It's an exciting example of historical fiction

Rating: 9/10 (2 December 2004)

The main foreground characters and action are mostly fiction, but the spirit of the partisan actions in the Carolinas during the Civil War is honestly stated. "Benjamin Martin", a veteran of the French and Indian Wars, in which he apparently committed some acts of which he is now ashamed, is reluctant to get involved in the American rebellion against British rule. He has a large family of which he is very fond and caring. When a very over zealous and sadistic British colonel murders his next to oldest son, he goes berserk. Single-handed, he kills a patrol of 20 solders and frees his captive oldest son. After that, he becomes a partisan leader and there is no stopping him.
We see the English campaign in the Carolinas mostly through "Benjamin Martin", and we follow him to the final defeat of Cornwallis. The "Martin" family affairs are fiction, but there is little doubt that tragic incidents like those portrayed, i.e. house burnings, killing of civilians, etc. actually occurred. The character "Martin" is probably based in part on the real life partisan Francis Marion, famous as "The Swamp Fox". Along with several other similar guerrilla leaders, Marion dealt the redcoats some serious blows, similar to those portrayed in the film.
I found this an excellent semi-docudrama, with the fictional family serving as a canvas on which to paint the hellishness of war, even in a good cause. Direction, editing and production values are all very good, supported by equally good cast work.