Army of Perfect People

Rating: 6/10 (10 February 2005)

Mel Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, or "the ghost" - a one man army, family man and a colonel in the Continental Army. He joins the war against the Britts to get vengeance for his sons death, and to look after his oldest son, who joins the fight despite his fathers disapproval.
The Patriot is an OK movie, but it lacks the feel of realism, as it is soaked with Hollywood clichés and overflowing heroism, without the grim look of real war. Racism in the south is shrugged upon by small disputes of skin colour in the start of the movie, and "honor to fight with you" in the end.
Battles are well done, with the red coats and the blue coats marching against each other on open fields in the old "honourable way", but the war itself is not the focus of this movie. The focus is put on Martin and his militia, hiding in the swamp and fighting against the Britts on their own terms, ambushing supply wagons and chasing the evil Britt cavalry Captain responsible for Martins son's death.
In another words it seems the war for Americas Independence is only in the background, while these two - the hero and the antihero - fight each other. Gibson's character being the perfect family man, who can look beyond skin colour, a man of principle, and of course legend among soldiers. The British cavalry captain is apparently the First Anti-Christ, burning down churches, killing women and children left and right, and of course enjoying it! What I'm trying to say here, is it is not even trying to be historically accurate, and it is not trying to give a statement against war, as all good war films do.
But it is worth watching.
6/10