He plays Benjamin Martin, a legendary warrior from the French-Indian wars, now a farmer in South Carolina, raising his seven children after the death of his wife. He is reluctant to join the local politicians in their pursuit of independence of a young American nation. He seems like a man who has seen enough violence in his life already, and he feels the conflict with England should be resolved peacefully, through negotiations. Thanks to forces beyond his control, there will be a Declaration, followed by a war, of Independence. He will begin a series of guerrilla attacks against the Red Coats, earning himself a nickname "The Ghost" and respect of the local population.

"The Patriot" is a two and a half-hour war epic, in which the main character achieves redemption through personal sacrifice, changing his priorities and beliefs along the way. Loosely based on some real-life characters, the movie makes a clear distinction between good and bad guys. A little too clear, even, as the sadistic Red Coat colonel William Tavington (Isaacs) gets increasingly insane in his executions. Our hero will also have the dark secret that will wait two thirds of the movie to be revealed, but somehow it’s much easier to forgive Mel Gibson than Jason Isaacs for any imaginable sin.

Aside from "Braveheart", "The Patriot" has a lot in common with many movies about famous American conflicts. In "Revolution", Al Pacino’s character and his son fought reluctantly alongside George Washington, although Pacino was a trapper, not a farmer. The scenes of political turmoil in South Carolina are reminiscent of those from great Civil War epics, "Gone With The Wind" and "North and South". Finally, "Glory" comes to mind in its portrayal of slaves fighting for their freedom.