Nigh-jingoistic and wildly inaccurate... but a ripping yarn, nonetheless

Rating: 7/10 (27 January 2001)

Don't see this looking for accuracy -- there are a thousand details either wrong or fancifully construed (why would redcoats waste valuable lead to kill rebel wounded, when they were so well known for their bayonets? why do we only see characters reloading or priming when it suits a plot-point? how do characters manage to carry their muzzle-loaders barrel down and still fire the weapon?). It's rife with stereotypes such as the ruthless Tavington (obviously modeled loosely on the Tory dragoon commander Tarleton, for whom was coined the term "Tarleton's Quarter").
Some of the special effects are a bit hokey and gratuitous. The cannonballs-taking-off-limbs effect got old... oh, I dunno, THE FIRST TIME?!... and why did they have to digitally matte some shots of troops manouvering in the field?).
And the plot -- hoo, boy, hard to recall a more manipulative effort in recent memory. Burning the whole town to death in the church was a bit over the top. And Gibson pulls out every item in his bag of tricks to jerk the tears.
But you know what? Despite all that, it's still a well-made hollywood flick. Gibson pulls out all his tricks -- but he's _got_ the tricks to pull (easy to forget with some of the tripe he's turned out that he's actually a damn good actor). Honestly, I found myself watching it again the morning after, and got engrossed.