eems like every time we turn around, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich are showing the world what it means to be American. The producing (Devlin) and directing (Emmerich) duo, famous for summer event movies, in the past have brought us: Independence Day, in which Americans defend the world from unwanted aliens; Godzilla, in which Americans defend themselves against a monster first invented by the Japanese; and Stargate, in which Americans go across the universe to defend some innocent and helpless people who’ve never heard of America before. But the jingoism notwithstanding, the rest of the world can’t help but acknowledge that their movies are, well, just too darn entertaining.

  Although best known for dealing with science fiction, this time around Devlin and Emmerich are back on earth, and back in history, to a time when it all began for Americans: the Revolutionary War.  

  Mel Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, a veteran of the French and Indian Wars. His fighting skills and bravery are legendary, but his bloody past has caused him to renounce violence. All he wishes to do is live out his life on the farm where he subsists peacefully with his family.

actors
Mel Gibson
Trevor Morgan
Chris Cooper
Joely Richardson

director
Roland Emmerich

location
South Carolina

outtake
Although many people think of him as an Australian (where he did live much of his life), Mel Gibson is, in fact, an American, born in New York. One of his cousins is Charlie Gibson, host of Good Morning America.

  But, like all reluctant heroes of the Hollywood tradition, Benjamin finds the circumstances surrounding his life are out of his control. A nation is waiting to be born, and the British are doing their best to stall what we know is inevitable. Their violent oppression of the spirit of freedom endangers everything Benjamin holds dear. And his beautiful son, Gabriel, played by Heath Ledger of 10 Things I Hate About You, complicates matters further by taking up arms in support of the revolutionary cause.

  Benjamin combines all the elements for which Mel Gibson is best known as an actor: the rage of Braveheart, the charm of Maverick and the intensity of Payback. A great amount of care is put into character development as Benjamin’s pacifist beliefs, first born from a revulsion for violence, are put into question by the violence he cannot escape. Heath Ledger, for his part, reaches beyond his youthful good looks to create a son that is central to a father’s existence.

  In order to bring themselves down to earth from the realm of flying saucers and gargantuan lizards, Devlin and Emmerich joined forces with Mark Gordon and Gary Livingston, who co-produced The Patriot, and screenwriter Robert Rodat. Gordon, Livingston and Rodat is the team that produced the intensely gritty Saving Private Ryan.

  The film is scored by John Williams, who is known for making big movies even bigger. The composer whose career spans classics such as The Lost Horizon and, more recently, Angela’s Ashes, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, ensures the audience has no doubts about the film’s immense scale. (Devlin has said that the budget for The Patriot was not as big as Godzilla, a $120-million movie, but bigger than Independence Day, which ran a bill of $71 million.)  

  Waiting on the wings as this summer’s event movie, The Patriot may not take place in outer space, but boasts a stellar cast and creative team. The revolution may not have been televised, but it will be screened at a theatre near you.

— Rui Umezawa