Actor / director Mel Gibson starred in The Patriot, the critically acclaimed historical war epic released back in 2000, and it’s now accessible for free streaming. The film, which stars Gibson as a war veteran and widower who is swept into the American Revolutionary War when the conflict arrives at his doorstep, and the late Heath Ledger as his son, received mixed reviews upon its release and sparked much controversy due to its fictionalized depiction of real events and an appropriately abundant amount of anti-British sentiment. If you’re not searching for a documentary and prefer a bloody war epic, The Patriot is for you.
The Patriot (2000) Official Trailer 1 - Heath Ledger Movie
The movie was directed by Roland Emmerich, who also directed Independence Day and Al Gore’s climate change movie The Day After Tomorrow, while Robert Rodat wrote the screenplay. Now the available to stream on Tubi, and recently made its way into the top ten on Prime Video, and you can check out the official synopsis below.
“Mel Gibson portrays Benjamin Martin, an unassuming man who is forced to join the American Revolution when the British threaten to take his farm away from him. Together with his patriotic son, Gabriel, the pair faces the vicious Redcoats with a heroism that reflects the stubborn pride of a young country’s most dedicated supporters.”
Speaking to Collider at the SDCC this year, the lefty filmmaker Emmerich claimed that working with Gibson made him “really, really nervous” and he alleged that the actor is “a very angry guy deep down.”
“[Mel Gibson was] a very angry guy deep down. So I was really, really nervous to shoot The Patriot because I said, “Oh, Mel Gibson is an Oscar-nominated actor.” The first problem I had was that I wanted Heath Ledger instead of another actor. I naturally had to call [Mel] and say, “I kind of like the other guy.” Then he said, “Well, you’re the director.” And hangs up on me. True story. I said, “Okay.” And Heath said yes. This was a yes for me. [Laughs] Only my sister was with me, and everybody else wanted to have the other guy. After three days, he actually told me, “You were right because this guy will be a major star.”
Not sure where that anecdote demonstrated Gibson to be a “very angry guy,” but okay.
The Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker is working on a sequel to his 2004 biblical epic The Passion of the Christ, along with another installment in the Lethal Weapon franchise. Next up. he will helm the action thriller Flight Risk starring Mark Wahlberg, which is set for release on January 24, 2025.
If you haven’t watched The Patriot before, I recommend it. Gibson elevates Emmerich’s draftsman quality work.
English (US) · 