Major Oscar potential: Gibson's best & Isaacs a thriller!

Rating: 10/10 (18 August 2000)

Many, on both sides of the Atlantic, were howling about the so-called 'baddie' in this unequalled work depicting the Revolutionary War in stark reality carrying neither an overemphasis on gore nor on foul language, long before it ever hit the screens, but the truth of the matter is that it takes REAL GUTS to play the baddie: the one character everyone just loves to hate! And in "The Patriot", Gibson's character and up-and-coming star Jason Isaacs provide an unparalleled balance in which it seems one almost sees a flicker of his former self (not pleasingly, either) in the other. We have almost a pair of Jungian 'shadow' figures, and the film would have listed very badly on its proverbial side had there not been some such measure of balance. For Isaacs we're talking nothing less than an Oscar-calibre performance, while Gibson himself may finally see his name opposite an Oscar nomination in an acting category. The number of fine 'character' actors in this film is also impressive, and new stand-outs Heath Ledger and Lisa Brenner certainly deserve honourable mentions -- indeed, the latter may even find herself with a nomination as well. Certainly the best picture of the summer, if not for the year (it's already got my vote!), and other kudos would not be surprising at all in the directorial, screen-writing, cinematography, editing, and yes, "Best Picture" categories. A blockbuster film which also just happens to be GOOD (too!), "The Patriot" is a MUST-SEE! Don't wait, do it now! Rating: 5 stars (of five), and I'll gladly hand both Isaacs AND Gibson their statues.