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The Patriot

“The Patriot” is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War. It is rousing and entertaining, and you get your money’s worth, but there isn’t an idea in it that will stand up to thoughtful scrutiny.

The British are seen as gentlemanly fops or sadistic monsters, and the Americans come in two categories: brave or braver. Those who have a serious interest in the period will find it a cartoon; those raised on summer action movies will find it more stimulating than most.

Mel Gibson stars, in a powerful and effective performance, as a widower named Benjamin Martin with seven children. He saw enough of battle in the French and Indian Wars, and was frightened by what he learned about himself. He counsels a treaty with King George. Asked about his principles by an old comrade in arms ( Chris Cooper ), he replies, “I’m a parent. I haven’t got the luxury of principles.” But he gets some in a hurry, after the monstrous British Col. William Tavington ( Jason Isaacs ), arrests Martin’s eldest son Gabriel ( Heath Ledger ) and takes him away to be hanged, after first shooting another of Martin’s sons just for the hell of it and burning down his house.

Since Martin had merely been treating the wounded of both sides in his home, this seems excessive, and in the long run turns out to be extremely unwise for the British, since Martin goes on to more or less single-handedly mastermind their defeat. There must have been many British officers less cruel–but none would have served the screenplay’s purpose, which is to show Martin driven berserk by grief, rage and the need for revenge.

The following sequence is the film’s most disturbing. Martin and his sons hide in the woods and ambush Tavington and his soldiers; eventually the battle comes down to hand-to-hand fighting (with Martin wielding a tomahawk). Gabriel is freed, and the younger boys get a taste for blood (“I’m glad I killed them!” one of the tykes cries. “I’m glad!”). The movie’s scenes of carnage have more impact than the multiple killings in a film like “Shaft,” because they are personal, not technical; individual soldiers, frightened and ill-prepared, are fighting for their lives, while in the modern action movies, most of the victims are pop-up arcade targets.

The big players in the war (George Washington, King George) are far offscreen, although we do meet Gen. Cornwallis ( Tom Wilkinson ), a British leader who promotes a “gentlemanly” conduct of the war and rebukes Tavington for his brutality. Still, when the Americans refuse to “fight fair” and adopt hit-and-run guerrilla tactics against the British (who march in orderly ranks into gunfire), Cornwallis bends enough to authorize the evil colonel to take what steps are necessary to bring down Martin (by now legendary as “the Ghost”).

The movie’s battle scenes come in two flavors–harrowing and unlikely. Two battles near the beginning of the film are conveniently fought in open fields visible from the upper windows of houses, so onlookers have excellent seats for the show and can supply a running narration. No doubt revolutionary battles were fought right there in the pasture, but would Benjamin Martin allow his kids to stand in the windows, or tell them to hide in the barn? The “real” battles are grueling tests of men and horses, as soldiers march into withering fire, and the survivors draw their swords or fix their bayonets for blood-soaked combat in close quarters. These battles seem anarchic and pitiless, and respect the movie convention that bitter rivals will sooner or later find themselves face to face. The scenes are well-staged by the director, Roland Emmerich , working from a script by Robert Rodat , the same man who wrote “Saving Private Ryan,” with its equally appalling battle scenes.

Hollywood movies are at pains these days to provide a role for a heroic African-American or two. A role for a black sailor was found in the segregated U.S. Navy submarine corps in “U-571” (he was a mess orderly). Now we have a black slave who fights beside white men (even those who hate him) because Gen. Washington has promised freedom for all slaves who fight for a year. Good enough, but why not go all the way and give this character dialogue and a real role to play–instead of demeaningly using him only to count down the months and days until his freedom? When the former slave finally gets two whole sentences in a row, at the end, he quotes Martin’s son: “Gabriel said if we won the war, we could build a whole new world. We could get started right here with your home.” Uh-huh. Why not get started with your own home? The movie offers light comic relief to ease the tension (Martin’s handmade chairs keep collapsing beneath him), and a love story (Gabriel falls for Ann, a plucky colonial girl who catches his eye with a patriotic speech). Ann’s father is a deaf man who misunderstands things. When Gabriel asks permission to write Ann, the old man at first takes offense. Then he says, “Oh … write her! Of course you may.” What did he think Gabriel had asked? Meanwhile, there’s even female company for the hard-bitten Benjamin Martin, who asks the sister of his dead wife, “May I sit here?” Her answer got laughs in the screening I attended: “It’s a free country–or at least, it will be.” These passages and others (including the Dead Man Who Is Not Really Dead) have been trucked directly into “The Patriot” from the warehouse of timeless cliches. They betray the movie’s lack of serious intentions. It basically wants to be a summer action movie, with a historical gloss. At that, it succeeds. I enjoyed the strength and conviction of Gibson’s performance, the sweep of the battle scenes, and the absurdity of the British caricatures. None of it has much to do with the historical reality of the Revolutionary War, but with such an enormous budget at risk, how could it?

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin
• Jason Isaacs as Col. Tavington
• Joely Richardson as Charlotte
• Chris Cooper as Col. Burwell
• Robert Rodat

Directed by

• Roland Emmerich

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The patriot true story: what really happened in mel gibson's movie.

