In 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, Benjamin Martin, a French and Indian War veteran and a widower with seven children, is called to Charlestown to vote in the South … See more

• Mel Gibson as Captain/Colonel Benjamin Martin A veteran of the French and Indian War, the hero of the fictional Fort Wilderness, and the widowed father of seven children, he is based on a composite … See more

Script
Screenwriter Robert Rodat wrote seventeen drafts of the script before there was an acceptable one. In an early version, Anne is pregnant with Gabriel's child when she dies in the burning church. Rodat wrote the script with … See more

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Patriot holds an approval rating of 62% based on 137 reviews, with an average rating of 6.10/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "The Patriot can be entertaining to watch, but it relies too much on … See more

During development, Emmerich and his team consulted experts at the Smithsonian Institution on set, props, and costumes; advisor Rex Ellis even recommended the Gullah village as an appropriate place for Martin's family to hide. In addition, screenwriter See more

The Patriot was released on DVD and VHS on October 24, 2000, a Blu-ray release followed on July 3, 2007. The film was later released on 4K UHD Blu-ray on May 22, 2018. See more

• List of films about the American Revolution
• List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution See more