Big Disappointment.

Rating: 5/10 (22 January 2001)

I expected this to be a good war film, and it had excellent reviews. Unfortunately, this wasn't to my taste. I wasn't pleased at all...
Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is a hero from a previous war, but having lost his wife and with seven children to look after, he is reluctant to get involved in the American war for independence. However when one of his children is killed in the conflict and his home is set on fire by the British, he reluctantly joins the Continentals in battle.
He sets up his own militia army which brings fear to the British by fighting dirty and ambushing them in the woods rather than fighting them like gentlemen on the battlefields.
Mel Gibson portrays Benjamin properly, and Heath Ledger is perfectly watchable, although he has chosen the wrong movie to start his 'blockbuster' career. The battle scenes are well-filmed and all, but the history is inaccurate and the story is a shambles, moving at the pace of a turtle's walk. This and Godzilla all tells us Roland Emmerich obviously has trouble making a good movie. This could've made up for his past mistakes, but it is an addition to his list of awful films.
Over-long and boring at 160 minutes, The Patriot is an overrated and effortless attempt a blockbusting war film.
I rate The Patriot 5 out of 10.