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15 War Movies Military Experts Praised For Accuracy & Realism

Obi-wan kenobi's homeworld was a joke from george lucas, jason statham's 2011 action-packed thriller movie is coming to netflix in october.

• The Patriot's true story is heavily fictionalized, with characters like Benjamin Martin being inspired by multiple historical figures.
• The depiction of the British and slavery in The Patriot has been criticized for sugarcoating atrocities and historical realities.
• While the battle scenes are more historically accurate, the overall narrative of The Patriot has faced backlash for misleading interpretations.

Though it recreates the historical American Revolution, The Patriot 's true story is much different from what was seen on screen. In The Patriot , Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is a veteran of the French and Indian War who now lives as a widower with his many children. Martin is initially reluctant to fight against the British, but when the villainous redcoat leader, Colonel William Tavington, murders one of his sons, Martin recruits a militia and leads them in a highly effective guerrilla campaign against the British forces in South Carolina.

The Patriot has been widely criticized for reducing the American Revolutionary War to one man's mission of revenge. However, there are aspects of The Patriot that are based on a true story, from several of the main characters to the battle tactics used. Despite these inspirations, there are even more aspects of the movie that have been criticized for being complete and offensive fabrications as well as moments that ignore key aspects of history. Overall, The Patriot 's true story as compared to the movie creates a complicated legacy.

Harrison Ford was initially approached about playing Benjamin Martin in The Patriot.

While most war movies are criticized for their inaccuracy, there are many that got various details right, earning the praise of military experts.

Benjamin Martin Is Mainly Based on Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion

Several historical figures inspired the character.

Mel Gibson's The Patriot hero makes for a prime example of the movie being inspired by history but making a lot of fictional leads in the story. There was no Patriot militia leader called Benjamin Martin who fought in the Revolutionary War, and the details of Benjamin's life and family are fictionalized. However, in the DVD featurette "True Patriots," screenwriter Robert Rodat explains that Benjamin is based on several different real historical figures: Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion, Thomas Sumter, Nathanael Greene, Andrew Pickens and Daniel Morgan.

Creating a fictional character rather than using any one historical figure gives The Patriot an excuse to leave out details...

Francis Marion appears to have been the primary influence , since many details of Benjamin's character - including his role in the French and Indian War, his use of guerrilla warfare tactics, his gathering and leadership of militiamen, and his use of ambushes to gather intelligence - are lifted straight from Marion's biography. Creating a fictional character rather than using any one historical figure gives The Patriot an excuse to leave out details that would have been harder for modern audiences to tolerate in a supposed hero.

For example, the African-American characters who work in Benjamin's home and fields are said to be freed slaves who are devastated when they're forcibly taken away to fight for the British. Francis Marion, however, was a slaveowner who had a reputation for raping his female slaves, and during the war he targeted and executed freed slaves who were suspected of working with the British.

He was also known for his persecution and slaughter of Cherokee Indians, which in the movie is rewritten as a single wartime incident that Benjamin Martin considers his greatest shame and regret. An anonymous source from Sony Pictures told The Guardian that the movie was originally supposed to be a factual biography of Marion, but

" They couldn't go ahead once historians had given them chapter and verse on the Swamp Fox, so they had to change his name ."

William Tavington Is Loosely Based On Banastre Tarleton

Tarleton's reputation as a "butcher" has been refuted.

The Patriot 's main villain is the cartoonishly evil William Tavington, played by Jason Isaacs , who is based on the real British soldier and politician Sir Banastre Tarleton. The real Tarleton led British forces at the Battle of Cowpens (the focus of The Patriot 's third act) and was charged with the task of rooting out and capturing the "Swamp Fox" when Marion proved troublesome to British forces in South Carolina. Like Tavington in the movie, he was unsuccessful. Tarleton was given the nickname "the Butcher," but it wasn't because of a pattern of brutal treatment of civilians.

"Tarleton's Quarter" caught on as a saying that meant taking no prisoners.

The nickname stemmed from a single battle, the Battle of Waxhaws, during which Tarleton was shot down from his horse and trapped underneath it. While he was unable to give orders, his temporarily leaderless men continued to kill Continental soldiers, many of whom were surrendering or not resisting. The Continental Army used the "Waxhaws massacre" in a propaganda campaign against the British, with a focus on Tarleton as the villain of the story.

The campaign was very successful, and "Tarleton's Quarter" caught on as a saying that meant taking no prisoners. However, Tarleton was not the child-murdering monster that William Tavington is portrayed as in The Patriot , and Tavington's most monstrous act definitely never happened.

The British Did Not Burn A Church Full Of Civilians

There is no known instances of such an act being committed during the war.

One of the most controversial scenes in The Patriot is when Tavington corners a group of townspeople - including women and children - who have gathered to pray in church, and orders his men to padlock the doors and burn the church down with them inside it. While there were civilian casualties and buildings burned in the Revolutionary War, there is no record of anything like this being committed by either side. The Patriot has been heavily criticized for this scene, both because it misleadingly villainizes the British army and because it cheapens the horror of a similar real-life atrocity .

