The Patriot Blu-ray Review
Score: 57
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
'The Patriot' impresses with stellar A/V quality but lacks extras and battles melodrama.
Disc Release Date
Video: 65
The Patriot on Blu-ray boasts striking 1080p HD detail, vibrant colors, and superb fine detail rendering, making for a visually rich and immersive viewing experience despite minor flaws.
Audio: 75
The Patriot's Uncompressed PCM 5.1 mix offers crystal-clear dialogue & immersive battlefield effects, outshining the Dolby Digital version with its dynamic range & realistic soundscape.
Extra: 6
The Blu-ray release of 'The Patriot' disappoints with sparse extras, lacking depth and original DVD's comprehensive features, leaving fans wanting more.
Movie: 67
The Patriot, while visually stunning and led by strong performances, suffers from historical inaccuracies and melodrama, limiting its potential despite the allure of action and the theme of vengeance.
Video: 65
"The Patriot" makes an impressive leap to Blu-ray with a 1080p High Definition upgrade that's hard to fault. Its original theatrically broad aspect ratio of 2.4:1 widescreen is preserved, showcasing fantastic detail that brings the movie to life, from the sweat on Mel Gibson's face during intense scenes to the intricate stitches on period-specific costumes. The AVC MPEG-4 codec does wonders here, facilitating a presentation where the vivid palette and deep, solid blacks enhance the visual experience, ensuring both nighttime and low-light sequences are as captivating as high-action daytime scenes. Notably, the film’s naturalistic visuals are accented with a rich array of colors, particularly the earthy tones that dominate its landscapes, alongside bright, striking reds and blues that make uniforms pop off the screen.
Sony's consistency with their Blu-ray releases shines through in "The Patriot," where attention to detail in both the extended and theatrical cuts is meticulous. From the rendering of fine object detail allowing viewers to see individual stalks of grain in fields, to the natural textures of skin, hair, and stubble, the film feels more vibrant and realistic. The enhancement in shadow detail and contrast also deserves mention, adding depth to the image that mirrors the quality of a theatrical experience.
Despite its numerous strengths, the transfer isn't without minor flaws—occasional noise in evening sky shots, some print flecks, and a slight oversaturation of colors that may affect skin tones. However, these issues barely detract from an otherwise stellar video presentation. Fans of "The Patriot" and home theater aficionados alike will find much to admire in this Blu-ray rendition, from the sumptuously rendered landscapes and battle sequences to the diligently crafted close-ups that showcase an array of details previously unseen in earlier DVD incarnations.
Audio: 75
"The Patriot" on Blu-ray shines exceptionally in its audio presentation, primarily through its Uncompressed PCM 5.1 mix. This track illuminates the film's rich sound landscape, capturing every facet from the reverberating bass of cannon and musket fire to the subtle rustling of leaves, bringing an immersive war experience into the living room. The clarity of dialogue stands out, ensuring that every word is distinguishable amidst the chaos of battle, a significant enhancement over standard Dolby Digital tracks. This crispness in speech, coupled with well-distributed sounds that utilize the surround setup effectively, makes for a deeply engaging auditory experience. The dynamic range is broad, from the high trebles of swords clashing to the low booms of explosions, maintaining excellent fidelity throughout.
John Williams' score is another highlight, adding an emotional and patriotic undertone that enhances both the tension and drama of the narrative. The music fills the soundscape, leveraging the superior uncompressed mix to deliver a more striking and charismatic presence. The score and effects together create a sound field that is nothing short of enveloping, with precise directional effects that convincingly place the listener amidst the battlefield, as bullets and debris fly by in astonishingly accurate movement across channels.
While the audio presentation is indeed laudable for its clarity, realism, and depth, particularly with the uncompressed PCM 5.1 mix's superior handling of both dialogue and effects placement, a slight longing for an even broader surround setup like 6.1 or 7.1 can be felt, especially given the expansive nature of the film’s battles. Nonetheless, this minor point does not detract from what is undoubtedly a top-tier audio experience on Blu-ray, making "The Patriot: Extended Cut" a showcase piece for what high-quality home theater systems can achieve.
