I was just a kid that last time I saw The Patriot at Williamsburg thirty some years ago. I recently revisited and saw the film again with my kids. It's well made, but its 50s cinematic style is a little difficult to take. Nicely shot, the acting plays a little pretentious and pious by today's standards-- the patriot's son's stiff performance draws laughs from the audience. No doubt this is a remarkable story about people in and an extraordinary situation. I'd love to see a updated version where it isn't presented quite so piously -- a story about regular people rising to the challenges of extraordinary circumstances and succeeding. Now that truly would be inspiring-- something we could all identify with. Having said that however, the costume work and actual settings definately makes The Patriot worth watching.
Review of Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot
