Very Entertaining (Spoiler Alert)

Rating: Null/10 (27 July 2000)

If you go to this movie with the aim of being entertained rather than being informed, then it's quite likely you'll enjoy this movie. This was my attitude, and I was not disappointed. As with his other films, Roland Emmerich has created a visually stunning depiction of combat on a large scale with the big screen in mind.
The main reason I was keen to see this film was to see Heath Ledger on screen again, and as Gabriel Martin, he once again does Australia and America proud. ***SPOILER ALERT*** I was quite upset when he had to make an abrupt and gruesome departure before the end!
Mel Gibson was in good form as Benjamin Martin, who becomes something of a "Lethal Weapon" again when his family is the target of the brutal Col. Tavington (Jason Isaacs). Indeed, Jason Isaacs was very good in creating a character so loathsome that you find yourself looking forward to his demise.
Above all, I loved the beautiful photography in the film. The film constantly looked great, and the scenes of the Colonials marching into battle against the Redcoats were stirring to see. While the film did have its flaws (Mel Gibson's family and the town folk were all too "good" and nice ensuring the audience to sympathise with them regardless of what happened, and Gabriel rousing the church to join him with a rather cheesy patriotic speech of which variations of it have been heard dozens of times before) it did not stop me from getting swept away by the story.
As for the depictions of the British being bad, this isn't really a new concept in American films, it's just that it's more obvious here. "Gone in 60 Seconds", "A Fish Called Wanda" , even "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" depict America at war with Britain one way or another.