The victims included 247 women, 205 children, and three priests.

A version of this church burning was committed almost 200 years later by an SS Panzer Divison during World War II when the villagers of Oradour-sur-Glane in Nazi-occupied France were rounded up and massacred. At one point, people were herded into the local church and grenades were then thrown in after them, with machine gun fire used to cut down anyone trying to escape through the windows. The victims included 247 women, 205 children, and three priests.

The Patriot Heavily Sugarcoats Slavery

The depiction of the slaves fighting in the war and those working for martin were seen as largely false.

The other main area where The Patriot 's historical inaccuracy is considered particularly egregious is its sugarcoating of how slaves and freed slaves were treated by the Continental Army in general, and Francis Marion specifically. The black characters in The Patriot are portrayed as freed men and women who earn a living by working Benjamin Martin's land, and who love his family and are treated like family themselves . It is a particularly troublesome suggestion to make given Marion's known treatment of his own slaves.

Both the British and the American armies tried to motivate slaves to fight on their behalf by offering them their freedom and even some payment after a period of service, and many slaves fled to fight for the British against their former owners. In The Patriot , however, the Martin family's freed slaves being rounded up to fight for the British is treated as a sad moment, whereas Occam being donated to Benjamin Martin's militia by his owner and earning his freedom through service is framed as a triumphant storyline.

Director Spike Lee was particularly vocal about his disgust at how The Patriot dealt with slavery at the time ( via The Guardian ):

"For three hours The Patriot dodged around, skirted about or completely ignored slavery. How convenient... to have Mel Gibson's character not be a slaveholder... The Patriot is pure, blatant American Hollywood propaganda. A complete whitewashing of history."

The Patriot Is Most Historically Accurate In Its Battle Scenes

The movie incorporated real elements from battles of the war.

While not the most accurate war movie by any means, the battle sequences are the most historically accurate aspects of The Patriot . The film portrays two key battles of the Revolutionary War: the Battle of Camden (which Gabriel and Benjamin observe from a distance) and the Battle of Cowpens (the final battle of the movie). The sight of the American and British forces stiffly marching towards each other across a field and then standing still and fully exposed in regimented columns while firing their rifles may seem strange compared to more modern tactics.

However, at the time, firearms took a long time to reload (at best, a soldier could fire around three shots per minute) and were not particularly accurate even when aimed perfectly (the scene of Benjamin and his two sons sniping Redcoats with pinpoint precision is very unrealistic). This meant that the key to victory in open battle was holding formation and firing as quickly as possible because in formation, soldiers became greater than the sum of their parts.

Forty men standing in formation and firing in the same general direction would land more shots than those same forty men scattered across the battlefield and trying to aim at specific targets. While one line of soldiers dropped down to reload, the line standing behind them could take aim and fire the next volley of shots. Victory could also be won by forcing the opposing side to break their own formation, which in the Battle of Camden was achieved through a bayonet charge that the American forces were unprepared for, and which caused them to panic and scatter.

[T]he scene in which militia members are asked to fire only two shots and then feign a retreat really did happen.

The American soldiers at the Battle of Cowpens were led by General Daniel Morgan, one of the men that Benjamin Martin is based on, and the scene in which militia members are asked to fire only two shots and then feign a retreat really did happen. The plan was designed to draw the British forces forward, believing they had the Americans on the run, only to lead them into a prepared volley of musket fire immediately followed by a bayonet charge.

The actual deaths and injuries inflicted by this surprise attack were arguably less important than the emotional shock of it, which broke the already strained morale of the British soldiers and caused many of them to flee, surrender, or simply collapse to the ground. While The Patriot 's actual story may be largely fictionalized, the movie does a great job of showing the effectiveness of both line formations and guerrilla tactics during the Revolutionary War .

The Patriot's Historical Inaccuracies Were Heavily Criticized

Historians have refuted the movie's depictions of wartime atrocities.

Despite aspects of the battle sequences being seen as realistic, The Patriot has earned a lasting reputation for its historical inaccuracies . Along with Mel Gibson's Braveheart, The Patriot was listed in Time Magazine's list of the Top 10 Historically Misleading Films . The movie was criticized for making the entire conflict of the Revolutionary War boil down to the personal story of a father out for revenge against the man who murdered his son. This was made worse by the fact that many historians refute that such a murder would have taken place.

One critic points out that the movie unjustly presented the legacy of Banastre Tarleton as a butcher with his counterpart in the movie is seen openly defying the rules of warfare ( via Telegraph ):

There is no evidence that Tarleton, called 'Bloody Ban' or 'The Butcher' in rebel pamphlets, ever broke the rules of war and certainly did not ever shoot a child in cold blood.

The depiction of the British forces in the movie received heavy backlash with some critics suggesting that, had these war crimes actually been committed during the Revolutionary War, the relationship between America and England would still not have healed.

