A new cult film?

Rating: Null/10 (18 March 2004)

After four years, this film still draws comment. I suspect the negative comments/reviews are no longer plentiful, as these viewers have moved on. On the other hand, there are the fans who still care a lot about PATRIOT in a way that could be described as "cultist". I love military history, along with how it is depicted in films. The American Revolution has had very little exposure, but the few efforts were memorable...Pacino's REVOLUTION and THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE (Lancaster, Douglas, Olivier? What a great cast! Oh yeah, and written by George Bernard Shaw!). The plot line in PATRIOT is fairly standard stuff, as are the visual trappings (REVOLUTION looked good, too.). The battle scenes (Camden and Guilford/Cowpens) are truly magnificent. For the first time, we get a view of 18th century warfare as it was. The details are many, and the flaws are few (British cannons the size of siege guns? Not being dragged around the Carolinas!). Computer-enhanced battalions looked great...just think if they had Peter Jackson's computer program! Pellenor Fields meets Saratoga! I served time during the Bi-Centennial as a British military re-enactor and can recognize and sympathize with the British line infantry in PATRIOT. Time usually will tell if a film becomes a classic. PATRIOT has arrived!