Review of The Patriot (2000) by Paul D — 30 Jul 2016

It's good movie fun. But it is so flawed it makes no sense. Can you have a fictional account of a historical event? Sure. But it usually only works if the story line is a subplot of the actual event.

Here, we are basically told that Gibson's character basically turns the whole war around. Sadly, it kills the real stories of men who really did make major influences in the revolution like Roger's Rangers - the precursor to our modern Army Rangers.

Additionally, it white washes absurdly. A slave is told 'we'll make a new world where all men are created equal under God' by Gibson's son. Really? So it was this random dude who invented that line? Did I mention this takes place in the SOUTH?!? Additionally, while the slave fighting with them faces some harassment, for the most part, slaves are treated quite nicely.

One soldier, the most racist one, at the end even turns to the slave and tells him how honored he was to serve with him. Really? Cheese factor 10. At one point, families are hidden in a slave village, yet everyone gets along just hunky dory.

Really???. Then for some reason, they leave their safety and of course bad things happen. Why didn't they stay? There's predictable scenes, like the one where an entire British unit is wiped out, but the head bad guy gets away.

Another where Gibson runs along the line carrying the flag, rallying the troops, much like a scene from Braveheart. It so badly portrays historical events, it makes the whole movie a waste of time.