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Special Features
Visual Effects Interactive Featurette
Director and Producer Commentary
Photo Gallery
The Art of War
The True Patriots
Digitally Mastered Audio & Anamorphic Video
"Director Roland Emmerich, Producer Dean Devlin Commentary"
Subtitled Featurette "The Art of War"
The "True Patriots" Featurette
Conceptual Art to Film Comparison
Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Filmmakers
Photo Galleries
DVD-ROM Weblinks
Theatrical Trailers
Talent Files
Interactive Menus with Animation
Production Notes
Scene Selections with Motion Images
Director and Producer Commentary
Photo Gallery
The Art of War
The True Patriots
Digitally Mastered Audio & Anamorphic Video
"Director Roland Emmerich, Producer Dean Devlin Commentary"
Subtitled Featurette "The Art of War"
The "True Patriots" Featurette
Conceptual Art to Film Comparison
Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Filmmakers
Photo Galleries
DVD-ROM Weblinks
Theatrical Trailers
Talent Files
Interactive Menus with Animation
Production Notes
Scene Selections with Motion Images
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Aimed directly at a mainstream audience, The Patriot qualifies as respectable entertainment, but anyone expecting a definitive drama about the American Revolution should look elsewhere. Rising above the blatant crowd pleasing of Stargate, Independence Day, and Godzilla, director Roland Emmerich crafts a marvelous re-creation of South Carolina in the late 1770s (aided immeasurably by cinematographer Caleb Deschanel), and Robert Rodat's screenplay offers the same balance of epic scale and emotional urgency that elevated his earlier script for Saving Private Ryan. Unfortunately, Emmerich embraces clichés and hackneyed melodrama that a more gifted director would have avoided. Instead of attempting a truly great film about the most pivotal years of American history, Emmerich settles for a standard revenge plot with the Revolutionary War as an incidental backdrop.
On those terms, the film is engrossing and sufficiently intelligent, especially when militia leader Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) cagily negotiates with British General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) in one of the most rewarding scenes. For the most part, the story concerns Martin's anguished quest for revenge against ruthless redcoat Colonel Tavington (played with snide relish by Jason Isaacs), and the rise to manhood of Martin's eldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), whose battlefield honor exceeds even that of his brutally volatile father. At its best, The Patriot conveys the horror of war among innocent civilians, and the epic battle scenes, while by no means masterful, are graphically intense and impressive. And although Ledger's love interest (Lisa Brenner) is too bland to register much emotion, the focus on family (which frequently relegates the war to background history) provides a suitable vehicle for Gibson, who matches his achievement in Braveheart with an effectively brooding performance. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
In 1776 South Carolina, widower and legendary war hero Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) finds himself thrust into the midst of the American Revolutionary War as he helplessly watches his family torn apart by the savage forces of the British Redcoats. Unable to remain silent, he recruits a band of reluctant volunteers, including his idealistic patriot son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), to take up arms against the British. Fighting to protect his family's freedom and his country's independence, Martin discovers the pain of betrayal, the redemption of revenge and the passion of love.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
298 of 315 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
My review for the original version of "The Patriot" can be found under its respective title. This review is merely for those who may already own the movie and are wondering if it's worth buying a second time around for an additional 10 minutes of footage. For those who have never bought this title, then I can say emphatically to choose this version. For those who already own it . . . well . . . I suppose you'll need to read on and decide.
First of all (thank goodness), the extra 10 minutes of footage are not merely tacked on as "Deleted Scenes" at the end of the movie. In fact, it would be nearly impossible to do so since some of the extra footage is not found in separate scenes, but rather additional footage of already established scenes. In these situations, the extra footage may be as long as an additional minute or as little as a few seconds. How do I know? Well, for one, I'm a high school history teacher and show it every year during our unit on the Revolutionary War. Given that I teach five classes a day of the same subject, I'd say I've gotten quite familiar with the movie.
Now, one particular extension of a scene is quite riveting in that Benjamin Martin's youngest children get their first taste of the horrors of war prior to the death of Thomas. This comes just before the evening when Gabriel stumbles home after being wounded in a nearby battle. Something (the viewer is unaware) catches the attention of the Martin children and they stride over to a nearby creek/river to investigate. What they discover are the bodies of several soldiers floating downstream. Martin then comes over and ushers the children back into the house.
Another noteworthy scene extension is found in the "ambush" scene following the death of Thomas--you know, the famous "aim small, miss small" scene. Well, in the original edited version of the film we soon observe the infamous Tavington interviewing a dying witness of the event in a battlefield tent hospital. It is in this scene that the witness compares who we know as Benjamin Martin to a ghost. The problem is, as far as we knew, there were no survivors. We had to accept at face value that perhaps one must have escaped. In this version of the film we now know the facts! You see, after Martin does his bloody hack job on a would-be escapee, the camera pans in on one particular Redcoat as he lays wounded in a nearby swamp. We then get a peek at what he sees through his one dying eye: an eerie glimpse of Martin flitting through the dim light of the heavily-wooded forest. Then the camera focuses again on the bloodied face of this dying witness. It is not long thereafter that we discover that this poor chap actually survives (he's the one in the hospital tent).
