Excellent.

Rating: 9/10 (17 March 2002)

The Patriot is the thrilling story of one man's battle to avenge the murder of his son at the hands of a British officer...his fight against British forces, in battle after battle, drawing closer and closer to the man he wants to fight with the aid of his men and another of his sons. It is the story of a man's struggle to keep his family alive in a time of war and destruction...war and destruction? Oh, yeah, that American Revolution thing. The American Revolution takes a back seat in this story, which is a good thing, because quite frankly we know how it ended. The main plot of The Patriot is Martin vs. Tavington, with the rest of the war running along in the background. This results in a stunning story of a hero who never wanted to be a hero, whose strength threatens to run out at every turn, but who pushes on through trial after trial, hoping to fulfil his goals. It is a brilliant story, with masterful acting from the cast and intricate fight sequences that mix tactical combat, huge armies, and single man-to-man fighting as few films can. That is to say, it's done well. The Patriot is a great film, and one that I would recommend to anyone.