MovieChat Forums > The Patriot (2000) Discussion > So the British were all about war crimes...

So the British were all about war crimes; burning + shooting civilians


That's what I learned from this movie.

I love movies about history, but this one is hard to watch twice. Too much hatred.

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To be fair that was pretty mainly in the case of Tavington. They had other Engish characters, particular Conrwallis (as well as that British officer who was visibly shaken when given the order to execute the wounded soldiers that the Martin's were tending to as well as burning down their home), make a big deal about the fact that they disapproved of Tavington's extreme/brutal war methods (to the point that it was said that he couldn't return to England with honor) that Cornwallis eventually relents to permitting only after he becomes desparate enough through the damage done by Martin's men during the war. With that I'd make the argument that it didn't demonize the English as a people.

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That's precisely it. For example the Bloody Sunday massacre in Northern Ireland and the Amritsar massacre in India were ordered directly by single officers on the ground at that moment. Yes they were carried out by the troops under their command and very little was done by way of punitive action on the officers but not all soldiers are animals.

Besides a movie needs a baddy and it's rarely on the side that wins. Jason Issacs pulled the short straw on this occasion.

Yours sincerely, General Joseph Liebgott

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The irish deserved it.

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I would give an intelligent response to that if one were warranted. You may indeed genuinely believe that 'the Irish deserved it' but the simplicity and lack of profundity in your post is sufficient evidence to suggest to me, and quite frankly anyone with more than two brain cells, that you're either a xenophobe or an idiot. Then again the two are quite inseparable, so congratulations, you get two prizes.

Yours sincerely, General Joseph Liebgott

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Xenophobe?? You've lost the debate before it's begun, simpleton.

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Well at least you used more than four words this time.

Yours sincerely, General Joseph Liebgott

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xenophobe or an idiot. Then again the two are quite inseparable
It's possible to be an idiot without being a xenophobe. In fact you could actually have a phobia towards people who are different from you, as in an actual mental illness, without being an idiot.

I choose to believe what I was programmed to believe

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Really? Are you that inept? The CLEAR point of the statement is that all xenophobes are idiots.







'Then' and 'than' are different words - stop confusing them.

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He did not say "xenophobe and therefore an idiot" or something of that kind. He said "xenophobe _OR_ an idiot". Which makes your blabbering pointless.

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Or maybe it was something that we non-autistic people call a joke.

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My sides are splitting!

Hey! You're not old enough to drink! Now go and die for your country!!!

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As a soldier, you have the right on your side to remove your superior from
command if you think they aren't acting in the best interest of her majesty.
And i highly doubt the english crown wanted their officers to order the killing
of wounded enemy soldiers, or children.. or burning of innocents housing.

Adam Baldwins Character could've easily take away command from Issacs when he
ordered the burning of the church with innocent people inside, and i'm pretty sure
that no one would've judged him because of it.

That's why i have chosen to never do military service, because you have expected
to follow orders and stfu.. and i am not one for keeping quiet when i see something wrong,
and i sure as hell wouldn't follow an order i deemed morally or ethically wrong.

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God I hate you thread hijackers....!

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I just hate you in general!

Hey! You're not old enough to drink! Now go and die for your country!!!

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With that I'd make the argument that it didn't demonize the English as a people.

Exactly. I never saw this movie as demonizing the Brits. Only a few Brits were demonized, Tavington and his minions. And they clearly made sure that the vast majority of what happened in this film was portrayed as fiction.

"Lives with no meaning go straight past you, like trains that don’t stop at your station."

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First, it's a movie, not a documentary. Second, it's told from the perspective of an American colonial and his family. Personally, I thought the British were portrayed rather well considering.

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Worth noting that Colonel William Tavington was based on Banastre Tarleton who most certainly didn't do anything even slightly similar to what was depicted in this movie.

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They (Roland Emmerich and Robert Rodat) basicly tried to mix War of Independence with World War 2 because that is the level of history averege American knows as good guys (them no one else) / bad guys fight. If they prefer to open one or two books about their own history they will realize American War of Independence was like their Civil War entire 13 colonies were split socially and politically. At the end when no choice left from their POV they declared independece , British Crown was also fighting against whole France , Spain and Netherlands and decided to cut its losses eventually. At the end after war was over and USA was born they decided to trade with British wholesome since they spoke same language and British still held world markets. If British massacred whole civilian populations on whim (whom they still regarded as Crown subjects )during war the trade level between USA and Britain would not double after the war !

