The Patriot is a 2000 war film directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Robert Rodat, and starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger. It was produced by the Mutual Film Company and was distributed by Columbia Pictures.
The film mainly takes place in South Carolina (and was entirely filmed there) and depicts the story of an American swept into the American Revolutionary War when his family is threatened. The protagonist, Benjamin Martin is loosely based on real Continental Army officer Francis Marion and other Revolutionary War figures.
Plot[]
In 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, Benjamin Martin, a French and Indian War veteran and a widower with seven children, is called to Charlestown to vote in the South Carolina General Assembly on a levy supporting the Continental Army. Benjamin abstains, fearing war against Great Britain and not wanting to force others to fight when Benjamin himself would not. Still, the vote passes, and Benjamin's oldest son, Gabriel, joins the Continental Army against his father's wishes.
Four years later, in 1780, Charlestown falls to the British Army, and a wounded Gabriel returns home carrying rebel dispatches. The Martins care for wounded British and American soldiers before British dragoons arrive, led by Colonel William Tavington. Tavington press gangs the Martins' African American former slaves into the army and arrests Gabriel as a spy. Gabriel's brother Thomas tries to free him, but Tavington kills Thomas, then orders the Martins' house burned and all the wounded Americans executed. After the British leave, Benjamin and his two younger sons ambush the British convoy transporting Gabriel. Benjamin skillfully but brutally slaughters all but one of the soldiers in front of his children. The survivor tells Tavington of the attack, earning Benjamin the "Ghost" moniker.
Gabriel rejoins the Continentals, and Benjamin soon follows, leaving the younger children in the care of Benjamin's sister-in-law, Charlotte. While they travel, they witness American forces under General Horatio Gates engaging the British at Camden.
Benjamin meets his former commanding officer, Colonel Harry Burwell, who appoints him as colonel to raise a militia unit because of his combat experience and places Gabriel under his father's command. Benjamin is tasked with weakening Lord Cornwallis' regiments by guerrilla warfare. French Major Jean Villeneuve helps train the militia and promises more French aid. Gabriel asks his father why Villeneuve and other militia often mention Fort Wilderness, and Benjamin finally tells him that while fighting in the British Army, Benjamin and his men discovered atrocities against British colonists by French soldiers in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Enraged, they caught up with the retreating French at Fort Wilderness and killed all but two of them. The survivors had to present the severed heads of their comrades to the Cherokee, which convinced the tribe to betray the French. Though regarded as a hero, Benjamin never forgave himself.
Benjamin's militia ambushes many British patrols and supplies caravans, including some of Cornwallis's personal effects and his two Great Danes, and burns bridges and ferries that Cornwallis needs. Cornwallis angrily blames Tavington for his setbacks but, after Benjamin uses a dishonorable and embarrassing ploy to free his captured men, reluctantly allows Tavington to do everything possible to arrest Benjamin.
With the aid of Wilkin, a local Loyalist, Tavington has several militiamen's homes burned and their families executed. Benjamin's family flees Charlotte's plantation to live in a Gullah settlement with formerly enslaved residents. There, Gabriel marries his betrothed, Anne. Tavington's brigade raids Anne's town and assembles everyone in the church, including her parents and Anne herself; knowing that they are secretly aiding the militia, he demands the location of their camp. Despite one townsperson giving it away, Tavington has the doors barricaded and burns the church, killing everyone inside. Upon discovering the tragedy, Gabriel and several other soldiers attack Tavington's encampment for revenge, where Tavington kills Gabriel before fleeing. A grieving Benjamin contemplates desertion, but after seeing the American flag Gabriel repaired, he is reminded of his son's patriotic dedication and decides to rejoin the others.
Martin devises a battlefield tactic that uses Cornwallis's own pride against him. Martin's militia joins the Continental Army regiment and confronts Cornwallis's troops at Cowpens. Benjamin and Tavington engage in personal combat. Tavington wounds Benjamin and prepares to deliver the coup de grâce. At the last second, Benjamin dodges the attack and impales Tavington twice, killing him. The battle becomes a Continental victory, and Cornwallis retreats.
Cornwallis is finally besieged at Yorktown, where his subordinate surrenders to the American and French forces. Afterwards, Benjamin returns to his family and discovers that his former militia has rebuilt his homestead in honor of Gabriel's dream of building a new world.
Cast[]
- Mel Gibson as Captain/Colonel Benjamin Martin
- Heath Ledger as Corporal Gabriel Edward Martin
- Joely Richardson as Charlotte Selton
- Jason Isaacs as Colonel William Tavington
- Chris Cooper as Colonel Harry Burwell
- Lisa Brenner as Anne Patricia Howard
- Gregory Smith as Thomas Martin
- Trevor Morgan as Nathan Martin
- Bryan Chafin as Samuel Martin
- Mika Boorem as Margaret "Meg" Martin
- Logan Lerman as William Martin
- Skye McCole Bartusiak as Susan Martin
- Tchéky Karyo as Major Jean Villeneuve
- René Auberjonois as Reverend Oliver
- Tom Wilkinson as Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, 2nd Earl Cornwallis A general of the British army.
- Donal Logue as Dan Scott
- Peter Woodward as Brigadier General Charles O'Hara Cornwallis' second in-command.
- Leon Rippy as John Billings
- Adam Baldwin as Captain James Wilkins .
- Jamieson K. Price as Captain Bordon
- Jay Arlen Jones as Occam
- Joey D. Vieira as Peter Howard .
- Zach Hanner as British field officer
- Terry Layman as General George Washington
- Andy Stahl as General Nathanael Greene
- Grahame Wood as a British lieutenant
Accolades[]
The Patriot was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Sound, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Music Score.