Mel's played this role before, but its good anyway

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2003)

I haven't read any other IMDB reviews on The Patriot, but there's probably references to Braveheart and Last of the Mohicans. It's not quite up to the level of either of those films, but that just means it is merely very good. A couple of the film ideas look like direct lifts from Last of the Mohicans, and Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin is only slightly less bent on vengeance than William Wallace, while still greatly desiring to kick British butt. I also thought a couple of the combat sequences were too contrived, like big time wrestling and very formula. Still this film has is moments that make it worth watching, and it is beautifully filmed. If the greens were any greener it would be on another planet. The battle scene sound effects play well on a surround system. The acting is generally solid and the film pacing only threatens to flitter away the emotional involvement a time or two, so from beginning to end a film watcher with just a little tolerance will be engaged.