#66: The Patriot (2000)

Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger and Joely Richardson
Academy Awards: Nominated three times. Best Cinematography, Best Sound, and Best Music.
Plot: “Peaceful farmer Benjamin Martin is driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolution when a sadistic British officer murders his son.”
Stock: Up
Previous Rating: #72

“Aim small, miss small.”

Some scenes in movies never leave you. They stay in your memory forever. The Patriot has not one – but two – of those scenes, and they play a rather large role for its’ inclusion.

Without giving too much away, both scenes deal with the death of a main character, and they are executed flawlessly.

Say what you will about Mel Gibson’s personal life, but as an actor he’s not too bad. I’d have a very difficult time imagining anyone else except Mel portraying Benjamin Martin. Gibson does an excellent job showcasing Martin’s compassion for his family, his love for his country, and his desire to revoke revenge.

The late Heath Ledger, as usual, was outstanding as Gibson’s oldest child. The way they play off each other you almost feel as if they are father-son.

The Patriot has great fight scenes, memorable moments, and top-notch acting. It’s a tad long (165 minutes), but if you got the time, the pay-off will be worth it.

UPDATE

Some movies get worse every time you watch them, some stay the same, and some manage to improve with every viewing. The Patriot belongs in the latter group.

And yet, it’s a difficult film for me to watch due to Heath Ledger. He’s absolutely terrific and knowing that he is no longer with us always makes me sad.

It has great action sequences, tells an important story about the inner-struggle of a man with demons (Gibson), and reminds us of how important family is.

Fun Fact: Aunt Charlotte’s house is the same one used in Forrest Gump (1994), with slightly different interior paneling. The stone hedge visible in Forrest Gump is camouflaged with bushes in this film.

Fun Fact #2: Kevin Spacey was the first choice to play Tavington (the bad guy), but after paying Mel Gibson his $25 million there was not enough in the budget to pay Kevin too.

Hint for #65: You’ll never look at a box marked “fragile” the same.

Peace Be The Journey