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Patriot: Superbit Deluxe, The
Columbia/Tri-Star // R // May 28, 2002
List Price: $28.99 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
Stung by the highly negative reaction to 1998's "Godzilla", Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin set out to make an epic drama - something a bit more substancial than their prior "popcorn" pictures. The result was 2000's "The Patriot" a movie that proves that the duo can successfully bring together a large cast and provide a remarkable scope, as well as some impressive battle scenes. While the film has an exceptional, sleek appearance, the director/producer team is sidetracked by a screenplay that seems a bit more concerned with providing action and cliches than character development. I will say, however, Gibson leads the film marvelously, making a strong attempt to hold interest throughout the nearly three-hour film.
Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, a man with seven children whose wife has recently passed away. At the begining of the film in 1776, he is a farmer who is happy to be doing what he's doing - farming and at least attempting to make chairs (which plays for a gag once or twice). When his son is killed by the British (lead by Jason Isaac's Col. Tavington), Martin fights against them along with his son, played by Heath Ledger, of "10 Things I Hate About You".
Some of the battle scenes are maybe a little bit too accurate for their own good at times - the violence is at times more than I'd like to have seen. And, after the previous sequence I'd mentioned, we're off: the film turns into a revenge thriller with Martin seemingly trying to take on much of the British army on his own. He leads the local men and becomes famous for his reputation as the "Ghost", as the enemy wants him captured. With only so-so character development, the nearly three hour running time often becomes slow - some scenes could be shortened and others could stand to have been dropped completely. A fair amount of romantic scenes are included, but feel unnecessary, underdeveloped and altogether out-of-place.
Historical/war films are often a bit longer than most, and at their most successful, we don't mind this. "Saving Private Ryan" may have been nearly three hours, but it flew by and practically felt like one hour. Michael Mann's "Last Of The Mohicans" was also more enjoyable and doesn't feel as manipulative as this picture does. "The Patriot" ends up as one of those movies that isn't particularly good or bad - it just is. I suppose that, at least it looks good. Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel provides astoundingly beautiful cinematography throughout, continuing his line of good work in the recent "Anna and the King" and also, his work making the messy Kevin Costner romance "Message In A Bottle" look good. The John Williams score, on the other hand, I felt tried to manipulate emotions a few too many times, but was otherwise decent.
Gibson is solid in the role of Martin and he really almost does the job of carrying the film through parts both slow and awkward. Ledger is okay as Gibson's son, but he doesn't get much of a part to work with. "The Patriot" is a decent picture, but certainly one that could stand to be improved in quite a few aspects. Emmerich and Devlin haven't failed completely in their attempt to create something a bit more than a "popcorn" picture, but there's nothing very unfamiliar about the film. Gibson's terrific performance remains the best thing about it.
The DVD
VIDEO: "The Patriot" is presented by Columbia/Tristar Home Video in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. I was able to attain the original release for a short period to quickly refresh my memory of the presentation by viewing several scenes. While the original presentation doesn't seem quite as impressive upon a new viewing, it still remains a very high-quality offering from the studio. The new Superbit release offers improvements upon the prior release, but they remained very slight. Sharpness and detail are excellent again here - the picture seemed to have a hint more depth and a minimally smoother overall appearance in this Superbit edition.
A few problems remain in the Superbit edition that were present in the prior one. The occasional specks are seen on the print used, while a couple of slightly more noticable marks also make their presence known. The film's intentional grain expectedly appears once again here - while visible, I never found it intrusive or bothersome. Minor edge enhancement is seen a few times, but didn't cause a great deal of irritation.
The film's stunning and gorgeous color palette is beautifully rendered once again on this release, appearing well-saturated and rich, with no smearing or other faults. Black level remained solid, while flesh tones looked accurate and natural. Certainly a very nice transfer, but only a very minor improvement over the prior release. "Desperado" remains the Superbit title with the most dramatic difference over the previous edition.
SOUND: Originally written about the prior release: Emmerich and Devlin have been responsible for 3 previous movies that serve as demonstration material for their stunning use of audio. Although "Godzilla" or aliens are not around to provide an audio assault in "The Patriot", the duo (with supervising sound editor Per Hallberg, who also worked with the pair on "Godzilla") provide a pretty impressive sound experience throughout the movie.