The Patriot (2000)

This historical drama follows Benjamin Martin, a widowed farmer and veteran of the French and Indian War, who is reluctantly drawn into the American Revolutionary War when his family is threatened. The film explores themes of vengeance and redemption as Martin leads a makeshift militia while striving to protect his children.

• Mel Gibson’s The Patriot: An Historian’s View

Mel Gibson’s film The Patriot , released in 2000, is a valuable teaching tool, as Professor Edgar argues in this look at its themes and accuracy. The film illustrates two important themes very well: the vicious, partisan nature of the war in the South, and the wide range of interests and ideals that motivated southerners, whether they were Patriots, Loyalists or maintained their neutrality as the war swept over them.

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FILM REVIEW

FILM REVIEW; A Gentle Farmer Who's Good at Violence

By Elvis Mitchell

• June 28, 2000

In the Revolutionary War epic ''The Patriot,'' Mel Gibson is Benjamin Martin, a gentle farmer in his 40's whose eyes glimmer with love for his family. Among the film's assets is Mr. Gibson's complicated love for his own children, who are similar to his brood in the film, ranging in age from very young to teenage. This may seem trivial, but it's a theme that most contemporary movies, with their incessant focus on prolonged adolescence, avoid.

Mr. Gibson shows an on-screen comfort and expansiveness he has not revealed before. He's an astonishing actor for someone whose technique all seems to come from the outside. Sometimes his suffering can be a little glib, but he relates to the performers playing his children, even the somewhat remote hunk Heath Ledger, who plays Gabriel, the eldest son and the one most like his dad. In their scenes together, Mr. Gibson almost seems to be directing Mr. Ledger on screen, and the younger actor responds with an exasperated bashfulness that makes him less cool and more likable. Otherwise this sort of prequel to ''Independence Day'' (1996) from that film's director, Roland Emmerich, is a gruesome hybrid, a mix of sentimentality and brutality that suggests a ''Lethal Weapon'' movie directed by Norman Rockwell. Assembled like an entire season of a television series crammed into a less-than-compact 158 minutes, ''The Patriot'' is shamelessly stirring, brandishing Mr. Gibson's anguished masculinity like a musket. It may be effective, but you leave the theater feeling used. The plot is simple: Gabriel is determined to enlist in the action against the British. Benjamin is determined to keep his boy out of the fighting and stay out of it himself. ''Why should I trade a tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants one mile away?'' Benjamin asks.

Like many other Gibson characters, Benjamin is a man with a Past. He has renounced violence because he's good at it. ''I have long feared that my sins will come to visit me and that the costs will be more than I can bear,'' he says in a narration at the beginning, repeating the line later in the film.

But this time, as they say in action movies, it's personal. When he's forced to join the battle against the British, he grabs his muskets and hatchet and makes fast, ruthless work of his opponents.

Mr. Emmerich exploits Mr. Gibson's physical directness with the same ruthlessness. He's the best actor ever to work consistently in action pictures, which is not a backhanded compliment, and he uses the same intensity of concentration with machinery that he does with people. And this early scene, which should be shocking because Benjamin grabs up two of his young sons and puts weapons in their hands, is ugly because Mr. Emmerich accentuates the smoothness of the assault. He is a competent action director, but he can't balance action and contrasting emotion the way that Mr. Gibson does effortlessly.

Benjamin's efficient campaign prompts the merciless British commander, Colonel Tavington (Jason Isaacs), whose one-dimensional evil is as old as the Revolutionary War, to smirk, ''He sounds more like a ghost than a man.'' Benjamin soon gathers a small, ragtag band of fellow fighters, and his stealthy methods begin to take a heavy toll on the enemy.

