The Patriot

The Patriot is a 2000 American epic historical war film written by Robert Rodat, directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Mel Gibson, Chris Cooper, Heath Ledger and Jason Isaacs. The story takes place mainly in rural Berkeley County in South Carolina and depicts Benjamin Martin (Gibson), an American colonist opposed to going to war with Great Britain who, along with his adult son, (Ledger) gets swept into the Revolutionary War when his home life is disrupted and one of his sons is murdered by a cruel British officer (Isaacs). Rodat has said Martin is a composite character based on four historical men: Andrew Pickens, Francis Marion, Daniel Morgan and Thomas Sumter.

Most of the film's events occur in the Southern theater of the war. Despite receiving generally positive reviews from critics, it was harshly criticized by British critics and historians and stirred controversy in the United Kingdom due to its themes of anti-British sentiment, its fictionalized portrayal of British figures and atrocities, including killing wounded soldiers and prisoners of war, the film's main villain shooting a child in cold blood and an ahistorical scene in which a church filled with colonists is locked and burned which was controversial due to it being similar to the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre, a World War II war crime perpetrated by the Waffen-SS in June 1944. In his review of the film, critic Roger Ebert wrote, "None of it has much to do with the historical reality of the Revolutionary War"

Plot

During the American Revolutionary War in 1776, Captain Benjamin Martin, a veteran of the French and Indian War and a widower with seven children, is called to Charleston to vote in the South Carolina General Assembly on a levy supporting the Continental Army. Fearing war against Great Britain and not wanting to force others to fight when he will not, Benjamin abstains; the vote is nonetheless passed, and, against his father's wishes, Benjamin's eldest son Gabriel joins the Army.

Two years later, Charleston falls to the British and a wounded Gabriel returns home carrying dispatches. The Martins care for both British and American wounded from a nearby battle before British Dragoons led by Colonel William Tavington arrive, arrest Gabriel with the intention of hanging him as a spy, and seize Benjamin's African American workers for their own use. When Benjamin's son Thomas tries to free Gabriel, he is shot and killed by Tavington, who then orders the Martins' house burned and all wounded Americans executed. After the British leave, Benjamin, accompanied by his two younger sons, set up a row of muskets and ambush the British convoy transporting Gabriel. Benjamin skillfully, yet brutally, slaughters several British troops with his tomahawk. A British survivor tells Tavington of the attack, earning Benjamin the moniker of the "Ghost".

Gabriel decides to rejoin the Continentals and Benjamin soon follows, leaving the younger children in the care of Benjamin's sister-in-law, Charlotte. While traveling, they witness American soldiers and militiamen under General Horatio Gates engaging the British Army. Benjamin points out the foolishness of undisciplined and untested men fighting well-trained British regulars on open ground; sure enough, the Continentals are decisively routed. Benjamin meets his former commanding officer, Col. Harry Burwell, who appoints him as colonel of a newly raised militia unit due to his combat experience and also places Gabriel under his father's command. Benjamin is tasked with weakening Lord Cornwallis's regiments through a sustained campaign of guerrilla warfare. Benjamin is also provided the service of French Major Jean Villeneuve, who helps train the militia and promises more French aid.

Gabriel asks why Villeneuve and others often mention an incident at Fort Wilderness. Benjamin, having been hesitant to answer the question up to now, finally tells his son: while fighting in the British Army, he and several other soldiers discovered French soldiers committing an atrocity against British colonists. The enraged men caught up with the retreating French at Fort Wilderness and killed all but two of them. The survivors were forced to gather the heads of their comrades and present them to the Cherokee, convincing the tribe to betray the French and side with the British. Benjamin reveals that he has been haunted by guilt ever since.

Benjamin's militia carries out brutal ambushes of British patrols and supply caravans, even capturing some of Cornwallis' personal effects and his two Great Danes, and burn the bridges and ferries needed by Cornwallis. The general angrily blames Tavington for his setbacks, but when Benjamin uses what Cornwallis perceives as a dishonorable ploy to free some of the captured men, he reluctantly permits Tavington to do whatever he pleases if it puts a stop to the attacks. With the reluctant aid of Wilkins, a local Loyalist, Tavington has the homes of several militiamen burned and their families executed. Benjamin's family flees Charlotte's plantation as it is burned to live in a Gullah settlement with formerly enslaved residents. There, Gabriel marries his betrothed, Anne.

Tavington's brigade raids a town that has been secretly providing the militia with food. He has all the residents, including Anne and her parents, assembled in the church and demands the location of their camp. After their location is given, he has the doors barricaded, and orders the church to be burned, killing everyone inside. When they discover the tragedy, Gabriel and several other soldiers attack Tavington's encampment; Tavington is wounded but manages to kill Gabriel before retreating. Benjamin mourns and contemplates desertion before being reminded of his son's dedication to the cause by finding an American flag he repaired. Martin's militia, along with a larger Continental Army regiment, confronts Cornwallis' troops in a decisive battle at Cowpens. Benjamin rallies his side, and he and Tavington meet in personal combat. Tavington disarms and wounds Benjamin with his saber, before preparing to deliver the coup de grâce. At the last second, Benjamin dodges the attack and impales Tavington twice in the abdomen and throat respectively, killing him. The battle is a Continental victory, and Cornwallis sounds the retreat.

After many retreats, Cornwallis is besieged at Yorktown, Virginia where he surrenders to the surrounding Continental Army and the long-awaited French naval force. After the conflict ends, Benjamin returns to his family, with Charlotte carrying their new baby, and discovers members of his former militia unit rebuilding his homestead on their old town road.