An accurate and riveting biopic

Rating: 8/10 (1 February 2020)

"All good things must come to an end" declares Patton to his subordinates on the eve of the end of the war. As eccentric as the character it portrays, this film is a true biopic, with all of the real general's strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies wrapped up in one delightful package.
Although the dialogue lacks the routine swearing so often seen in other wartime movies (perhaps to make the movie appropriate for a wider audience), this slight blow dealt to the realism of "Patton" is well compensated for by the gripping story it relates. The remarkably bold opening speech prefaces the events of the film and serves as a vivid introduction to the most unusual trait of the general: his lust for war ("I love it, God help me, I do love it. I love it more than my life").
Most of the entertainment the movie provides stems from the qualities of Patton himself and the effect they have on his peers, subordinates and often superiors (an omnipresent Ike lurks invisibly in the background), which is both a strength and a weakness of the film. Its single-minded focus on the adventures of the general himself prevent it from depicting a more complex, layered narrative, while this same quality makes it an enviable biography of the man, the simple, linear tone of the film echoing the military mentality of the general.
The battle scenes are rather unconvincing, with all the combat, gore and butchery swapped for an abstract, objective portrayal which in a sense places the viewer in the shoes of the egotistical Patton who sees the battle as more of a showdown between himself and the Desert Fox. The acting on the other hand, is wonderful and both Scott and Malden succeed admirably in bringing their characters to life.
Patton is truly all about Patton, and Patton is all about himself. Anyone who sees themselves in Patton (at least to a certain extent), will enjoy this movie.