One particular scene left off the original is the burial of Thomas. Although the scene is short, it nevertheless reiterates that Benjamin Martin has a tender, loving side (remember, a few scenes before he was hacking and slashing away at every Redcoat in sight).
Of particular note are the additional scenes involving Cornwallis and Tavington. Here, the viewer witnesses Cornwallis scolding Tavington in the presence of other officers --- the viewer should be delighted to see the arrogant and villainous Tavington being humiliated in front of others. In the scene, Cornwallis sarcastically remarks that Tavington has earned himself the nickname "The Butcher." This scene is important in that it helps establish and underscore the motive Tavington has for eliminating "The Ghost," Benjamin Martin. Further dialogue between the two is found later in the movie as well.
In short, the additional footage is not just added fluff. Indeed, the additional footage adds substance to every scene where it was originally found. Now, if the original version is a perennial favorite of yours, then by all means go out and get it. If, on the other hand, you may only watch it once in a blue moon then you could probably live without it.
First of all (thank goodness), the extra 10 minutes of footage are not merely tacked on as "Deleted Scenes" at the end of the movie. In fact, it would be nearly impossible to do so since some of the extra footage is not found in separate scenes, but rather additional footage of already established scenes. In these situations, the extra footage may be as long as an additional minute or as little as a few seconds. How do I know? Well, for one, I'm a high school history teacher and show it every year during our unit on the Revolutionary War. Given that I teach five classes a day of the same subject, I'd say I've gotten quite familiar with the movie.
Now, one particular extension of a scene is quite riveting in that Benjamin Martin's youngest children get their first taste of the horrors of war prior to the death of Thomas. This comes just before the evening when Gabriel stumbles home after being wounded in a nearby battle. Something (the viewer is unaware) catches the attention of the Martin children and they stride over to a nearby creek/river to investigate. What they discover are the bodies of several soldiers floating downstream. Martin then comes over and ushers the children back into the house.
Another noteworthy scene extension is found in the "ambush" scene following the death of Thomas--you know, the famous "aim small, miss small" scene. Well, in the original edited version of the film we soon observe the infamous Tavington interviewing a dying witness of the event in a battlefield tent hospital. It is in this scene that the witness compares who we know as Benjamin Martin to a ghost. The problem is, as far as we knew, there were no survivors. We had to accept at face value that perhaps one must have escaped. In this version of the film we now know the facts! You see, after Martin does his bloody hack job on a would-be escapee, the camera pans in on one particular Redcoat as he lays wounded in a nearby swamp. We then get a peek at what he sees through his one dying eye: an eerie glimpse of Martin flitting through the dim light of the heavily-wooded forest. Then the camera focuses again on the bloodied face of this dying witness. It is not long thereafter that we discover that this poor chap actually survives (he's the one in the hospital tent).
One particular scene left off the original is the burial of Thomas. Although the scene is short, it nevertheless reiterates that Benjamin Martin has a tender, loving side (remember, a few scenes before he was hacking and slashing away at every Redcoat in sight).
Of particular note are the additional scenes involving Cornwallis and Tavington. Here, the viewer witnesses Cornwallis scolding Tavington in the presence of other officers --- the viewer should be delighted to see the arrogant and villainous Tavington being humiliated in front of others. In the scene, Cornwallis sarcastically remarks that Tavington has earned himself the nickname "The Butcher." This scene is important in that it helps establish and underscore the motive Tavington has for eliminating "The Ghost," Benjamin Martin. Further dialogue between the two is found later in the movie as well.
In short, the additional footage is not just added fluff. Indeed, the additional footage adds substance to every scene where it was originally found. Now, if the original version is a perennial favorite of yours, then by all means go out and get it. If, on the other hand, you may only watch it once in a blue moon then you could probably live without it.
41 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
There are a plethora of reviews of the movie, but my review is mostly a comparison of the BD vs DVD version. I won't discuss its historical accuracy.
The DVD version was good, but the BD version is the best version for home viewing.
Audio has wider imaging that takes viewers into the movie, rather than a distant observer: cannon and musket salvos fly from left to right, tools and objects ring with clang of old metal alloys or wood. Unlike Master & Commander, the dialog channel is good and is not drowned out by sound effects.
The BD transfer is bright and sharp, so background elements have far more detail. The BD version is a revolution in clarity. The texture of clothing, woods, equipment, and fields of soldiers in battle formation are rendered well and appear more real than CGI cartoons. By now, BD veterans are used to the ultra detail shown on actors faces: down to EACH stubble on faces, and pores on their skin. Unlike Troy, its clear many of the props and sets appear life like and made of 'real stuff' versus stucco or papier mache. Also, actor's makeup is less obvious if not invisible, compared to other DVD to BD transfers. While controversy may exists in the historical depiction of the story's facts, few dispute the costumes, sets, dialog and mannerisms typical of revolutionary period USA, maybe since the Smithsonian Institute were the historical consultants on the film.
