Stand up and salute the red, white and blue!

Rating: 9/10 (25 March 2001)

Very rarely does a film inspire you to think about how and why we have a free and democratic society. "The Patriot" does just that. After watching this summer blockbuster I thought about all those that have given there lives against impossible odds to preserve our way of life.

Mel Gibson does a tremendous job as Benjamin Martin, a hero of the French and Indian War is forced into the Revolution in order to protect his family. Heath Ledger provides the perfect compliment to Gibson playing his ambitious son, Gabriel.
A terrific supporting cast including Chris Cooper, Tom Wilkinson, Jason Isaacs, and Tcheky Karyo also contribute to this film's ability to capture its audience in this gripping tale about the fight for our nation's freedom.
In addition to the cast and the brilliance of Roland Emmerich, the technical aspects and special effects deserve all the praise that they have received. The open-field battle scenes are incredible. The costume design department did a great job of re-creating the attire of the colonial days. Each and every detail was perfected to give the audience a true sense of what it was like to live at this time in history.
Finally I would like to give credit to John Williams for his masterful score. The music was an aspect of the film that helped to tell the story, set the mood, and draw the audience into the story.
This film is well worth any time that you put into it. The DVD also contains materials that are a perfect supplement to this great film, and I recommend that if you enjoyed the film, you pick up the DVD.
Oscar snub of the year!