The Patriot: Extended Cut
3/4
Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, Tom Wilkinson, Tcheky Karyo, Chris Cooper, Joely Richardson, Lisa Brenner
The Extended Cut is Unrated. For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Strong War Violence
Seeing as yesterday was our Independence Day, I thought I'd review a topical movie (I watched it last night, but I was too tired to write the review).
"The Patriot" is a solid action war movie. It's got a hero we can get behind, a hissable villain, a hunky heartthrob, spectacular action, and a rousing story. While Roland Emmerich, who made his name in disaster movies like "Independence Day" and, later, "The Day After Tomorrow" and "2012," may not seem like the ideal choice to direct a war movie, he does an effective job. Sure, it's a little too melodramatic and the issues of race are dealt with in a way that is shallow and naiive, but it's good entertainment.
Benjamin Martin (Gibson) is a farmer living in South Carolina shortly before the Revolutionary War. His neighbors are fed up with being pissed on by the British and want to revolt. Martin agrees with their position, but does not want to go to war. This surprises his friend, Col. Harry Burwell (Cooper), because Martin is a war hero. Martin's sons, Gabriel (Ledger) and Thomas (Gregory Smith), are eager to fight for their freedom, however, and Gabriel enlists despite his father's objections. But when a brutal British Colonel named Tavington (played with vicious zeal by Jason Isaacs) murders Thomas, Martin forms a band of guerrilla warriors to raise hell for the British. The British general, Cornwallis (Wilkinson), horrified at the "ungentlemanly" tactics of Martin's militia, reluctantly gives Tavington free license to track down Martin by any means possible.
If nothing else, "The Patriot" can illustrate the versatility of a screenplay. The writer, Robert Rodat, also wrote "Saving Private Ryan," which changed the way that we viewed war movies (while Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" and Oliver Stone's "Platoon" led the way, "Saving Private Ryan" was the one that sealed the deal). "Saving Private Ryan," as anyone who has seen it can attest, is a devastating look at the hell of real war. It saw it for what it really is: terrifying, bloody and cruel. In many ways, "The Patriot" is the very film that "Saving Private Ryan" was arguing against. It brings all the war movie cliches to life: the reluctant hero, the melodramatic catalyst, the colorful comrades, and an out and out villain. And yet, it works because Roland Emmerich takes time to illustrate some of the same themes that Steven Spielberg conveyed: war is dangerous and deadly. Taking a more conventional and a considerably softer look at war than Spielberg did works because Emmerich shows the price of war. That he does it in a different way is irrelevant because the two films have different goals, and because it works.
The performances are effective across the board. Mel Gibson plays a reluctant hero very well. It's impossible not to think of "Braveheart" with Gibson as the lead (and that film's reception was undoubtedly what Columbia was hoping for). Gibson plays a grieving father very well, and we know he can play a warrior just as good. Heath Ledger is also good as the obligatory hunk, and while his performance isn't up there with Ennis Del Mar or The Joker (the script doesn't allow him that latitude), he's effective nonetheless. Jason Isaacs is chillingly good as Tavington. No one plays a bad guy like him, and with his icy eyes and voice dripping with maniacal pleasure and disgust, you can bet that it won't be long before we're actively waiting for Mel Gibson to dispatch him with the panache of, say, Patrick Bateman. Or Leatherface. Joely Richardson is lovely as Martin's sister-in-law whom he shares common ground with through love and grief, although she seems miscast at times. Less impressive are Lisa Brenner, who plays Gabriel's love interest Anne (she looks and sounds a lot like Amanda Peet), and surprisingly Chris Cooper, who is too subdued. More effective are Tom Wilkinson, Leon Rippy (as a colorful member of the militia) and Joey D. Viera (as Anne's father, who does some funny things with an ear horn).
For Emmerich, this is a case of balance. Emmerich is trying to create a balance between a rousing war spectacle while not being exploitative. He does a solid job. What I really liked is how he took care to illustrate what war is like when it's fought on the home front. We see lots of destruction in war movies, but few take the time to illustrate what it's like when it's fought on your own backyard (the only film that comes to mind is Ken Loach's ambitious misfire "The Wind that Shakes the Barley"). It makes you thankful that we haven't had a war on the homefront since The Civil War. Less successful is Emmerich's handling of the race issue. At best, these scenes are melodramatic. At worst (the growing respect by racist Dan Scott (Donal Logue) of slave Occam (Jay Arlen Jones)) they're bordering on being offensive.
The film was released with two controversies: one, the character of Benjamin Martin was based on a racist, and two, there is a scene where two of Martin's children shoot (and kill) British soldiers. The first one I can't really excuse, except to say that none of the real Benjamin Martin's racism has made it into the film (in fact, his relationship with his black farm workers falls in with one of my previous criticisms about race in the film). The other criticism is a sling at the film that's simply unfair. Yes, Nathaniel (Trevor Morgan) and Samuel (Bryan Chafin) do kill British soldiers. But while Benjamin Martin eventually goes into bezerk mode, they do not. They are terrified kids who do not want to fight, and when it is over, all three are clearly disturbed by it (Nathaniel says, to Benjamin's horror, that he's glad they killed them, and Samuel won't speak to his father). Hardly as offensive as it sounds. Not to mention the fact that it's R-rated, but that never stopped anyone from showing their kids a violent action movie...
