The Birth of ... mediocrity.

Rating: 5/10 (29 June 2001)

Warning : possible spoilers ahead ! drive carefully.
Like an Endive Salad of Patriot Greens (make that Red, White and Blues), this movie is a toss up. On one hand you have Mel. C'mon, Mel could make an safety video good. You have J.Will on the pipes. You've got some great period production (ships in Charlestown, redcoats, etc.). Did I mention Mel ? On the other hand, you have Ute and Roland Emmerich. The same duo that brought you ID4. Great effects. Stupid movie. (how can we fit Randy Cousin Eddie Quaid into the climax...hmmm).
The problems with this movie are the unnecessary gory violence. Some it was really not needed, let's face it. You have Cornwallis who seems to be fairly smart but you've got his sidekick Tavington who seems like a bad guy plucked out of a 1940s crime drama. Shallow writing indeed. Case and point: the black soldier who wants his freedom and the lame ass militia man who mocks him with the obligatory "gee, I came to my senses, it's my honor to fight with you" epiphany. That should have either been cut out or developed much better. I also have issues with Heath Bar's love interest who seems to only know how to stand and smile like a goober. Look at me-I'm cute, I'm the next Calista ! Watch me pout ! pssst...act ! How can a movie be made where in one scene they show a young man being sewn up in a bag to spend the night (historically accurate) and the next scene they're sucking face like a couple of horny teens in public (historically very unaccurate). It is possible to make historically accurate movies that are interesting.

Just listen to Roland's comments on the making of this movie (on DVD) and you'll get a sense for how out of it he is. He knows how to direct major action sequences but is this the guy you want telling the story of how this country was created ?
Lastly, I will say The Patriot has its merits, but ultimately it plays out like a ... like a... another edition of Thunderdome !!! Two countries enter, one country leaves. This is the type of movie Affleck should be getting the lead on, not as the next Jack Ryan !