The
Patriot (2000)
Mel Gibson and Rolan Emmerich's take on war time epic,
utilizing the modern cinematic folderol of computerized
gimmickry has one glaring error: It has no spirit. Certainly
not the spirit of 76.
Not once in the film do we get any kind of notion
that the characters here are fighting for democracy.
It's taken for granted that the audience will understand
this. And that's a shame because not only is it an epic
opportunity for a Hollywood film to "teach," it's also
an ample opportunity for great discourses on what the
Revolutionary War was all about. It's a chance to illuminate
the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.
This freedom is, however, squandered. What we get instead
is a film that is obviously simply out to be a summer
"blockbuster" and make a ton of money.
Yes, instead we get a script by Robert Rodat ("Saving
Private Ryan") that is impossibly perfect. It has everything.
Freedom of the slaves, romance, family values, pacifism
with blood- drenched violence, cute children in danger,
solemn children overcoming trauma, and death, mutilation,
revenge, a bit of revised history and more. Rodat throws
so many irons into the fire here but he does it in such
a respectable way that we can't help but like the film.
Every time he goes for a "moment," it is built-up, approached,
and execute precisely correctly. When he goes for a
chuckle, he evokes a chuckle, when he goes for a tear,
he elicits a tear. When he goes for revenge, we clinch
our fists in rage, all in the comfortable, air-conditioned
surroundings of our local multiplexes. It's sometimes
just too neatly done. It's hard to find fault in perfectly
laid-out and perfectly rendered exposition. And yet
it all seems just a little too glossy. It's perfectly,
subtly contrived. The question is, is that a compliment?
The acting in the film is almost above reproach. Gibson
is phenomenal. Even better, he plays a character with
quite a bit of interesting depth. Gibson enacts Rodat's
exposition with perfect. He evolves perfectly. My only
problem with the film and his performance was that every
time one of his offspring dies, and many do, I expect
Mel to scream out, "Klingon bastard you killed my son!"
And, although I have never seen "Braveheart," many people
have considered this film too much like "Braveheart
2" to be of interest.
Anyway, back tot he acting. The secondary members
of the cast are equally adept at making Rodat's "moments"
work perfectly. Heath Ledger (always easy on the eyes),
Tom Wilkerson, Chris Cooper, Rene Auberjonois, and the
rest play exactly correctly. It's very nice work.
Emmerich's direction is almost as perfect too. His
glossy images and seeming oil-painting-come-to-life
matte shots are often breathtakingly intricate and real.
He uses the medium of computer technology to take us
where no Revolutionary War film really ever has before.
Like a great-great-great Grandfather to "The Matrix,"
the film has digitally composed tracking shots that
follow cannonballs and musket shot. Emmerich peppers
the film with just the right amounts of modern tomfoolery
and historical accuracy to give the film the feel of
that heightened reality that we've all come to expect
from the "genre."
And, I guess, herein lies the rub. The film is just
too perfect. Like a beautiful, gourmet, five-course
meal, one almost feels guilty in delighting in it's
blatant mastery. For a film about a ragtag group of
farmers and family men who single-handedly changed the
course of war and won America her independence, "The
Patriot" is far too perfect.
At the end of it's three hour running time, you feel
like a tired and wounded soldier who has finally won
the battle. Unfortunately, you've only got a vague notion
of what the fighting was truly all about.
Note: Score by John Williams.
An often forgotten fact: Gibson is Australian.
More
of Lodger's reviews indexed alphabetically! Just click
your favorite letter to go there.
a
b c
d e
f g
h i
j k
l m
n o
p q
r s
t u
v w
x y
z
HOME
|
In
Association with:
|
Posters From!
|
|
Please Visit 
|
|