The extended cut is overlong, but all in all, this is solid entertainment.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, Tom Wilkinson, Tcheky Karyo, Chris Cooper, Joely Richardson, Lisa Brenner
The Extended Cut is Unrated. For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Strong War Violence
Seeing as yesterday was our Independence Day, I thought I'd review a topical movie (I watched it last night, but I was too tired to write the review).
"The Patriot" is a solid action war movie. It's got a hero we can get behind, a hissable villain, a hunky heartthrob, spectacular action, and a rousing story. While Roland Emmerich, who made his name in disaster movies like "Independence Day" and, later, "The Day After Tomorrow" and "2012," may not seem like the ideal choice to direct a war movie, he does an effective job. Sure, it's a little too melodramatic and the issues of race are dealt with in a way that is shallow and naiive, but it's good entertainment.
Benjamin Martin (Gibson) is a farmer living in South Carolina shortly before the Revolutionary War. His neighbors are fed up with being pissed on by the British and want to revolt. Martin agrees with their position, but does not want to go to war. This surprises his friend, Col. Harry Burwell (Cooper), because Martin is a war hero. Martin's sons, Gabriel (Ledger) and Thomas (Gregory Smith), are eager to fight for their freedom, however, and Gabriel enlists despite his father's objections. But when a brutal British Colonel named Tavington (played with vicious zeal by Jason Isaacs) murders Thomas, Martin forms a band of guerrilla warriors to raise hell for the British. The British general, Cornwallis (Wilkinson), horrified at the "ungentlemanly" tactics of Martin's militia, reluctantly gives Tavington free license to track down Martin by any means possible.
If nothing else, "The Patriot" can illustrate the versatility of a screenplay. The writer, Robert Rodat, also wrote "Saving Private Ryan," which changed the way that we viewed war movies (while Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" and Oliver Stone's "Platoon" led the way, "Saving Private Ryan" was the one that sealed the deal). "Saving Private Ryan," as anyone who has seen it can attest, is a devastating look at the hell of real war. It saw it for what it really is: terrifying, bloody and cruel. In many ways, "The Patriot" is the very film that "Saving Private Ryan" was arguing against. It brings all the war movie cliches to life: the reluctant hero, the melodramatic catalyst, the colorful comrades, and an out and out villain. And yet, it works because Roland Emmerich takes time to illustrate some of the same themes that Steven Spielberg conveyed: war is dangerous and deadly. Taking a more conventional and a considerably softer look at war than Spielberg did works because Emmerich shows the price of war. That he does it in a different way is irrelevant because the two films have different goals, and because it works.
The performances are effective across the board. Mel Gibson plays a reluctant hero very well. It's impossible not to think of "Braveheart" with Gibson as the lead (and that film's reception was undoubtedly what Columbia was hoping for). Gibson plays a grieving father very well, and we know he can play a warrior just as good. Heath Ledger is also good as the obligatory hunk, and while his performance isn't up there with Ennis Del Mar or The Joker (the script doesn't allow him that latitude), he's effective nonetheless. Jason Isaacs is chillingly good as Tavington. No one plays a bad guy like him, and with his icy eyes and voice dripping with maniacal pleasure and disgust, you can bet that it won't be long before we're actively waiting for Mel Gibson to dispatch him with the panache of, say, Patrick Bateman. Or Leatherface. Joely Richardson is lovely as Martin's sister-in-law whom he shares common ground with through love and grief, although she seems miscast at times. Less impressive are Lisa Brenner, who plays Gabriel's love interest Anne (she looks and sounds a lot like Amanda Peet), and surprisingly Chris Cooper, who is too subdued. More effective are Tom Wilkinson, Leon Rippy (as a colorful member of the militia) and Joey D. Viera (as Anne's father, who does some funny things with an ear horn).
For Emmerich, this is a case of balance. Emmerich is trying to create a balance between a rousing war spectacle while not being exploitative. He does a solid job. What I really liked is how he took care to illustrate what war is like when it's fought on the home front. We see lots of destruction in war movies, but few take the time to illustrate what it's like when it's fought on your own backyard (the only film that comes to mind is Ken Loach's ambitious misfire "The Wind that Shakes the Barley"). It makes you thankful that we haven't had a war on the homefront since The Civil War. Less successful is Emmerich's handling of the race issue. At best, these scenes are melodramatic. At worst (the growing respect by racist Dan Scott (Donal Logue) of slave Occam (Jay Arlen Jones)) they're bordering on being offensive.
The film was released with two controversies: one, the character of Benjamin Martin was based on a racist, and two, there is a scene where two of Martin's children shoot (and kill) British soldiers. The first one I can't really excuse, except to say that none of the real Benjamin Martin's racism has made it into the film (in fact, his relationship with his black farm workers falls in with one of my previous criticisms about race in the film). The other criticism is a sling at the film that's simply unfair. Yes, Nathaniel (Trevor Morgan) and Samuel (Bryan Chafin) do kill British soldiers. But while Benjamin Martin eventually goes into bezerk mode, they do not. They are terrified kids who do not want to fight, and when it is over, all three are clearly disturbed by it (Nathaniel says, to Benjamin's horror, that he's glad they killed them, and Samuel won't speak to his father). Hardly as offensive as it sounds. Not to mention the fact that it's R-rated, but that never stopped anyone from showing their kids a violent action movie...
The extended cut is overlong, but all in all, this is solid entertainment.
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