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The Patriot

• Peaceful farmer Benjamin Martin is driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolution when a sadistic British officer murders his son.
• It is 1776 in colonial South Carolina. Benjamin Martin, a French-Indian war hero who is haunted by his past, now wants nothing more than to live peacefully on his small plantation, and wants no part of a war with the most powerful nation in the world, Great Britain. Meanwhile, his two eldest sons, Gabriel and Thomas, can't wait to enlist in the newly formed "Continental Army." When South Carolina decides to join the rebellion against England, Gabriel immediately signs up to fight...without his father's permission. But when Colonel William Tavington, British dragoon, infamous for his brutal tactics, comes and burns the Martin Plantation to the ground, tragedy strikes. Benjamin quickly finds himself torn between protecting his family, and seeking revenge along with being a part of the birth of a new, young, and ambitious nation. — Caleb Conser
• After proving himself on the field of battle in the French and Indian War, Benjamin Martin wants nothing more to do with such things, preferring the simple life of a farmer. But when his son Gabriel enlists in the army to defend their new nation, America, against the British, Benjamin reluctantly returns to his old life to protect his son, now serving under his command, and his family from British tyranny. — Anonymous
• Ashamed of his savagery during the French and Indian War, Benjamin Martin decided he would sit out the American Revolution, while his oldest son Gabriel enlisted minutes after South Carolina joined the fight. He changes his mind when his house is burned down and one of his children is killed by the savage Green Dragoon commander Colonel Tavington. Quickly realizing that traditional 18th century warfare tactics won't work, Martin organizes militiamen into a guerilla unit to harass Cornwallis' army long enough to allow the French to arrive. — Jeff Cross <[email protected]>
• Benjamin Martin is a South Carolina planter who is still haunted by his notoriously brutal past as a soldier in the French and Indian War. When the American Revolution comes, he chooses not to fight for the Continental Army because he wants to protect his family. But when the British Colonel Tavington threatens their welfare and kills one of his sons, he chooses to enlist. Martin becomes the leader of a makeshift militia, which consists of peasants, slaves, a minister, and assorted other irregulars. During the war Martin and his men discover that they will pay a steep personal price for their rebellion. But thanks to their courage and bravery, they are also destined to pay a pivotal role in turning the tide against the Redcoats. — <[email protected]>
• Benjamin Martin ( Mel Gibson ), a veteran of the 1754-1760 French and Indian War, is a widower raising his seven children (five sons and two daughters) on his farm in South Carolina. He manages his land with free servants and employs in carpentry, particularly fashioning rocking chairs, though he has little success with it. His eldest son, Gabriel ( Heath Ledger ), is keenly interested in the fighting between the American colonies and the British; the Revolutionary War has been waged in other colonies for some time, though Benjamin does not share his enthusiasm in war. When word comes in that a congress is being held in Charleston regarding the war, Gabriel and his brother Thomas ( Gregory Smith ) eagerly accompany their father. While there, it is voted that South Carolina join the war against the British despite Benjamin's advice against it. Being of age, Gabriel enlists in the Continental army without his father's permission. Colonel Harry Burwell ( Chris Cooper ), a friend and ally of Benjamin's, regards Gabriel's similarities to his father and promises to watch out for him. The war wages on for two more years and Gabriel writes letters to his family throughout, expressing the horrors of war he's witnessed. At home, Thomas is found by Benjamin, trying on a red coat stored away in his father's war chest, and expresses his desire to join the army. Though Benjamin refuses to let him join, he relents that Thomas may enlist when he's seventeen in two years. One night, gunfire erupts outside the Martin home and the family watches as a battle ensues just beyond their property. A lone and wounded soldier enters the home. As Benjamin draws a pistol to the stranger, it is revealed to be Gabriel, en route to deliver dispatches. Benjamin gives him care, and to the rest of the wounded soldiers, both Continental and British, through the night into morning. The porch is used as a makeshift ward and Benjamin receives praise from a British lieutenant ( Grahame Wood ) before a cavalry of British Dragoons, led by Colonel William Tavington ( Jason Isaacs ), arrives. Tavington is given the discovered dispatches and orders the identity of the carrier. Gabriel turns himself in, hoping to spare his family any punishment, but Tavington orders that the wounded Continental troops be killed and the house burned for having harbored the enemy. Benjamin begs lenience but is silenced as Gabriel is led away. Impatient, Thomas runs forward and tries to free Gabriel but is ruthlessly shot by Tavington. Thomas dies in his father's arms as Tavington insults him and rides off. His soldiers set the house on fire while Gabriel is led away on a separate convoy and the home servants, including housekeeper Abigail ( Beatrice Bush ) are forced into British service. Enraged, Benjamin goes back into the burning house and grabs his collection of rifles and ammo from his war chest along with a tomahawk. He returns to his remaining children and instructs his daughters, Margaret ( Mika Boorem ) and Susan ( Skye McCole Bartusiak ) , and his youngest son William ( Logan Lerman ) to hide in the fields before making their way to their aunt's come nightfall. He then gives rifles to his older sons, Nathan ( Trevor Morgan ) and Samuel ( Bryan Chafin ) , and tells them to come with him. They make their way through the forest, arriving on a ridge ahead of the British convoy with the intent to ambush them. He tells his sons to start by shooting the officers and work their way down through the British ranks and to remember what he taught them about marksmanship. As the convoy passes, Benjamin and his sons alternate gunfire, creating confusion and chaos in the British ranks. The soldiers are quickly killed off and Benjamin shows ferocious brutality when he takes his tomahawk vengefully to one of the British privates. Gabriel is freed and they reunite with the rest of the family at Charlotte Shelton's ( Joely Richardson ) plantation, the sister of Benjamin's late wife. Young Samuel goes to bed distraught over the events of the day but Nathan tells his father he was glad to kill the British soldiers. A solitary survivor of the convoy attack is brought to Tavington. The man gives his testimony and explains that it seemed that just one man was responsible for the attack, proclaiming him as a 'ghost' of some kind. Tavington is skeptical but surprised that such a thing could happen. Gabriel decides to rejoin the Continentals, stating his decision as the duty of a soldier, and Benjamin decides, with hesitation, to accompany him. They leave the children with Charlotte and later witness a battle in an open field behind the home of fleeing colonists. Benjamin explains to Gabriel that the form of set-piece warfare (opponents directly facing each other and taking turns firing) is barbaric and that this particular battle was over before it began. They meet up with Colonel Burwell who asks Benjamin to organize a militia to keep General Charles Cornwallis ( Tom Wilkinson ) at bay in the south before French navy reinforcements arrive. Benjamin and Gabriel split up. Gabriel travels to a quaint town and is reunited with a childhood flame, Anne Howard ( Lisa Brenner ). He speaks to the townspeople within their church and, with Anne's patriotic encouragement, manages to enlist many, including local Dan Scott ( Donal Logue ) and Reverend Oliver ( Rene Auberjonois ). Before leaving, he asks permission of Anne's father, Peter Howard ( Joey D. Vieira ), to write to her. Though her father is mostly deaf, she helps Gabriel get permission. Benjamin rides with French officer Jean Villeneuve ( Tchéky Karyo ) to a shady colonist bar where Ben proves the potential of the supposed drunkards by proclaiming 'God save King George!' and receiving violent reaction. Among the enlistees is John Billings ( Leon Rippy ), an old friend of Ben's whose young son shares his contempt for 'redcoats'. John jokes with Ben, saying that rumors have spread of a tomahawk-wielding ghost wreaking havoc on British soldiers. The moniker