The Patriot

"The Patriot"
By Grace Fogel
The time of war is a time never forgotten. The lives lost are forever remembered in honor of the country. "The Patriot", produced by Roland Emmerich, conveys the true meaning and hardship of war. The drama filled, action packed, film gives you a some-what accurate representation of American history.
Set in 1776, South Carolina is in the middle of the Revolutionary War. The colonists are fighting against Britain for their independence. Benjamin Martin (played by Mel Gibson) who previously fought in the French and Indian War, goes to fight once again in the Revolutionary War. His son Gabriel Martin(played by Heath Ledger) goes against his fathers wishes to participate in the war. He later gets into trouble during battle which costs one of his brother's life. Seeking revenge, Benjamin becomes leader of the militia and participates in numerous attacks against the British.
Mel Gibson does a superior job at playing his role as Benjamin Martin. He has played numerous characters in many other well known movies and always preforms flawlessly. Heath Ledger also plays a valued role in the film. During the little time you see the children, they do an acceptable job in their role. The British soldiers do a substantial job at portraying the redcoats in that time period.
Though there are a few historical inaccuracies, the movie does a good job at portraying the war. The movie mainly focuses on Benjamin and Gabriel throughout most of the film. The other children and their aunt appear less in the film than their role in the theme and plot. The plot is intriguing and I believe it would interest many groups of people.
Viewing this film gives people the sense of the high priority of the colonists gaining their independence. Men would risk their family and their own lives for the good of the country.
Most adults and young adults who have an interest in history and war would enjoy this movie. I do not recommend this film for children because it has graphic war scenes. The MPAA rating for this movie would be R. Overall this is a decent war film about history. I would probably give this movie four out of five stars.
Grace Fogel is a resident of New Jersey and is a sophomore in high school. She is currently unemployed. She plays volleyball for her school and for south jersey volleyball club. Her other interests consist of art and music. She continues to focus on her education and hopes to be attending college in the next few years.