scene(Granny Gates' fuckup at Camden)...and look at that spectacle. Glorious.

It's rather hilarious that the movie goes on for so long that two hours in they have to slaughter Gibson's family AGAIN to keep him properly rage-filled for the climax.

Ha ha ha ha yeah... you are right.

This is the movie that introduced me to the living awesomeness that is Tcheky Karyo. He's the best thing about the movie next to Gibson. The action is fast and gory, and there's plenty of "drama" all around. We all know that we just mostly want to see Gibson aping Rambo and stalking through the forest with his militia.

The main theme Williams wrote for this is a great piece. Of course, throw fifes and drums into something and you've got me hooked.

There have been a lot of compliments for the score. I actually don't remember it that much right now, other than the fact that it's really bombastic.

But I do remember that the first time I saw the movie, at some point during the climax, I blurted out - mostly under my breath: All right Williams... We get it!

So I guess I didn't like the score that much.

The theme definitely works better as a stand-alone orchestral piece than as film scoring, since you only have to hear it once under those circumstances.

Indeed. Although it was funny to hear the music being used almost immediately (within a few months of release) as background for sports highlights.

Other than that, all I remember of the film was that I expected Gibson to skewer Isaacs with the flagpole during the end battle.

ETA: Well, that's what I get for not reading the thread. Sorry, Luca!

I love how it's obvious Mel Gibson knocked up his dead wife's sister, but the movie refuses to show what's in the blanket at the end.

Well Mel still could have been disarmed and, in a moment of quick-wittedness, reached for the flag or something. I'm just saying, you can have both.

The French guy was fucking fantastic in this. Love this movie. Ridiculous and long and just...amazing.

I remember this getting kind of clobbered at the box office by The Perfect Storm. Seemed like a no-brainer opening this close to July 4th, but I guess people would have rather watched Mark Wahlberg drown than Mel Gibson beat the British.

God, that kinda baffles me.

Yeah, Storm almost doubled Patriot's opening weekend and ended up earning about $70 million more total domestically. And foreign wasn't even that close, although that makes sense.

I saw both in the theater and I have to say Perfect Storm was the better experience.

It was all about the giant wave at the end of the trailer.