sticks. Over the next few months, Villeneuve assists with the training of the militia using guerrilla fighting tactics and they plunder and harass British convoys and supply lines. One such capture yields valuable information meant to be delivered to Cornwallis himself, including a personal diary and his prized Great Danes. Cornwallis is greatly frustrated with the failure to capture the 'ghost' and his militia and blames Tavington for his callous cruelty, having spawned the creation of the 'ghost' in the first place. As he attends a lavish party, a supply ship in the bay outside his plantation explodes in a brilliant display while Benjamin and his men row away disguised as redcoats, having stolen all the luxuries on board. Benjamin and Gabriel visit Anne's hometown where Gabriel calls on her and spends the night, sewn by Anne's mother ( Mary Jo Deschanel ) into a traditional bundling bag, meant to allow courtship but deter intimacy. Upon leaving the next morning, Gabriel's teeth are stained black from ink poured into his tea; payback from Anne for a childhood prank, however her teeth are equally stained after she kisses Gabriel goodbye. Benjamin and his men set up a roadblock and prepare to ambush an approaching supply wagon train. He calls out his militia hiding in the fields to intimidate the British soldiers from retaliating, but the wagon covers are pulled back and more soldiers emerge. When Benjamin notices Tavington's cavalry approaching, he fires at the convoy and orders his men to retreat. Some men are killed outright and Dan Scott is injured. A slave promised freedom for fighting with the colonists, Occam ( Jay Arlen Jones ), stops to help Dan, despite the fact that Dan was against the promise of freedom to slaves who fought. Benjamin and Gabriel barely escape into the forest as the rest of the surviving militia are either killed or captured upon surrender. The remaining militia fall back to an abandoned stone chapel in the swamp. Gabriel speaks to Benjamin as he melts pewter toy soldiers that once belonged to Thomas, molding them into bullets for his sidearm. Gabriel asks what truly happened at Fort William Henry, the assault of which Benjamin was involved in but never openly told to his children. Benjamin tells of how, in retaliation for what the French-led Indians did to the British, he and other men engaged in guerrilla warfare against them, taking fierce revenge, slaughtering men, women and children. It was something that Benjamin regretted for years afterwards because of its brutality. Gabriel assures Benjamin that, while he still wants revenge for what happened to Thomas, it would be best to stay the course and keep fighting on level ground. They are interrupted as Occum and Dan emerge from the swamps. Occum tells of how the captured militia are to be hanged for treason and Benjamin comes up with a plan. He requests parlay to meet with Cornwallis at the fort where the militia is being held and rides out with his Great Danes. Cornwallis is pleased to see his dogs and thanks Benjamin for caring for them, but is reluctant to give up his prisoners of war. However, he is forced to free them when Benjamin reveals he is holding several British soldiers of high rank captive, their red uniforms barely visible on a distant hill. On his way out, he meets Tavington. O'Hara tells Tavington that Martin is the "ghost" he's been looking for. Tavington taunts him, asking about Martin's son Thomas. Martin faces Tavington and calmly promises to kill him before the war is over. Tavington confronts Cornwallis about the exchange of prisoners but is rebuffed and scolded for his otherwise unconventional tactics in war. Benjamin leaves with his men and, with a whistle, the Great Danes as well, now loyal to him. Cornwallis is, however, resigned to Tavington's crueler methods when O'Hara ( Adam Baldwin ) walks in with one of the redcoat captives; nothing more than a scarecrow. Cornwallis authorizes Tavington to issue harsher methods of intimidation against the militia. Tavington decides to track down the families of the militia and rides out to Charlotte's plantation, burning it to the ground. She and the children, however, manage to escape and find refuge at a beach colony inhabited by former slaves. There, they are reunited with Abigail. Benjamin and Gabriel arrive some time later, as do Anne's family. Gabriel proposes and the two are married. Benjamin gives Anne his late wife's necklace which has a talisman of Polaris, the north star. He explains that the star is a symbol of unwavering strength and serves as a constant guide. Benjamin begins to bond with Charlotte, having grown feelings for her and, when he and Gabriel prepare to leave, shares a tender moment with his youngest child, Susan, who speaks to him for the first time since her mother's death. Anne and her family return to their hometown after the wedding while Gabriel moves on with his father and the rest of the militia. There, they find that the town has been taken control of by Tavington's cavalry and are forced into the church with the rest of the townspeople. Tavington orders the doors and windows barred and the church to be burned. A stunned Wilkins reluctantly does so and the cavalry leaves. Anne and her family are left to die. Arriving in town elsewhere, Benjamin and his men discover that many of the townsfolk have been brutally murdered. John Billings finds his wife and young son dead in the street and, overwhelmed, puts a pistol to his head. Benjamin allows his men to go check on their families with the assurance that, if they do not return to the swamp chapel, they will not be deemed cowards. Gabriel rides with Benjamin to check on Anne and find the town empty and the church destroyed. Benjamin notes the chains on the charred doors and, upon looking through the rubble, finds the star necklace he had given Anne lying in the ashes. Burwell appears behind him and tells him that Gabriel is gone. Taking only a few men with him, Gabriel rides after Tavington's men and catches them off guard as Tavington shaves in a creek. All of the men, British and militia, are killed until Reverend Oliver takes aim at Tavington who shoots him. His rifle still loaded, Oliver tosses it to Gabriel before collapsing and Gabriel shoots at Tavington, knocking him down. Filled with rage and bent on revenge, Gabriel takes a knife and leans over Tavington's body. Tavington, however, rolls over and stabs Gabriel through with his sabre; Gabriel's shot had missed. Tavington flees, leaving Gabriel moaning in the grass, as Benjamin and other men arrive. Gabriel apologizes for Thomas before dying in Benjamin's arms. Benjamin tries to assure his son that Thomas' death was not his fault. Benjamin mourns Gabriel's passing, watching over his body in a tent in a Continental encampment. Burwell tries to console him and encourage him to keep fighting, but Benjamin's spirit is broken and he fears that his past sins have finally caught up to him. Villeneuve berates Benjamin's resignation and tells him of how he watched as his wife and two daughters were strung up on a ship overrun by British soldiers and burned alive. The Continentals leave Benjamin and continue to their next decisive battle at Cowpens. However, they soon spot Benjamin riding forward to meet them, carrying an American flag; he has promised himself to stay the course as Gabriel once told him. Together, the Continentals and the militia fight against the British at Cowpens and prove to be a formidable force. Watching the battle from afar, Tavington is impatient and decides, against Cornwallis' express order, to charge forth with his Dragoons. Benjamin rallies the militia to push forward and soon faces off with Tavington, dueling fiercely until Tavington manages to wound Benjamin, forcing him to the ground. As he is about to behead Benjamin, Tavington berates him for wanting to kill him before war's end. "It appears you are not the better man," he says and lunges, but Benjamin ducks, grabs hold of a bayonet-fitted musket at the last moment and stabs Tavington through the gut. As Tavington lies on the ground, stunned, Benjamin takes a broken bayonet and replies, "You're right...my sons were better men." before stabbing him through the neck. General Cornwallis sounds the retreat of his forces and the rebels celebrate. In voiceover, Benjamin tells of how the British were defeated later that year at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. The French navy finally arrived to blockade the British and Cornwallis was bombarded by both the Continentals and the French, holed up in his mansion. He finally acknowledges defeat and surrenders, saying "Everything will change...everything has changed." Benjamin returns to his family and greets a freed Occum at a site where new homes are to be built, starting with the Martins'.