The battle scenes are certainly the most impressive, as the sounds of war seamlessly circle the viewer, with gunfire booming around all sides. The John Williams score rises up and envelops pleasantly, as well. Bass is very strong during some of the more intense sequences of the film and surrounds are used effectively. Again, surrounds recieve the most work during the battles, but they also are used enjoyably during some of the quieter scenes for subtler sounds.
There was also certain natural, real feeling to the chaotic sounds during the battle sequences that made them feel even more realistic. These moments really transport you, using the audio as a bridge, to these sequences. Last but not least, dialogue is pretty easily heard and clear. A great soundtrack.
Returning to this soundtrack again after quite a while, I was again surprised by how consistently enveloping and agressive it is. There are sequences scattered throughout that are stunning examples of sound design, especially one sequence early in the picture where Gibson's character must launch a sneak attack in the woods. The sounds of gunfire seem to come from all sides, not sounding "speaker-specific", but completely crisp and realistic. There's even a remarkable amount of subtle ambience that's beautifully presented.
Audio quality is frequently amazing throughout the film. Small details sound crisp and clear, while intense action sequences offer exceptional low bass. Dialogue sounded natural and easily understood, while John Williams's score is superbly offered by score mixer Shawn Murphy (see also Williams's score for Spielberg's "A.I.").
The Superbit edition of the film unites the previously available - and quite good, in fact - Dolby Digital 5.1 edition of the film's soundtrack with a new DTS 5.1 track. There were not major differences between the already very good Dolby Digital presentation and the new DTS presentation. The somewhat more dynamic DTS track offered subtly improved detail as well as a slightly more enveloping feel to both the battle sequences and the film's quieter moments. Both soundtracks are remarkable, but the DTS presentation was the one that I prefered by a fair, but not major, margin.
MENUS: Basic main and sub menus with no animation. As with the rest of the Superbit titles, menus are basic to make sure space is devoted to the presentation.
EXTRAS: The Superbit Deluxe edition keeps the video supplements, which have been bumped to the second disc. Deleted - and, in my opinion, not missed - is a commentary from director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin. The commentary essentially consisted of Devlin attempting to offer some mildly informative information while Emmerich kept adding a stunning amount of "likes", "uhs", "ums" and "you knows" to every sentence, to the point where his sentences seemed to be endless and the track became nearly unlistenable.
Trailers: The teaser and theatrical trailer in excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
Deleted Scenes: Here we get 7 deleted scenes from the film with (oh no!) optional commentary from Emmerich and Devlin. These scenes are fairly enjoyable, but were rightly taken out for time (although, if I had my choice, more scenes would have ended up in this section).
Visual Effects Comparison: This area provides the viewer with the chance to look at a couple of the film's visual effects sequences in different pieces (selecting a piece from part of the screen allows it to be brought up to a bigger part of the screen) with commentary by the visual effects supervisor.
The Art Of War: A 10 minute featurette that details thoughts from the cast and crew about the reality of the battles shown in the film and also, how these scenes were filmed. It makes for moderately interesting viewing, especially hearing about some of the details, such as the massive amount of extras and equipment needed.
True Patriots: Another very enjoyable featurette that shows how the filmmakers tried to accurately re-create the look of that time in history.
Also Included: Production notes, cast and crew bios, and a large photo gallery.
Final Thoughts: I think Gibson's performance in "The Patriot" is excellent and the big-budget picture is technically marvelous, but I don't find that much else of interest in the film, which is considerably too long. As for this Superbit Deluxe edition, it offers - as with most of the rest of the Superbit series - a set of questions and options. The previous release offers audio/video quality that is not far from the minor improvements that are found on this new release. It also offers about the same extras (I didn't miss the commentary that does not appear here) for $19.99 or less. This new edition offers slight/minor imporovements here and there in both audio and video, but not enough that I'd think those who already have the original should upgrade to this title, which can be found for $27.98 or less. However, those who would like a minimally better presentation and are looking to own the title and don't already, should look for this edition.
