The Patriot
2000, War/History, 2h 38m
137 Reviews 250,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
The Patriot can be entertaining to watch, but it relies too much on formula and melodrama. Read critic reviews
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Where to watch
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Movie Info
Mel Gibson portrays Benjamin Martin, an unassuming man who is forced to join the American Revolution when the British threaten to take his farm away from him. Together with his patriotic son, Gabriel, the pair faces the vicious Redcoats with a heroism that reflects the stubborn pride of a young country's most dedicated supporters.
Cast & Crew
Mel Gibson
Benjamin Martin
Benjamin Martin
Heath Ledger
Gabriel Edward Martin
Gabriel Edward Martin
Joely Richardson
Charlotte Selton
Charlotte Selton
Jason Isaacs
Colonel William Tavington
Colonel William Tavington
Chris Cooper
Colonel Harry Burwell
Colonel Harry Burwell
Tchéky Karyo
Jean Villeneuve
Jean Villeneuve
Critic Reviews for The Patriot
Audience Reviews for The Patriot
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Dec 22, 2015It's certainly watchable (if nothing else, Emmerich can stage large scale battle scenes quite well) but thematically muddled. On the one hand it's a corny action epic filled with sentimentality and anachronisms and on the other, it's a brutal revenge thriller about the personal costs of war. Rather than fully commit to either of these narratives the movie awkwardly splits the difference between the two which leads to a pretty disjointed viewing experience.Alec B Super Reviewer
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Oct 27, 2012I'm ashamed to admit that I really, really like this film considering who the director is. So let me say that the film drags in lots of places. And the acting, while good, is not excellent. I encourage rental as opposed to purchase.Christian C Super Reviewer
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Sep 12, 2012It was one of those slow days when I decided to watch Mel Gibson's The Patriot which I oddly like enough for a positive rating. While historically inaccurate and misrepresentations of events, I found it enjoyable. The Patriot is a melodrama that follows one man's revenge against a British officer and it just so happens his vengeance helps American in the American Revolution. Which I kid you not is the actual plot of this movie and drags out to a three hours movie which is too long. The movie plot is so-so, we often get characters that are important to our protagonist but are never truly develop nor worth caring about. The best way to define this movie is propaganda, I've done actual research on the actual historical figure that Gibson character is based of and he was a awful person. He repeatedly raped his slaves and killed Indians for fun, yet in the movie he's portrayed as a family man who fights for noble cause so historical accuracy is absent here. I've found a total of ten mistakes from watching the movie before the thirty minute mark, so strictly watch this as a movie and don't seriously take in anything this movie tells you. What it does do right is having Gibson in the main role. His acting is good here and actually makes this glorification of a awful man in history tolerable to watch. The rest of the cast are also good, though some characters just appear in the movie at random whenever the movie wants them too. The actors make this watchable and are the best part of the movie, to bad the script plot wasn't as good. The battle scenes are done well, though this is the American Revolution so don't expect anything worth caring from these also inaccurate battle scenes. The imagery is good, but again, it is propaganda and a glorification of a awful historical figure. The Patriot.... historically inaccurate and despite my problems with it, it was good enough to get a positive rating from me. While it's a good time waster I wouldn't recommended to anyone no matter how much free time they have, just to much glorification for anyone take in a single day.Caesar M Super Reviewer
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Jul 04, 2012The Patriot is a magnificent and compelling Revolutionary War epic. The film follows the story of Benjamin Martin, who reluctantly joins the American Revolution in order to save his family. The cast is spectacular, and includes Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs, and Tom Wilkinson. The actors all give excellent performances and have good chemistry together; which makes the story all the more dramatic and moving. Additionally, the costumes and set designs are quite elaborate and help give the film an authentic feel. And the battle sequences are breathtaking. The Patriot is a powerful and thrilling war epic that delves into the American Revolution as never before.Dann M Super Reviewer
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