they blew it!! terribly written

Rating: Null/10 (1 August 2000)

This movie has so much potential, but blew every opportunity to be a good movie. Granted the acting and costumes were superb this just does not make up for how awful the writing was. Notice how not one pro-Patriot comment mentions good writing... well that because it flat out sucked.
*SPOILER WARNING* (whole paragraph) For example, when Gabriel (Ledger) standing over the seemingly dead Tavington (Isaacs), and contemplating his father's "words of wisdom" about maiming dead people with blunt objects, I was praying that Tavington wasn't playing dead and going to quickly turn over and kill Gabriel completely voiding any meaning whatsoever to the scene...well we all remember what happened. And furthermore, where was Mel and company when this was happening? Was he thinking "oh, my son just rode off in a fit of rage destined to avenge his wife's death, despite the incredible odds...I'll give him a good 15 minute headstart." C'mon Mel, get the lead out...absolutely ridiculous writing.
And the final fight scene, man did they blow that one. Mel the master of the tomahawks (which is dumb in and of itself) loses then in the midst of the battle, and has to continue in the fashion of a low budget Dolph Lungren movie. *SPOILER* Mel thinking: "I can take on kill 10 men at time which I've done many times over, but can't beat you on-on-one, so go ahead and cut my head off execution style...psyche!!...now I'll kill you!!
If you must see this movie, which I completely discourage, go in expecting nothing and maybe you won't be as mad as I am about wasting what seemed like 5 hours.