Not a bad movie, but don't go expecting another Braveheart

Rating: 3/10 (21 July 2000)

Well, overall, it met my expectations, but that's not really saying much. The movie had several strong good points, but it was far from perfect. While the directing was good, and Mel Gibson did a fine job, much of the acting was unremarkable, and several scenes were downright hackneyed. Many of the characters were overplayed as their stereotypes, ie. the British noble, the southern red-neck, etc, stripping away any depth. Even some of the backdrops looked cheap and obviously CGI, making it hard to get immersed in the movie. On the other hand, the story was moving, and some of the more key characters were excellently played.
As far as criticism based on the depictions of the British, only one person was really all that brutal, and Americans have been portrayed doing far worse in countless other movies.
To some it up, "The Patriot" was a good movie. I'm glad I went to see it, and think it was easily worth the cost of attending. Just don't set your hopes on "masterpiece" and you won't be disappointed.