The Patriot (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]

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Aimed directly at a mainstream audience, The Patriot qualifies as respectable entertainment, but anyone expecting a definitive drama about the American Revolution should look elsewhere. Rising above the blatant crowd pleasing of Stargate, Independence Day, and Godzilla, director Roland Emmerich crafts a marvelous re-creation of South Carolina in the late 1770s (aided immeasurably by cinematographer Caleb Deschanel), and Robert Rodat's screenplay offers the same balance of epic scale and emotional urgency that elevated his earlier script for Saving Private Ryan. Unfortunately, Emmerich embraces clichés and hackneyed melodrama that a more gifted director would have avoided. Instead of attempting a truly great film about the most pivotal years of American history, Emmerich settles for a standard revenge plot with the Revolutionary War as an incidental backdrop.

On those terms, the film is engrossing and sufficiently intelligent, especially when militia leader Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) cagily negotiates with British General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) in one of the most rewarding scenes. For the most part, the story concerns Martin's anguished quest for revenge against ruthless redcoat Colonel Tavington (played with snide relish by Jason Isaacs), and the rise to manhood of Martin's eldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), whose battlefield honor exceeds even that of his brutally volatile father. At its best, The Patriot conveys the horror of war among innocent civilians, and the epic battle scenes, while by no means masterful, are graphically intense and impressive. And although Ledger's love interest (Lisa Brenner) is too bland to register much emotion, the focus on family (which frequently relegates the war to background history) provides a suitable vehicle for Gibson, who matches his achievement in Braveheart with an effectively brooding performance. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

In 1776 South Carolina, widower and legendary war hero Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) finds himself thrust into the midst of the American Revolutionary War as he helplessly watches his family torn apart by the savage forces of the British Redcoats. Unable to remain silent, he recruits a band of reluctant volunteers, including his idealistic patriot son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), to take up arms against the British. Fighting to protect his family's freedom and his country's independence, Martin discovers the pain of betrayal, the redemption of revenge and the passion of love.

Customer Reviews:

The Patriot.......2007-09-07

I am sure it is great. However I can't watch it since I don't have HD!
Please label the products in clear language that anyone cam understand.

The script needed a rewrite.......2007-08-29

Because it had too many sub stories that does not propel the overall plot. And the endless slooooooow mooooooootioooooon all over the place, ack! Great Bloody action throughout to give it four stars. The only thing I don't like is that they don't have an option for me to be taken to those blood soaked splattered moments to relish. Come on! You telling me you came here to learn some American History?! On a Hollyweird production?! By a tree hugging hippie director from the euro side of delusion?!!! This is like trying to get Paul Verheoven(sp) to do a period pic. All he'd do is insert nazi asides to show you how corrupt those American/Euro/Romans where in the way back past.

Blu Ray Perfect for "The Patriot".......2007-08-09

The Patriot is another very good movie by Gibson ... entertaining, good plot, action, character development, and believable acting.
Blu Ray adds greatly to this movie with superior definition, color, depth, and much better audio and soundtrack. The extended cuts in this movie are value-added.
Certain movies are good candidates for Blu Ray; this is one of them.

quality.......2007-08-04

the picture and sound is woooooooooow.
In the battlesceen you think your in the battle.
An disc to let see the true potentieel off blue ray

Blu-Ray version.......2007-07-20

I really enjoy watching this movie and now it is on BD it is truly a vision of splendor. The clarity and sharpness makes the picture gorgeous to look at. The audio transfer is also extremely good.

I am thankfull that the version that made it to BD was the extended version which I think adds a greater depth to the movie.

Overall this BD title is just brilliant and definitely top tier 1 level.

Average customer rating:

Intense, exciting
The truth is usually more entertaining than fiction!
Mel Gibson's Best
Absolute Rubbish
A must see historical perspective of the war that ensured the Independence of the 13 US colonies

The Patriot (Special Edition)
Starring: Mel Gibson , Heath Ledger , Joely Richardson , Jason Isaacs , and Chris Cooper
Director: Roland Emmerich
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004XPPG
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Product Description

The Patriot tells the story of Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson), a reluctant hero swept into the revolutionary war when it invades his hometown and involves his family. He takes up arms beside his son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger) and leads an American militia against the redcoat army. Roland Emmerich directs this adventure filled with violent images from a turbulent era in our nations history.

