The first mistake I did when I first saw the Patriot, was that I was expecting another Braveheart. But this is not Braveheart, and it isn't trying to be.Roland Emmerich really shows that he is a great director who can handle a great script without destroying it with specialeffects. After Independence Day and Godzilla, Roland has finally stopped relying on the effects (allthough there are effects, but they do not own the screen at any time) and started to trust his own skills.He also has great help from the cast. Mel Gibson is great as both the carrying father, and as the cruel buther he is in war. Heath Ledger is abolutley a name to recon with for the future, and makes the son very well.So all and all this is a graet movie, that does NOT make all englishmen out to be a sead of evil, that some people have claimed.