Extras: 6
The Blu-ray release of "The Patriot" significantly disappoints in its extras section, a step back especially when compared to its DVD counterparts which were rich in content. Notably, it lacks in high-definition exclusive materials and features such as the much-appreciated Director's Commentary, Visual Effects Featurettes, and a Photo Gallery, which were present in previous editions. The extras are limited to just two short featurettes: True Patriots and The Art of War, both offering a superficial glimpse into the making of this epic, with minimal behind-the-scenes insights or in-depth exploration of historical accuracies related to weapons, costumes, and battle strategies. This scant provision, along with a standard definition trailer for "Legends of the Fall," fails to satisfy those looking for enriched content or a comprehensive look at the film's production and historical context. The inclusion of multiple foreign language tracks and subtitle options further underlines the missed opportunity to utilize disc space for more engaging and informative extras.
Extras included in this disc:
- True Patriots: A brief behind-the-scenes featurette focusing on weapon, costume, and set authenticity.
- The Art of War: Explores the accuracy of the film’s depiction of battle tactics and strategies.
Movie: 67
Roland Emmerich's endeavor with "The Patriot" starkly contrasts his typically fantastical narrative style, evident in films like "Independence Day" and "Godzilla," by offering a more grounded historical epic, albeit with a generous dose of creative liberty. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the American Revolution, the film thrusts Mel Gibson's character, Benjamin Martin—a composite figure inspired by real-life personas—into the heart of the struggle, igniting a personal vendetta against the British forces led by the brutal Colonel Tavington, portrayed compellingly by Jason Isaacs. Despite the film's ambitious scope and meticulous battle choreography, it falters with historical inaccuracies and portrays a somewhat black-and-white moral universe, sidelining the nuanced complexities of such a significant period.
The Blu-ray presentation augments the visual and auditory impact of "The Patriot," showcasing the grim realities of war in high definition, accompanied by an immersive audio track. However, fans might find the release lacking due to the absence of comprehensive extras found in previous DVD versions, raising questions about potential superior editions in the future. Furthermore, while Gibson and Isaacs deliver standout performances, bringing depth to their respective roles, other characters are not as well-developed, resulting in a film experience that occasionally veers into melodrama. The extended cut on the Blu-ray does offer some solace, adding layers to the narrative, yet, the film could have benefited from a tighter edit, particularly by reducing its indulgence in overwrought emotional scenes.
In essence, "The Patriot" navigates the thin line between historical epic and action-drama with mixed results. While it excels in depicting the visceral essence of battle and features commendable lead performances, its historical deviations and underutilized guerrilla warfare tactics detract from its ambition to be a definitive account of the American Revolution. Viewers seeking an accurate historical recount may be disappointed; however, those able to view it as a work of fiction with historical underpinnings will find much to appreciate in its cinematic execution and narrative drive.
Total: 57
The Blu-ray release of "The Patriot," starring Mel Gibson and Jason Isaacs, presents a paradox of technical excellence offset by a lack of additional content that might have enriched the viewing experience. The film itself, a visually stunning representation of a tumultuous period, is brought to life with an almost flawless video transfer that showcases every minute detail and vibrant color of the historical setting. Accompanying this visual feast is the uncompressed sound track, which envelops the viewer in the immersive sounds of battle and drama, ensuring that the emotional weight of the story is both heard and felt deeply. Despite these strengths, the Blu-ray falls short in providing a comprehensive package, lacking any form of extras or behind-the-scenes insights that have become standard in many home video releases today.
Critically, while the performances of Gibson and Isaacs are noteworthy, contributing significantly to the film's impact, there exist elements within the storyline and character interactions that veer towards melodrama. These moments occasionally detract from the film's attempts at historical immersion and authenticity, leaving viewers divided over its narrative execution. Fans of "The Patriot" will appreciate the technical brilliance of this release—the pristine audio and visual presentation serves as a testament to what Blu-ray technology can achieve. However, those familiar with the Special Edition DVD may find the lack of supplementary material in this Blu-ray edition to be a glaring omission, rendering it an incomplete upgrade.