System Requirements:
Starring: Adam Baldwin, Chris Cooper, Mel Gibson, Tcheky Karyo, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, and Tom Wilkinson.
Directed By: Roland Emmerich.
Running Time: 165 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2000 Columbia TriStar Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

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Customer Reviews:

Intense, exciting.......2007-08-26

Gibson plays a character who originally does not want to get involved until the Brits wipe out most of his family. It is more than a story of revenge; it's two minds at battle with each other. I don't see why the scene of the church could not have happened. The Brits at that time were at war with what they considered traitors. Gibson's character is full of fear, retribution and courage all at once. yes, there are other revolutionary war stories out there, but this one is a popular one and would open ones' eyes to search for more.

The truth is usually more entertaining than fiction!.......2007-08-26

Isaacs and Gibson both excell in this action filled movie.Unfortunately the theme of the movie was once again based on the 200 year old myth regarding the anti-hero Tavington(Banastre Tarleton)played by Jason Isaacs
Again branded as the villain Tarleton was a brilliant tactition who played the American militia at their own game and won.
Tarletons efficiency made him feared by the Americans but his tactics never reduced him to be the mind-less butcher that he is always portrayed as.
These tactics were reserved for the likes of Ben Cleveland and Light Horse Lee who were infinately more cruel but were almost always noticably absent when Tarleton was around.
In real life Tarleton died peacefully in his own bed in his 80th year and not on the end of Mel Gibsons bayonet.Pardon my soapbox but I feel that another opportunity has been missed to tell history as it was and now this movie is destined to live in the part of the bookshelf housing Grimms fairy tales etc

Mel Gibson's Best .......2007-08-10

The Patriot has humor, romance and action to the hilt. I watch this many times and it is always good.

Absolute Rubbish.......2007-07-31

From a Brit perspective, this is total historical rubbish!
Do you really think that British soldiers could have (or would have) herded women and children into a church, locked the doors and then set fire to it without us knowing about it 200 odd years later?
It staggers belief!
Yes, there was brutality on both sides, but there was also honour
As for Mel Gibson being a S.C Plantation owner who didn't own slaves? Come on Mel, get in the real world!
Mr. Gibson should go back to school and learn some real history and stop being so anti-Brit (and anti-Jewish). The causes of the American Revolution were economic and one of the reasons the Americans won was that the war was so unpopular with the British people who didn't want to support it.
I suppose if you changed the names America into "Ambrosia" and Britain in "Ruritania" and you have the IQ of a demented flea, I could see that it might be enjoyable.
There are so many other excellent movies about the Revolutionary Wars out there.
Avoid this one!

A must see historical perspective of the war that ensured the Independence of the 13 US colonies.......2007-07-08

During our 4th of July, 2007 celebration, we decided to see this movie to put the birth of our nation into perspective.

We just completed a vacation tour of the South Eastern United States, visiting our home State Florida, and then driving through Alabama, staying for a few days with family in Fayetteville, Georgia, then onto to Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, DC, South Carolina and back through Georgia, finally arriving safe at home in Miami Lakes, Florida.

Throughout our trip, we visited war memorials, monuments, and historical places that inspired taking the time to delve into the patriots that forged our way of life. This movie takes place in South Carolina back in the 1776 struggle to free ourselves from British rule.

The hero, Benjamin Martin is the consolidation of many patriots, and it surfaces the tremendous sacrifice endured by our ancestors, who survived through the destruction of their homes and the trauma of losing family members to the cruelty displayed by many a British soldier.