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Film Analysis: Decoding the Historical Drama of ‘The Patriot’

This essay presents a detailed analysis of the film “The Patriot,” set against the backdrop of the American Revolutionary War. It explores the movie’s narrative, focusing on the protagonist Benjamin Martin, a character inspired by real militia leaders, and his transformation from a reluctant hero to a committed participant in the war. The film’s portrayal of the era’s brutality, the divisive colonial loyalties, and its use of guerrilla warfare tactics are examined for their cinematic impact and historical authenticity.

Critiques of the film, particularly regarding its historical inaccuracies and the dramatized portrayal of characters like the British Colonel Tavington, are also discussed. The essay addresses the film’s simplified representation of complex issues like slavery during the war. Despite these criticisms, the essay acknowledges “The Patriot” as a significant contribution to the historical drama genre, stimulating interest and debate about this pivotal period in American history. It concludes that while the film may take creative liberties, it remains a powerful and visually impressive interpretation of the American Revolution, inviting viewers to engage more deeply with this crucial chapter of American heritage. You can also find more related free essay samples at PapersOwl about Film Analysis.

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“The Patriot,” a film that rumbled into theaters in the summer of 2000, is an epic tale set against the tumultuous backdrop of the American Revolutionary War. Directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Mel Gibson as the lead, Benjamin Martin, the movie weaves a story of personal vendetta and the fight for independence, offering a blend of historical drama and Hollywood embellishment. This exploration delves into the film’s depiction of this pivotal era in American history, its cinematic impact, and the liberties it takes with historical accuracy.

