Propagandist? Yes. Historically oblivious? Yes. Bad movie? No.

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 2000)

I went to see this movie with low expectations. I don't like Mel Gibson movies, the advertisements all but flaunted the fact that this movie had nothing to do with the real, and I had just drank about 64 oz. of Cola. Watching this movie, I was strongly reminded of October (The Ten Days that Shook the World) (1927), directed by Sergei Eisenstein. Both movies only seem patriotic to those who are nationalistic and loyal to the country which the film is about. Outside of this group (and even inside, sometimes), most people find it violent and distasteful. Obviously, the British are not evil people (maybe scientific fact will refute me someday....). It seems unlikely that unrecorded atrocities would occur this frequently localized to a specific area and man. So, I am lead to conclude the evil British were concocted by screenwriters who labeled chapters 1 through 15 of their work, "Mel bashes this man with an axe because..." Spike Lee has lamented the movie's lack of regard for Native Americans and slaves. Sorry Spike; you just don't seem to understand that neither group fights with or against Mel Gibson, therefore are unimportant. These groups, historically, are important- but then again, no one picks up on the good teeth, Polyurathane-varnished chairs, very unused looking guns, etc. in this type of movie; and why add subplots to a movie that hardly has plot to begin with?? Despite all of these problems, "The Patriot" somehow managed to be enjoyable, if only for the few jokes and many action sequences, though the movie felt as if you should be thinking,"I'm glad I'm American; those British are really evil chaps." - and I just wasn't.