Benjamin Martin, masterfully played by Mel Gibson, is a hero of the French-Indian war, who witnessed such cruelty during the many battles he survived that he has decided to live by peaceful means and not get involved in what he augurs to be a rather brutal fight that shall not take place in a remote location, but that will take its toll in every backyard of the residents of the town where he lives with his six children. His wife has died and he is therefore, solely responsible for the upbringing of the children, thus he explains, he does not have the "luxury to fight" for he has the responsibility to parent his children 100% of the time.

But his eldest son enlists, and as Gabriel goes off to war, events start taking a rather menacing turn which in the end compels this father to become integral part on our fight for Independence. As we watched the movie... Don and Virginia McDonald, Alex, Katya and Nadya Ariano... and myself... we were left with the realization that our nation was formed by men willing and able to sacrifice all for a new way of life... for the gift that it represents to live our lives guided by the precious document represented by our Constitution, and with the awesome responsibility of doing whatever it takes to ensure that the USA remain... free from tyranny!

A must see film!!!

Patriot Games (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great Adaptation of Clancy Bestseller
Tepid Formalism that could've been great
Patriot Games (Special Edition)
Just asking....
The Power of Observation & Juxtaposition...obviously requisite character traits of a CIA analyst

Patriot Games (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Harrison Ford , Anne Archer , Patrick Bergin , Sean Bean , and Thora Birch
Director: Phillip Noyce
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008K76W
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Amazon.com essential video

Let's see--he's been Han Solo in three films and Indiana Jones in three more. So why shouldn't Harrison Ford take on a new continuing character in Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan? In this film, directed by Phillip Noyce, Ford picked up the baton when Alec Baldwin, who played Ryan in The Hunt for Red October, opted for a Broadway role instead. In this film, Ryan and his family are on vacation when Ryan saves a member of the British royal family from attack by Irish terrorists. The next thing he knows, the Ryan clan has been targeted by the same terrorists, who invade his Maryland home. The film can't shed all of Clancy's lumbering prose, or his techno-dweeb fascination with spy satellites and the like. But no one is better than Ford at righteous heroism--and Sean Bean makes a suitably snakey villain. --Marshall Fine

Description

Harrison Ford stars as Jack Ryan in PATRIOT GAMES, an explosive thriller based on Tom Clancy's international best-seller. His days as an intelligence agent behind him, former CIA analyst Jack Ryan has traveled to London to vacation with his wife (Archer) and child (Birch). Meeting his family outside of Buckingham Palace, Ryan is caught in the middle of a terrorist attack on Lord Holmes (Fox), a member of the Royal Family. Ryan helps to thwart Holmes' assailants and becomes a local hero. But Ryan's courageous act marks him as a target in the sights of the terrorist (Bean) whose brother he killed. Now Ryan must return to action for the most vital assignment of his life -- to save his family.

Customer Reviews:

Great Adaptation of Clancy Bestseller.......2007-04-13

Patriot Games was the second in a series of adaptations of Tom Clancy's bestselling novels featuring heroic CIA analyst Jack Ryan. However, Alec Baldwin, who played Ryan in "The Hunt For Red October," ended up not appearing in this film. But no worries. Ryan is played by stalwart leading man Harrison Ford, who plays Ryan to a tee, as a brave, cerebral man of action.

Ryan is on vacation in England when he interferes with an IRA assassination attempt on a member of the British royal family. He kills one of the terrorists, and his brother, played by Sean Bean, vows revenge. Now, Ryan and his family are threatened by a rogue group of Provos, having to rely on their own wits, and the protection of fellow intelligence officer Samuel L. Jackson, to survive.

This is a crackling good thriller with a great script and taut direction by Phillip Noyce. Ford would go on to play Ryan again in "Clear and Present Danger." This is an excellent adaptation of a popular novel, which doesn't happen very often.

Tepid Formalism that could've been great.......2007-01-01

"Patriot Games" is a film that could strive to do something important with the thriller genre, but instead ends up being an obvious, humdrum, and stale thriller film that deflates most of its sentiment. The film, based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name, features that good `ole Jack Ryan character, in a fight for his family and his own survival against renegade members of the IRA, led by the underused Sean Bean; and what could have been a timely, think piece statement on this conflict, ends up being a rather tepid suspense film, that keeps most of its oomph! for the end, in an instrumental, but mostly satisfying action-oriented conclusion.