In conclusion, the Blu-ray release of "The Patriot" stands out for its exceptional audio-visual quality, which significantly enhances the viewing experience of this historical drama. While it succeeds in delivering a technically superior version of the film, it ultimately falls short in offering a holistic package, leaving fans longing for more. This release will attract those prioritizing picture and sound quality but might disappoint those seeking a deeper dive into the making and essence of the film.
avforums review by Casimir HarlowRead review here
Video: 80
The extra footage is predominantly difficult to distinguish from the normal Theatrical material in terms of video quality, and overall this is a very good video rendition....
Audio: 90
The bigger effects are mostly battle orientated, from the cannon fire to the musket fire and the hack and slash of Gibson's own guerrilla tactics, but the smaller, more ambient atmospheric effects are...
Extras: 10
Sure, we do get a couple of short and unsubstantial Featurettes, but gone are the full length Director's Audio Commentary, the Visual Effects Featurettes and the Photo Gallery....
Movie: 70
On Blu-ray we see the movie in all the glory of High Definition, and have a superior audio track to accompany it, but the big let-down comes because of the sheer volume of extras that have NOT been included...
Total: 70
Blu-ray.com review by Ben WilliamsRead review here
Video: 100
Continuing the consistency that they have shown with their most recent Blu-ray releases, Sony has delivered another reference transfer that is remarkable to behold....
Audio: 100
Since this is a war film, I was very pleased with this track's heavy use of convincingly realistic directional effects as bullets whiz around the room and cannon fire is well represented with tight and...
Extras: 10
I was hoping for a bit of in-depth information on the historically accurate aspects of the film....
Movie: 80
The battle scenes of The Patriot are extremely well choreographed and the film is presented in a way that makes these scenes very easy to dissect....
Total: 80
While there are no extras to speak of on this Blu-ray release of The Patriot, I found the audio and video quality to be of the highest quality....
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
There's some noise in shots of the evening sky (look above Cornwallis's mansion before the dinner party scene), some print flecks throughout the film, some strange boosts in contrast (watch when Martin...
Audio: 100
The standard audio sounds pretty good, but the uncompressed mix is the mix of choice and will leave a definite impression on your home theater....
Extras: 0
While the both the audio and video on this release are quite exceptional, it's in the supplements department where this one disappoints, including only two featurettes from the first DVD release of 'The...
Movie: 60
The extended cut included in the Blu-ray edition adds ten minutes that definitely help strengthen the film (especially the scenes with Isaacs), but I think both versions of 'The Patriot' could've been...
Total: 60
'The Patriot' is a good movie that boasts exceptional performances from Mel Gibson and Jason Isaacs, but every time I want to love the film, it throws in a bout of melodrama or a cringe-worthy exchange...
Director: Roland Emmerich
Actors: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson
PlotIn late 18th-century South Carolina, Benjamin Martin, a widowed family man and a veteran of the French and Indian War, is haunted by his violent past and is initially determined to remain uninvolved in the escalating American Revolution against British rule. However, his eldest son, Gabriel, yearns to join the Continental Army, defying his father’s wishes to protect his family and remain neutral. When the war inevitably spills over onto Martin’s own land and tragedy strikes, he is driven to lead a makeshift militia composed of townsfolk and reluctant countrymen. Despite his aversion to war, Martin becomes an imposing figure, adept at guerrilla tactics that confound and enrage the formidable British Redcoats.
The struggle becomes deeply personal as the British, led by the ruthless and aristocratic Colonel Tavington, engage in brutal tactics against the American colonists, inciting further rebellion and fueling the fire of independence. As Martin's militia faces the British forces, he is torn between his duty to his family and his growing commitment to the American cause. Alongside his son and a diverse group of soldiers, he is drawn into major battles and exploits, becoming a key figure in the patchwork of militias and regulars striving for American independence. Meanwhile, the dynamics within his own family evolve as they deal with loss, hardship, and the reality of a war-torn life.
Writers: Robert Rodat
Release Date: 28 Jun 2000
Runtime: 165 min
Rating: R
Country: United States, Germany
Language: English, French