At its heart, “The Patriot” is a story of conflict and transformation. Gibson’s character, Benjamin Martin, is a composite figure drawing on several historical personalities, including Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter, militia leaders known for their guerrilla tactics. Martin, a widowed father of seven, is initially depicted as a reluctant hero, a man haunted by his violent past in the French and Indian War and determined to spare his family from the ravages of a new war. However, as the British forces, led by the ruthless Colonel Tavington (portrayed by Jason Isaacs), escalate their brutal tactics, Martin finds himself drawn inexorably into the conflict.

The film excels in its vivid portrayal of the Revolutionary War’s brutality and the complexities of the period. The battle scenes are grand in scale and brutally realistic, immersing the viewer in the chaos and carnage of 18th-century warfare. The movie also touches on various aspects of the era, such as the divided loyalties among colonists, the role of slavery, and the use of guerrilla tactics against the British forces.

However, “The Patriot” has been critiqued for its historical inaccuracies and its portrayal of certain events and figures. For instance, the film’s antagonist, Colonel Tavington, is loosely based on Banastre Tarleton, a British officer known for his aggressive tactics. The movie amplifies his villainy to dramatic effect, possibly oversimplifying the complexities of his character and actions. Additionally, the film’s treatment of slavery and its impact on the war is viewed by some historians as a glossed-over representation of the real conditions and attitudes of the time.

Despite these critiques, “The Patriot” remains a significant cinematic endeavor for its powerful storytelling and its ability to stir interest in a critical period of American history. Its impact goes beyond mere entertainment; it serves as a catalyst for discussions about the Revolutionary War, its heroes, and its legacy. The film blends historical facts with fiction to create a narrative that is both emotionally compelling and visually stunning.

In conclusion, “The Patriot” stands as a noteworthy film in the historical drama genre. While it may take liberties with historical accuracy, its portrayal of the American Revolution’s spirit, the sacrifices made, and the brutal reality of war offers a captivating, albeit Hollywoodized, glimpse into America’s past. The film not only provides a dramatic interpretation of the events and people of the era but also invites viewers to delve deeper into the complexities and nuances of a time that shaped the foundation of the United States. As such, “The Patriot” remains an engaging, if somewhat controversial, portrayal of one of the most defining periods in American history.

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“The Patriot” by Roland Emmerich Essay

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It is often difficult to get a clear idea of what life might have been like during major events such as the Revolutionary War. For the most part, I think of my ancestors as stiff individuals who didn’t possess a shred of humor or romance. Watching films such as this always surprises me how very human they were. They loved, died, had hopes and dreams, planned for the future, struggled through the hard times, and went through all of the things we still go through today. When the film is about a historical event such as the Revolutionary War, though, we also get a better sense of what things were really like.

At the beginning of the movie, when everyone is in Charlestown at the general assembly, Captain Martin (Mel Gibson’s character) reminds the people that a war against Britain will not be fought far from home in the wilderness while the women and children remain safe at home. The war was fought in the villages and towns right in full view of the women and children and many times including them in the skirmish. Men fired weapons of mass destruction at each other in the afternoon that had just been plowed by the farmers that morning. I think what really brought these ideas home to me were the many scenes where Aunt Charlotte (Joely Richardson) and the children were included in very close proximity to the battle scenes and the scene when the British burned the church with all the citizens locked inside.

There were a lot of elements in the film that were historically factual. This started with the costumes and the available weaponry that the soldiers on both sides were using as well as the potential damage these weapons could inflict on the human body. Other aspects of social life, such as the number of children Ben had, the idea that the mother had died at a young age, the presence of black people working as servants and slaves, and the idea that children participated in the fighting and dying, were also accurate. The film even shows some of the men who made up the militia (otherwise farmers) turning their heads away as they fired their guns so that they wouldn’t have to watch the man they were shooting at die. These men hadn’t been socially conditioned through video games and war films to be able to look human death in the face without feeling like murderers and it was obvious.

Although they seemed to try to make the film as historically accurate as possible, I did notice some inconsistencies. When Captain Martin is told about Bunker Hill, it was true that the British charged three times before they succeeded, but he says that the Continentals killed more than 700 British soldiers before the battle was over and uses this to demonstrate the level of their commitment to violence. In reality, only about 200 British soldiers were killed. The film may have allowed the character to deliberately exaggerate the number in order to persuade his audience or may have allowed him to tell the truth but tell it to slant since more than 700 British soldiers were wounded in the battle and were thus at least removed from the fighting numbers. Another historical inaccuracy was the use of the American flag, as a red and white striped banner and a blue field with a circle of stars, as the universal Continental banner. This flag wasn’t made until after the Revolutionary War was over. Each group of Continental fighters typically carried a different flag, usually something more closely related to their colony of residence.

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — The Patriot — The Patriot – One of My All-time Favorite Movies

The Patriot – One of My All-time Favorite Movies

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Home / Essay Samples / Entertainment / The Patriot / A Critical Analysis Of The Movie The Patriot

A Critical Analysis Of The Movie The Patriot

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