The Patriot

For a relentlessly unoriginal, pandering and predictable, two-and-a-half-hour-plus Revolutionary War epic that whitewashes slavery, chooses exaggerated slow-motion action over any interest in historical accuracy and is helmed by a director with little talent for anything but overblown textbook filmmaking (Roland Emmerich, Independence Day, Godzilla), The Patriot isn't a bad movie. It's a mimeographed knock-off of Braveheart in buckskin vests and powdered wigs, but that doesn't seem to bother Mel Gibson, who won an Oscar for directing that film and stars in this one as another tread-upon colonial who takes up arms against England for his nation's freedom. The simple plot follows plantation owner Mel through several graphic, blow-by-blow battlefield scenes, seeking revenge on a stuffy, sadistic, moustache-twirling redcoat Colonel (Jason Isaacs) who killed his son. High popcorn value, but aims far below its potential. Optional. (R. Blackwelder)[DVD Review—Apr. 18, 2006—Sony, 175 min., unrated, $19.95—Making its third appearance on DVD, 2000's The Patriot (Extended Cut) sports a nice-looking transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. DVD extras include 10 minutes of additional footage, a “True Patriots” historical featurette (10 min.), “The Art of War” featurette (10 min.), two visual effects featurettes, conceptual art to film comparisons, photo galleries, and filmographies. Bottom line: since all of these features were available on previous releases, you can safely pass this one up if it's already in your collection.]