Harrison Ford only half tries in the film-- playing the central character that kills the Bean's brother in his botched assination attempt of a member of the British royalty--giving his tough-as-nails, but compassionate character a sort of narrowness that is oddly buoyed by his sense of restraint, and never letting his performance go over the top, but rather keeping his cool-and-calm collective all the way through the film: basically he is a man's man, a guy who can kick arse like Rambo, be James Bondish smooth, yet Sherlock Homes smart. The character is a collection of these traits, and Ford, who usually seems to play this typecast role of "Hero" with a pretty boy attitude, can get away with a performing like he just awoke from a nap, and that's why Ford is oddly appealing as an actor.

The rest of the cast is good, with big-name actors like Samuel L. Jackson, and James Earl Jones, yet aren't given much to work with, especially in the case of Bean, who seems like he has to mumble his lines, stare off into space with an angry look, or just grimace. Special notice, however, goes to the sweety Thora Birch, who would later show up in such films as American Beauty; Birch gives her child character a charm and sincerity with her playful smile and cutesy look, and even if her character has far and few lines, its novel having her in this film in the "before they were stars" sort of way.

Patriot Games is polished like a big budget blockbuster: the photography is sharp, as well, and the camera captures some great picturesque moments of the scenery, especially in the nighttime scenes. There's also some moments of directorial style here, as the camera seems to maturely know when to show or tell in the violent scenes; such as in one when the camera recoils back outside the house after one henchmen gets shoot through a door, while the other two IRA members fight it out with another; in this scene all the viewer sees and hears is a few gunshots going off inside the house. Though it is admittedly an usual scene in action films, it is effective in its minimalism.

Yet despite its pricey look, and some decent enough performances, Patriot Games is seriously lacking in most other departments. The story is rather meek, for one, is rather haphazardly put together, and lacks sentiment. Typical action clichés pop up: the not-working mobile phone, during which the hero tries to save the day; the black-and-white, good and bad characters, and unprofessional side characters who are always meant to die or just be dumb, while the hero wades through the pool of lies and deceit to find the "bad" character posing as a protagonist; these, and other awkward steps make Patriot Games a typical, and jivey film.

Though Patriot Games could have been excellent, had it been given an injection of life. There is some suspense but not much, and you know how it will turn out for the characters; there's just not much here to warrant a good time, aside from some cheap thrills. That's too bad too, because the film could of went into better characterizations with its themes of the conflict in Ireland. Bean's character and the rest of the main-supporting antagonists could have been given a voice, feeling, and depth, as it is often the villains that are more interesting than the hero, since their diabolical motivations are more resonant in the audience's mind.

Patriot Games is an under whelming venture into action-thrillers. Despite some decent enough scenes in the final act, and another good nail-biting freeway chase, there is nothing to warrant something more than a relaxing watch, as it is certainly not an absorbing one. If you like your plots simplistic, and full of clichés, I recommend this film. Yet, if not, and if you can let your mind relax, it will still be nothing more than average.

** ½ (Out of 5)

Patriot Games (Special Edition).......2006-08-30

A really great movie with a superior cast. If you like Tom Clancy inspired movies,this is a must have!

Just asking...........2006-08-07

I know it's only a Hollywood movie. And the book it's based upon is fiction and hardly Tolstoy at that.

But I can't help wondering if it's plausible that even a militaristic Republican would so eagerly accept a title from the British Royal family. After all, these would be direct descendants of people who probably ran Ryan's own ancestors out of their homeland!

Also, the incredibly irritating pub scene portrays Irish-Americans (yet again) as dim-witted, belligerent drunks who simply adore imbecilic sing-alongs about "Irish laddies."

Understood that the villains are supposed to be psychos and very hissable they are, too. But couldn't the writers have avoided perpetuating so many narrow and simplistic cliches?

The Power of Observation & Juxtaposition...obviously requisite character traits of a CIA analyst.......2006-07-24

I have never read any of Tom Clancy's works, but I have seen all the movies made from them. Patriot Games is one of them.

