Posted by Vita on August 03, 2000 at 17:05:53:
Hi there!
Yup,finally I broke out of my confinement and went to see The Patriot.
So, you say that historically, there is no evidence of that point in time, somewhere in the will-be United States of America, a British officer giving the order to burn people alive in any church, right?
If that was Hollywood hype, the director/producer/scriptwriter committed a sin. One maxim those boys are refusing to learn is that TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION.
The film did not need that particular scene, simply because the story itself is quite powerful, very well done in how it depicts the feelings of sorrow a basically decent human being feels in the aftermath of atrocities he has committed while he was in an altered state of mind (Mel's character).
His relationship with his children too, was I am sure all of us dream of having with our children. LOTM seems to be a better movie because of its haunting soundtrack and breathtaking vistas, also of course there is more blood and gore and tragedy. Oh yes while the battle scenes in The Patriot are quite realistic, holding their own when compared to Braveheart, surely none of us can ever forget the scene where Magua looks into poor Munro's helpless eyes and tells him that his children are about to expire, and then de-scalps and de-hearts him.
I rate both films, Patriot and LOTM, an A+ in the romance department, since the young son's marriage to his childhood friend and her dying in the flames (in the church!) are as devastating as Duncan's self sacrifice. Ah, well, Duncan gave himself up willingly, so this gives another Plus in his favor. Though... well... hmmm I think the young bride... who seems to have gone to her fiery end still a virgin (anyone remembers a suggestion of consummation?)... I must have missed that.... I had a large Coke and Mother Nature called.... gave the impression that she would have given up her life up to save her beloved, and vice versa.
Truly, all things considered, I am sorry for the church scene, if the powers-that-be needed extra drama by dispatching the young bride, they could have done it in a historically more truthful manner. May I suggest: The Evil Sadistic s-o-b Colonel could have hunted her down and in order to de-spirit our Patriot and his son, trampled her to death beneath his horse's hooves, etc. etc.
Watching this film, I kept thinking what I was thinking at Braveneart, what a waste of manpower and good will. Men who otherwise have nothing against each other, on an individual basis, are forced into butchering each other at the prime of their lives.
Too bad.
All said, I am grateful for films like The Patriot which bring the human experience of the birth of the United States close enough for us to almost reach and touch.
My Turkish American friend Tarik Bey and his Italian American wife Francesca would like to see this film too, and I shall tag along for an encore.
Pax Aye!
Vita