Movie Description
Mel Gibson stars in this action-packed historical drama from the director of INDEPENDENCE DAY and GODZILLA. Gibson portrays Benjamin Martin, an unassuming South Carolina widower 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 (Heath Ledger), the pair faces the vicious Redcoats with a heroism that reflects the stubborn pride of a young country's most dedicated supporters. THE PATRIOT is a sweeping epic adventure that sheds light on America's past, and at the same time entertains audiences.
| Credits | | Producer: | Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon | | Cast: | Rene Auberjonois, Tcheky Karyo, Tom Wilkinson |
| Details | | Edition: | Spanish Subtitled | | Sound: | Stereo Sound |
Notes
To recreate South Carolina in 1776, the filmmakers shot on location at colonial-period sites in the state. Historic Brattonsville and Charleston were among the locations used.
Gibson received $25 million for starring in the film.
The character of Benjamin Martin is based on a composite of at least five historical figures, including Colonel Daniel Morgan; Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox"; Elijah Clark; Thomas Sumter; and Andrew Pickens. Marion was from South Carolina, was famed for his guerilla tactics, and had a nephew named Gabriel. Colonel Burwell (Chris Cooper) is based on Lt. Colonel "Lighthorse Harry" Lee; Frenchman Jean Villeneuve (Tchéky Karyo) is loosely based on Baron Friedrich von Steuben, who trained Washington's troops; General Charles Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) is based on his real-life counterpart; and Colonel Tavington is based on Colonel Banastre Tarleton, nicknamed "Bloody Ban the Butcher."
The final battle in the film corresponds to the historical Battle of Cowpens.
Editorial Reviews
"...Viscerally historical....THE PATRIOT makes a big bang..." -- 3 out of 4 stars
USA Today - p.2D - Susan Wloszczyna (06/28/2000)
"...THE PATRIOT has 'hit' written all over it..."
Rolling Stone - p.134 - Peter Travers (06/08/2000)
"...Spectacular battle scenes..."
Sight and Sound - p.46-7 - Philip Strick (09/01/2000)
"...Gibson shows an on-screen comfort and expansiveness he has not revealed before..."
New York Times - pp.E1-E6 - Elvis Mitchell (06/28/2000)
"...Who can deny a movie that features enough bloody fights, burning houses, and grandiloquent speeches to fill three sequels to GONE WITH THE WIND?..." -- 3 out of 5 stars - A Satisfying Rental
Premiere - p.97 - Christopher Kelly (12/01/2000)
"...THE PATRIOT deserves a salute as the first Hollywood epic about the American Revolution to successfully blend ferocity and feeling..."
Rolling Stone - p.145-6 - Peter Travers (07/06/2000)
"...THE PATRIOT has a good sense of spectacle and is quite successful at re-creating a period that has not been brought to the screen with much success recently..."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (06/28/2000)
"...It is rousing and entertaining, and you get your money's worth....[Gibson gives] a powerful and effective performance..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (06/28/2000)
"...With some beautiful cinematography and a few strong doses of musket-blasting action..."
Total Film - Dan Jolin (04/01/2001)
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