The storyline is quite simple: Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford), former CIA analyst, is on vacation/lecture tour in England with his family. While on the way to meet them near Buckingham Palace, he & his family are caught in a cross-fire during an assassination attempt on a member of the Royal Family, Lord Holmes (Edward Fox), by a rogue faction of the IRA led by Sean Miller (Sean Bean). In the ensuing shoot-out, Jack killed one the terrorists, who happens to be Sean's younger brother. Jack gets drawn back into the CIA after the terrorists set out a vengeful attack against his family back in USA.

In my view, the action sequences in this movie are not very exciting, when compared with any of the recent Bond &/or Bourne movies, although the entire movie is quite entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the sequence showing a real-time satellite-tracking session at CIA HQ, during which Jack & his counter-terrorism team are watching a crack SAS team conducting a black ops raid at the terrorists' hideout somewhere in Libya. The accompanying music score is realistically haunting!

What excites me most about this movie is watching Jack exercising his astute power of observation & his uncanny ability to juxtapose images in a relentless attempt to track down the whereabout of the rogue faction of the IRA,...with the high-tech resources of CIA's counter-terrorism group, of course.

Using vital information secured from Paddy O'Neil (Richard Harris), an IRA supporter in the USA, Jack narrows down the search through his observation/juxtaposition of CIA's satellite images (which includes an overhead snapshot of an apparently capped woman with a pony tail) with his own recalled images:

- a back-view glimpse of the pony-tailed driver in the terrorists' getaway vehicle during the foiled assassination attempt in England;
- a side-view glance of the pony-tailed driver in the terrorists' getaway vehicle during an unsuccessful assassination attempt on his life outside the US Naval Academy;

All these associations have been triggered while taking a break & walking pass a pony-tailed woman employee on the way to answer the call of nature at CIA Headquarters.

What a brilliant piece of detective work - observation plus juxtaposition - on the part of Jack!

The Power of Observation & Juxtaposition are obviously requisite character traits of a CIA analyst.

In summing up this review, I have enjoyed very much watching Patriot Games, experientially as well as educationally. This is another wonderful addition to my resource repertoire.

Average customer rating:

Great Adaptation of Clancy Bestseller
Tepid Formalism that could've been great
Patriot Games (Special Edition)
Just asking....
The Power of Observation & Juxtaposition...obviously requisite character traits of a CIA analyst

Patriot Games
Starring: Harrison Ford , Anne Archer , Patrick Bergin , Sean Bean , and Thora Birch
Director: Phillip Noyce
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 6305222878
Release Date: 1998-12-15

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Great Adaptation of Clancy Bestseller.......2007-04-13

Tepid Formalism that could've been great.......2007-01-01

Patriot Games (Special Edition).......2006-08-30

A really great movie with a superior cast. If you like Tom Clancy inspired movies,this is a must have!

Just asking...........2006-08-07

The Power of Observation & Juxtaposition...obviously requisite character traits of a CIA analyst.......2006-07-24

The Patriot (Superbit Deluxe Collection)

Average customer rating:

Intense, exciting
The truth is usually more entertaining than fiction!
Mel Gibson's Best
Absolute Rubbish
A must see historical perspective of the war that ensured the Independence of the 13 US colonies

The Patriot (Superbit Deluxe Collection)
Starring: Mel Gibson , Heath Ledger , Joely Richardson , Jason Isaacs , and Chris Cooper
Director: Roland Emmerich
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

War Epics | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DTS | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Superbit Collection | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00005R23Y
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Amazon.com

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format.

Customer Reviews:

Intense, exciting.......2007-08-26

The truth is usually more entertaining than fiction!.......2007-08-26

Mel Gibson's Best .......2007-08-10

The Patriot has humor, romance and action to the hilt. I watch this many times and it is always good.

Absolute Rubbish.......2007-07-31

A must see historical perspective of the war that ensured the Independence of the 13 US colonies.......2007-07-08

DVD:

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