Stung by the highly negative reaction to 1998's "Godzilla", Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin set out to make an epic drama - something a bit more substancial than their prior "popcorn" pictures. The result was 2000's "The Patriot" a movie that proves that the duo can successfully bring together a large cast and provide a remarkable scope, as well as some impressive battle scenes. While the film has an exceptional, sleek appearance, the director/producer team is sidetracked by a screenplay that seems a bit more concerned with providing action and cliches than character development. I will say, however, Gibson leads the film marvelously, making a strong attempt to hold interest throughout the nearly three-hour film.
Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, a man with seven children whose wife has recently passed away. At the begining of the film in 1776, he is a farmer who is happy to be doing what he's doing - farming and at least attempting to make chairs (which plays for a gag once or twice). When his son is killed by the British (lead by Jason Isaac's Col. Tavington), Martin fights against them along with his son, played by Heath Ledger, of "10 Things I Hate About You".
Some of the battle scenes are maybe a little bit too accurate for their own good at times - the violence is at times more than I'd like to have seen. And, after the previous sequence I'd mentioned, we're off: the film turns into a revenge thriller with Martin seemingly trying to take on much of the British army on his own. He leads the local men and becomes famous for his reputation as the "Ghost", as the enemy wants him captured. With only so-so character development, the nearly three hour running time often becomes slow - some scenes could be shortened and others could stand to have been dropped completely. A fair amount of romantic scenes are included, but feel unnecessary, underdeveloped and altogether out-of-place.
Historical/war films are often a bit longer than most, and at their most successful, we don't mind this. "Saving Private Ryan" may have been nearly three hours, but it flew by and practically felt like one hour. Michael Mann's "Last Of The Mohicans" was also more enjoyable and doesn't feel as manipulative as this picture does. "The Patriot" ends up as one of those movies that isn't particularly good or bad - it just is. I suppose that, at least it looks good. Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel provides astoundingly beautiful cinematography throughout, continuing his line of good work in the recent "Anna and the King" and also, his work making the messy Kevin Costner romance "Message In A Bottle" look good. The John Williams score, on the other hand, I felt tried to manipulate emotions a few too many times, but was otherwise decent.
Gibson is solid in the role of Martin and he really almost does the job of carrying the film through parts both slow and awkward. Ledger is okay as Gibson's son, but he doesn't get much of a part to work with. "The Patriot" is a decent picture, but certainly one that could stand to be improved in quite a few aspects. Emmerich and Devlin haven't failed completely in their attempt to create something a bit more than a "popcorn" picture, but there's nothing very unfamiliar about the film. Gibson's terrific performance remains the best thing about it.
The DVD
VIDEO: "The Patriot" is presented by Columbia/Tristar Home Video in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. I was able to attain the original release for a short period to quickly refresh my memory of the presentation by viewing several scenes. While the original presentation doesn't seem quite as impressive upon a new viewing, it still remains a very high-quality offering from the studio. The new Superbit release offers improvements upon the prior release, but they remained very slight. Sharpness and detail are excellent again here - the picture seemed to have a hint more depth and a minimally smoother overall appearance in this Superbit edition.
A few problems remain in the Superbit edition that were present in the prior one. The occasional specks are seen on the print used, while a couple of slightly more noticable marks also make their presence known. The film's intentional grain expectedly appears once again here - while visible, I never found it intrusive or bothersome. Minor edge enhancement is seen a few times, but didn't cause a great deal of irritation.
The film's stunning and gorgeous color palette is beautifully rendered once again on this release, appearing well-saturated and rich, with no smearing or other faults. Black level remained solid, while flesh tones looked accurate and natural. Certainly a very nice transfer, but only a very minor improvement over the prior release. "Desperado" remains the Superbit title with the most dramatic difference over the previous edition.
SOUND: Originally written about the prior release: Emmerich and Devlin have been responsible for 3 previous movies that serve as demonstration material for their stunning use of audio. Although "Godzilla" or aliens are not around to provide an audio assault in "The Patriot", the duo (with supervising sound editor Per Hallberg, who also worked with the pair on "Godzilla") provide a pretty impressive sound experience throughout the movie.