But of course from mass brainwashing culture from Hollywood had to simplfy or twist everything for sake of good guys/bad guys fight

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This movie has no connection to true history whatsoever, it is the vilest sort of racism ever put on the silver screen.



I choose to believe what my religion programs me to believe.

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Banastre Tarleton certainly did NOT terrorize civilians the way Tavington does, but he was notorious for killing anyone who took up arms against the King.

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You seem to confuse nationality with race.
Other than the slaves,everyone in the movie was of the same race.
There was no racism involved in the movie,stay in school.

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Anglophobia is considered both discrimination and racist, perhaps YOU should go back to school.
The reality is that The Patriot is xenophobic and anglophobic; the lead actor, director and writer bigots of the first order.

Remember this film portrayed the British as NAZI's, when the reality is that the British stood alone against the might of the German War machine while America and all others turned away and hid or in the case of Russia promised to fight then betrayed Great Britain by siding with Germany and what was our thanks for protecting the fledgling freedom and democracy?
Being portrayed as Nazi's burning down churches murdering woman and little children.

No, this film is probably the worst example of bigotry, xenophobia and hatred ever produced in that sick town called hollywood.








I choose to believe what my religion programs me to believe.

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BS. Without American merchant ships and supplies Britain would have never won the Battles of the Atlantic. America supplied Russia and Britain with damn near everything. You certainly did not stand alone. Without our production and manpower your country would STILL be trying to dig itself out of a whole.

Or how about America choosing to not go with the popular support to immediately go full strength after the Japanese, the country who attacked us, and instead came to save Britain? You could say we chose this because our fleet was badly damaged but even if that was not the case, America was going to Europe first to save your asses.


Haters gonna hate

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Hahahahahhahahahhahahaha!

Fv<ing hell, that's funny.

It wasnt me, it was the other three. Hang them!

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Remember when the Japanese attacked the US navy only, so the US nuked Japan twice and killed a *beep* of civis. It also was not just the US who went to war with Japan it was also Britain and than the USSR to save the US ass over at the pacific.

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This is a long time ago, but I want to make something clear...
Yes you are right that America helped with merchant ships which was indeed vital... but please dont make out, that it from 'the goodness of America.'

Americas agenda was to make as much money as they could from this war and they did in fact most of the allies didnt finish paying off their war debts to America unti 50 years later .. so much for that 'special relationship...'

America never 'saved' Britain, they saved the war, not our country... Britain had already won the BAttle of Britain, and Russia was already against NAzi Germany.. yes most likely the war would have gone on longer but that would have by no means helped America.. due to Europe being almost all communist after soviet occupation.. Britain would have got decent but not great peace terms but would still have an Empire which US destroyed ...

Also even if we lost without you ..it not like that would help you either .. YOU would then have been alone against the biggest war machine in the world against JAPAN and GERMANY with NO ONE to help you .. abit like us.. would you have survived ? no.
Also side note there was more British and Canadian troops on DDay than Americans...

IT WAS A WORLD WAR ... not Americas .. pls stop with your revisionist history ... pls.



Live for Nothing or Die for Something.


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Hmmmm... that is one big pile of shit.

How exactly did America supply Russia?

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I'm American and everything you said is completely correct, you're right this was pathetic. I first saw this film in middle school 12-15 yr old kids all in the auditorium the school showed us this film. I remember everybody cheering and I loved it, it's only now that I'm 26 and watched it again that I see the incredible hatred this shows towards the Brits. I've read some posts about atrocities in Ireland and India, sure those happen but the U.S. is no angel. How about the official mission of the army to wipe out all native Americans who opposed us, including women and children, if you look back they portray Indians as sub human. War crimes? Mai Lai massacre anyone? So chill people most country's and peoples have once done some *beep* things but the American Revolution was not one of these times for either Brit or Yank.

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What "racism"?