The DVD version was good, but the BD version is the best version for home viewing.
Audio has wider imaging that takes viewers into the movie, rather than a distant observer: cannon and musket salvos fly from left to right, tools and objects ring with clang of old metal alloys or wood. Unlike Master & Commander, the dialog channel is good and is not drowned out by sound effects.
The BD transfer is bright and sharp, so background elements have far more detail. The BD version is a revolution in clarity. The texture of clothing, woods, equipment, and fields of soldiers in battle formation are rendered well and appear more real than CGI cartoons. By now, BD veterans are used to the ultra detail shown on actors faces: down to EACH stubble on faces, and pores on their skin. Unlike Troy, its clear many of the props and sets appear life like and made of 'real stuff' versus stucco or papier mache. Also, actor's makeup is less obvious if not invisible, compared to other DVD to BD transfers. While controversy may exists in the historical depiction of the story's facts, few dispute the costumes, sets, dialog and mannerisms typical of revolutionary period USA, maybe since the Smithsonian Institute were the historical consultants on the film.
44 of 53 people found the following review helpful
By VFT
Format:Blu-ray
As the dreaded format war continues (Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD) I find myself on the Blu-Ray side of the fence because of my purchase of the PS3. I'll be honest, without having purchased the PS3 I would not have adopted either format and would have been content with standard DVD movies.
But now that I have a Blu-Ray player and a 1080p HDTV, I have been hooked and want more. I have been careful in my selection of Blu-Ray Titles, picking up only movies I have yet to watch or great movies that I want to see in HD.
The Patriot did not disappoint. The colors of the movie jump out of the screen and when you can see the fibers flying off of the British soldiers uniforms into the wind as they wait for battle, you know you are watching a great HiDef movie.
Most of the extended scenes do not add to the story and you will understand why they were cut out in the first place.
I've been disappointed in some of the Blu-ray discs I've purchased in the past month, especially when my purchases are the second or third time I will have bought that movie. (VHS, DVD, DVD SE/CE/DC)
But I must say that The Patriot is well worth seeing on Blu-Ray.
But now that I have a Blu-Ray player and a 1080p HDTV, I have been hooked and want more. I have been careful in my selection of Blu-Ray Titles, picking up only movies I have yet to watch or great movies that I want to see in HD.
The Patriot did not disappoint. The colors of the movie jump out of the screen and when you can see the fibers flying off of the British soldiers uniforms into the wind as they wait for battle, you know you are watching a great HiDef movie.
Most of the extended scenes do not add to the story and you will understand why they were cut out in the first place.
I've been disappointed in some of the Blu-ray discs I've purchased in the past month, especially when my purchases are the second or third time I will have bought that movie. (VHS, DVD, DVD SE/CE/DC)
But I must say that The Patriot is well worth seeing on Blu-Ray.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
TP REVIEW
Leaves you with a proud feeling of what was accomplished against tyranny. Support your armed services and the second admendment of the U S constitution!
Published 5 days ago by T A
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Patriot is the best Mel Gibson movie in my opinion!
Love The Patriot! I am never sick of watching the movie and I have literally seen it over 20 times!
The extended cut comes with an extra 10 minutes of extended scenes. Read more
The extended cut comes with an extra 10 minutes of extended scenes. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Anna V.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Anyone interested in the Revolutionary War should see this flick. Largely based on Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox, Mel Gibson's character is unlike most of his roles. Read more
Published 20 days ago by TruxtonSpangler
5.0 out of 5 stars
great buy
glad I bought this and would recommend it to others for purchase. great service and price as well. thank you!
Published 22 days ago by dcv
5.0 out of 5 stars
Move courage
This movie was a stay awake movie. It showed har far you can go with the courage of your convictions....preston smith purchased from amazon "The Brave
Heart"
Heart"
Published 1 month ago by preston L. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Patriot is a classic
I bought the DVD The Patriot for my father as a birthday gift because he loves this movie. The Patriot is a classic and will always be a great movie, especially because it is based... Read more
Published 1 month ago by katrina
5.0 out of 5 stars
Up north
movie arrived in new condition and on time. Great movie with Mel Gibson. May have to have a box of Kleenexes for those who easily get teary eyed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cold in MN
5.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZING
This movie should be a classic! Wonderful storyline, wonderful actors, wonderful everything. It is sad but it makes you feel pride in America!
Published 1 month ago by Ellen Barker
3.0 out of 5 stars
glitch
Love the movie but there is a glitch that happens every so often in the movie. Felt like it should have been a perfect copy and it was not.
Published 1 month ago by jessica wood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good movie
Made just before ol'Mel went on his infamous tirade, this film is a classic.The movie is true to the history of the conflict and bitingly critical of the red coat occupiers. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Qwibqwib
