: The Patriot

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Thank You Mel Gibson
Among the steady stream of disgusting, vulgar, and /or western civilization-bashing crap that flows like a sewer from our Left Coast, we get a little reminder every once in awhile that the United States is not completely the Great Satan. We do have a redeeming quality or two. Thank God for a generation that didn't bow the knee to British oppression and tyranny. (Anyone who thinks the British were righteous during that period probably also thinks that Islam is a religion of peace.) Today we are the world's oldest democracy because that generation "stayed the course" (oh, the mindless clichés!), fought barefoot in the snow, and defeated the most powerful empire in the world (strangely reminiscent of the Vietcong).

When I'm feeling low about the porn-saturated, Bush-decimated, corporate-dominated, widely-hated USA, I'll watch this movie and imagine a time that my people not only believed in virtue, but actually behaved as though there was something more important than self-interest, self-esteem, self-awareness, and getting off.

If I seem a little overly passionate, it's because I've mistakenly spent time reading the one-star reviews. When I calm down my review of the movie will probably just be "It was pretty good."

Rating:

- Could it be time for another revolution
Excellent movie and acting, Story superb if you can overlook hollywood political correctness recreating history

Rating:

- Never get tired of this one!
Always a late bloomer, I discover things after they've been out for a while - that's just my way. I finally rented this flick and watched it the whole way through...and it's great! I really loved it! There is alittle bit of everything in it - for men and women. There's war, romance - and it keeps you interested the whole time. Trying to watch all of Heath Ledger's work since his death - I'm so glad I saw this. This was definately Mel Gibson's movie (and he was great too) but Heath held his own as Mel's oldest son. He's beautiful to look at - but he showed such promise...you just knew he was destined for greatness. I now have this movie in my dvd collection - and would recommend it to anyone. You will be entertained.

Rating:

- I Enjoyed It
I enjoyed this movie. I like Mel Gibson's action movies. This falls into that category. It is not a comedy. I like the new young actor Heath Ledger who played his son. I think we will see more of him in the future. We don't get many movies about the Revolutionary war and I enjoyed this one. Some of the scenes reminded me of THE LAST OF THE MOHEGANS especially the ambush scene in the forest. The final battle scene was very good. They don't make movies like this anymore. We all liked it.

Rating:

- Mel and co engage again with the British with blood & guts
This film coming a few years later after "Braveheart" was one of the first films in which I saw the late Heath Ledger--and he was impressive to say the least. Mel Gibson plays a farmer who is an ex-guerilla fighter who is reluctant to take up arms against the British until a tragedy occurs in his family that forces him to take a stand. Critics of this film have liken this to a Mad Max film but his re-transformation back into the warrior mode is plausible. Of course, there are some dramatic licenses taken here since Gibson's character is a composite of many of the types of American heroes like Francis Marion aka "The Swamp Fox" and also depicted in Disney film years ago by I believe, Leslie Nielsen before he descended or risen into his famous comedy mode (The Naked Gun). The Blu-ray transfer of this extended version is excellent and a special mention should be made of the excellent acting of Jason Issacs as the villainous British officier who forces Gibson's hand in a pivotal moment. Also Tom Wilkinson as Cornwallis, Chris Cooper as a Federalist and Tcheky Karyo as a French compatriot are excellent too. Recommended for war buffs and action fans alike!!

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