Your feeble skills are no match for the power of kittens.

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The British Empire, like other empires was not built on kind words and soup kitchens.

"A real man would rather bow down to a strong woman than dominate a weak one"

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[deleted]

As an American, frankly I like almost all the Brits in this film. I thought they were portrayed as decent, rational people who were caught up in a horrible situation and forced to brutality. Unfortunately, very few Brits these days are so kind to us "Yanks."

When the likable British officer was killed in Mel Gibson and son's ambush, I was saddened, which was the intent of the filmmakers.

But Brits still see this as an anti-British film. Americans don't consider the England of today to be the same nation it was two centuries ago.

Jason Isaacs' character was based on many different lunatics at the time, and was a great villain. To be honest I love anything Isaacs does. He's an awesome actor who would grace any film he would be in.

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Don't mix up England and Britain. Here's the dealio: The UK (United Kingdom) is four countries; England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; Britain is an island, and comprises of England, Scotland, and Wales; England is one of the only countries on earth without it's own government. Scotland has a government, and Wales and Northern Ireland an assembly each - whilst the United Kingdom has the parliament you see 1960's buses, red phone boxes, union flag-roofed minis and black Hackney cabs outside. Ireland is an island too; consisting of Northern Ireland (part of the UK; uses the pound), and Eire (Ireland to you 'Yanks').

Brits do not see this as an anti-British film; we see it as an Australian convincing a gullible populance that a racist child-murderer was a hero. Saying that, we are not without our proportional share of psychologically inept cretins over here - the same Australian convinced them that a selfish landowner beat an English king and was a warrior poet.

We don't call you Yanks, we call you McDonalds.



For any citizen or subject of the federal, non-federal, commonwealth, and associated states of the United States of America whom did not understand the previous paragraphs, than below you will find a translation:

Europeans are clever but messed up batches with, at least hundreds of years of modda pockin bull ship. Ireland is A-OK cos they be all like distillin Guinness and ship. England sucks, but Bond is boss - but might be Scottish and ship. London is a modda pockin postcard, batch. What's a pound? Yeah gimme fries with that.

Martin Riggs make boss movies. I think he played Jack Nicolson in The Godfather. Braveheart proved how us 'Mercans ain't scared of the French. Tellin you, Mad Max directed that Apocalypto film about how IS Quaida killed Jesus and saved the U.S.A. from the native American influx.

All those Limeys are gay, except Ian McKellan. And Patrick Stewart. And Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, and Alan Rickman. And Daniel Craig, Ridley Scott, Micheal Caine, Gary Oldman, Danny Boyle, Kate Winslet, Ewan MavGregor, Hugh Laurie, Sean Connery, Orlando Bloom, Guy Pierce, Hermione, Roger Moore, Kiera Knightly, Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, Christian Bale, and Sasha Baron Cohen. You're gay!



&quot;I first became aware of it Mandrake, during the physical act of love.&quot;

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As long as you don't mix up the US & Canada. By the way, thanks for letting us use your language and not charge any royalties..............

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[deleted]

It was made pretty clear that the way the two particular British officers behaved in this movie was not the British way. Cornwallis even gave practical reasons for this, and blamed Tavington's brutality for the strength of support for Martin.

I choose to believe what I was programmed to believe

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They were not? It's hard to imagine an empire that conquered so much land, more than half of the world by just being nice, drinking tea and saying tally ho or whatever that is. One must be a fool if he/she believes that the British soldiers were not burning, killing, raping etc. War is hell. Their thirst for land, resources and money was responsible for millions of deaths while the monarchy was a deciding factor. What's sad is to see Americans dying by the British just to become them in modern times. The apple doesn't fall fart from the tree i guess.

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I think Gibson is just a racist against the English, just look at Braveheart, "The Patriot" is just a typical modern film, not letting facts get in the way of the plot.

Run for it?, Runnings not a plan! Runnings what you do, once a plan fails!

Earl, Tremors.

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Just racist against the English? Don't be silly, Mel Gibson is racist against pretty much everyone.

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Yes, his next movie is about that kindly Adolph Hitler and his persecution by the nasty Jews.

It wasnt me, it was the other three. Hang them!

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