Film: The Patriot
Prominent Stars: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger
Basic Setting: Revolutionary War
Genre: Historical Fiction/Action/Drama
Plot Summary: A hero of the fierce french and Indian conflict, Martin had renounced fighting forever to raise his family in peace. But when the British arrive at his South Carolina home and endanger what he holds most dear, Martin takes up arms alongside his idealistic patriot son, Gabriel, and leads a brave revel Militia into battle against a relentless and overwhelming English army. In the process, he discovers the only way to protect his family is to fight for a young nation’s freedom (taken from the back cover of the case).
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Patriot’s a film I’ll not likely forget. It’s not often a movie makes me cry more than once, and the last time I threw a pen at my screen, I was watching Bouddica. This time, with Patriot, it was my favorite pen, and I still can’t find it. It’s probably somewhere behind my TV. Oh well.
The sad loss of my pen all began this morning, July 5, when I decided that I should watch a patriotic movie. It’s July after all, and yesterday was taken up by fireworks and the ridiculously long (but fantastic and old) movie Gettysburg. Today, I figured I was going to watch a movie that I’d never seen. I usually avoid violent, intense films. I’d heard stories of people’s head getting knocked off by cannonballs and I wasn’t sure whether to look forward to the movie or to be really apprehensive about it. I must admit that I wasn’t entirely prepared for the sudden death of a young boy, a hero who didn’t stop hacking a soldier to bits long after he was already dead, and other such moments. I did have to pause the film to remember to breathe every once in a while. That said, I’m left still marveling at the masterpiece made through subtlety, memorable moments, foreshadowing, and symbolism.
Subtlety is not my strong suit as a writer. I’m still learning, with the help of my friends. So I was really impressed by the way the writers and director of the movie showed what had happened to Ben’s wife through only a few, brief glimpses of a gravestone, and some well-placed and well-written dialogue.
The film had many memorable quotes and moments. For me, there were four quotes that really stood out. The first is when Ben addresses the town (state?) council: “An elected legislature can trample rights as well as a King can.” Sometimes I wish people here in America would remember that. The two others apply directly to myself and my fellow Christians, as I believe that we really aren’t as involved with politics or other such little “wars” as we should be. We talk about what needs to be done, but “Will [we] now, when needed most, stop at words?”, because as the good Reverend said: “A Shepherd must tend his flock and at times fight off the wolves.” I really don’t want to see us sitting there, in the rubble of our nation, saying: “I have done nothing, and for that I am ashamed.”
The final piece of the movie which impressed me the most was the use of foreshadowing and the symbol of the Cherokee Hatchett. In the first scene of the movie, we see Ben’s temper in how he treats the rocking chair that broke. But beyond that - most have talked of the tin soldiers as being the most powerful symbol of the movie. They’re certainly the most obvious. However, I find the Cherokee Hatchet to be the most moving and meaningful symbol. It represents Ben’s past anger and revenge on the French. When Thomas pulls it out of the chest, it foreshadows how Thomas’ death with yet again put the hatchet in Ben’s hands against those who have committed crimes against the people he loves. However, what I found to be the most compelling moment of the movie (the moment I threw my pen for), was the moment when we all thought Ben was going to lose. The bullet casted from his son’s toy soldiers (symbolising retribution for Thomas’ death) fails to kill Tavington. And then the hatchet, the symbol of Ben’s strength, his anger, his revenge, is knocked out of his hand. In the end, it’s not the hatchet - revenge, that kills the villain, but the bayonet - the American cause. The hatchet: Ben’s past, his anger, his revenge, is never returned. It’s left there on the battlefield. He returns home without it to build a new world - just as his son, Gabriel, predicted.
I must say, I loved the movie. Even if it ripped my heart out scene and scene again, even if it made me lose my favorite pen, even with all the blood and the gore and the disturbing violence. It was masterfully created. It’s not one I would recommend to anyone who doesn't have a stomach for blood or violence, but if you can handle that - I think it’s a story worth hearing. It reminds us of the cost at which America was founded, the price that was paid. Beyond that, it reminds us that we can’t sit by and do nothing, we can’t keep quiet on our ‘principles’ and expect that our enemy will do the same. When we face an enemy who doesn’t play by our rules, the time for peace and diplomacy is over. The time to fight for the freedom of others is at hand.
Subtlety is not my strong suit as a writer. I’m still learning, with the help of my friends. So I was really impressed by the way the writers and director of the movie showed what had happened to Ben’s wife through only a few, brief glimpses of a gravestone, and some well-placed and well-written dialogue.
The film had many memorable quotes and moments. For me, there were four quotes that really stood out. The first is when Ben addresses the town (state?) council: “An elected legislature can trample rights as well as a King can.” Sometimes I wish people here in America would remember that. The two others apply directly to myself and my fellow Christians, as I believe that we really aren’t as involved with politics or other such little “wars” as we should be. We talk about what needs to be done, but “Will [we] now, when needed most, stop at words?”, because as the good Reverend said: “A Shepherd must tend his flock and at times fight off the wolves.” I really don’t want to see us sitting there, in the rubble of our nation, saying: “I have done nothing, and for that I am ashamed.”
The final piece of the movie which impressed me the most was the use of foreshadowing and the symbol of the Cherokee Hatchett. In the first scene of the movie, we see Ben’s temper in how he treats the rocking chair that broke. But beyond that - most have talked of the tin soldiers as being the most powerful symbol of the movie. They’re certainly the most obvious. However, I find the Cherokee Hatchet to be the most moving and meaningful symbol. It represents Ben’s past anger and revenge on the French. When Thomas pulls it out of the chest, it foreshadows how Thomas’ death with yet again put the hatchet in Ben’s hands against those who have committed crimes against the people he loves. However, what I found to be the most compelling moment of the movie (the moment I threw my pen for), was the moment when we all thought Ben was going to lose. The bullet casted from his son’s toy soldiers (symbolising retribution for Thomas’ death) fails to kill Tavington. And then the hatchet, the symbol of Ben’s strength, his anger, his revenge, is knocked out of his hand. In the end, it’s not the hatchet - revenge, that kills the villain, but the bayonet - the American cause. The hatchet: Ben’s past, his anger, his revenge, is never returned. It’s left there on the battlefield. He returns home without it to build a new world - just as his son, Gabriel, predicted.
I must say, I loved the movie. Even if it ripped my heart out scene and scene again, even if it made me lose my favorite pen, even with all the blood and the gore and the disturbing violence. It was masterfully created. It’s not one I would recommend to anyone who doesn't have a stomach for blood or violence, but if you can handle that - I think it’s a story worth hearing. It reminds us of the cost at which America was founded, the price that was paid. Beyond that, it reminds us that we can’t sit by and do nothing, we can’t keep quiet on our ‘principles’ and expect that our enemy will do the same. When we face an enemy who doesn’t play by our rules, the time for peace and diplomacy is over. The time to fight for the freedom of others is at hand.
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The Patriot. Dir. Roland Emmerich. Perf. Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger. Centropolis Entertainment, 2000. DVD.
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