The battle scenes are certainly the most impressive, as the sounds of war seamlessly circle the viewer, with gunfire booming around all sides. The John Williams score rises up and envelops pleasantly, as well. Bass is very strong during some of the more intense sequences of the film and surrounds are used effectively. Again, surrounds recieve the most work during the battles, but they also are used enjoyably during some of the quieter scenes for subtler sounds.
There was also certain natural, real feeling to the chaotic sounds during the battle sequences that made them feel even more realistic. These moments really transport you, using the audio as a bridge, to these sequences. Last but not least, dialogue is pretty easily heard and clear. A great soundtrack.
Returning to this soundtrack again after quite a while, I was again surprised by how consistently enveloping and agressive it is. There are sequences scattered throughout that are stunning examples of sound design, especially one sequence early in the picture where Gibson's character must launch a sneak attack in the woods. The sounds of gunfire seem to come from all sides, not sounding "speaker-specific", but completely crisp and realistic. There's even a remarkable amount of subtle ambience that's beautifully presented.
Audio quality is frequently amazing throughout the film. Small details sound crisp and clear, while intense action sequences offer exceptional low bass. Dialogue sounded natural and easily understood, while John Williams's score is superbly offered by score mixer Shawn Murphy (see also Williams's score for Spielberg's "A.I.").
The Superbit edition of the film unites the previously available - and quite good, in fact - Dolby Digital 5.1 edition of the film's soundtrack with a new DTS 5.1 track. There were not major differences between the already very good Dolby Digital presentation and the new DTS presentation. The somewhat more dynamic DTS track offered subtly improved detail as well as a slightly more enveloping feel to both the battle sequences and the film's quieter moments. Both soundtracks are remarkable, but the DTS presentation was the one that I prefered by a fair, but not major, margin.
MENUS: Basic main and sub menus with no animation. As with the rest of the Superbit titles, menus are basic to make sure space is devoted to the presentation.
EXTRAS: The Superbit Deluxe edition keeps the video supplements, which have been bumped to the second disc. Deleted - and, in my opinion, not missed - is a commentary from director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin. The commentary essentially consisted of Devlin attempting to offer some mildly informative information while Emmerich kept adding a stunning amount of "likes", "uhs", "ums" and "you knows" to every sentence, to the point where his sentences seemed to be endless and the track became nearly unlistenable.
Trailers: The teaser and theatrical trailer in excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
Deleted Scenes: Here we get 7 deleted scenes from the film with (oh no!) optional commentary from Emmerich and Devlin. These scenes are fairly enjoyable, but were rightly taken out for time (although, if I had my choice, more scenes would have ended up in this section).
Visual Effects Comparison: This area provides the viewer with the chance to look at a couple of the film's visual effects sequences in different pieces (selecting a piece from part of the screen allows it to be brought up to a bigger part of the screen) with commentary by the visual effects supervisor.
The Art Of War: A 10 minute featurette that details thoughts from the cast and crew about the reality of the battles shown in the film and also, how these scenes were filmed. It makes for moderately interesting viewing, especially hearing about some of the details, such as the massive amount of extras and equipment needed.
True Patriots: Another very enjoyable featurette that shows how the filmmakers tried to accurately re-create the look of that time in history.
Also Included: Production notes, cast and crew bios, and a large photo gallery.
Final Thoughts: I think Gibson's performance in "The Patriot" is excellent and the big-budget picture is technically marvelous, but I don't find that much else of interest in the film, which is considerably too long. As for this Superbit Deluxe edition, it offers - as with most of the rest of the Superbit series - a set of questions and options. The previous release offers audio/video quality that is not far from the minor improvements that are found on this new release. It also offers about the same extras (I didn't miss the commentary that does not appear here) for $19.99 or less. This new edition offers slight/minor imporovements here and there in both audio and video, but not enough that I'd think those who already have the original should upgrade to this title, which can be found for $27.98 or less. However, those who would like a minimally better presentation and are looking to own the title and don't already, should look for this edition.
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