Society's Perception of "The Patriot".
The earth shakes as cannons rumble in the distance. Black powder fills the sky while the bodies of soldiers lay on the blood soaked ground. Drums beat and soldiers march as people from long ago are dying on the big flickering screen. .
Throughout the history of filmmaking, hundreds of movies have been produced illustrating the art of war. Most of these movies depict wars which involve the United States. Death and suffering are the results left by wars. In a society where death and suffering are thought to be terrible, why would people want to witness a tragedy such as a war for entertainment purposes? .
The Scene portrayed above can be witnessed in Ronald Emmerich's "The Patriot". This movie takes place during the American Revolutionary War illustrating life during the colonial era. The story focuses on a central character, Benjamin Martin, who is played by Mel Gibson. Martin is a man who gets involved with the war in a desperate attempt to protect his family and avenge the brutal murder of his seven children. The film vividly displays the sadness experienced from families being torn apart, innocent people dying terrible deaths, and the fighting and dying of soldiers in a quest for independence. .
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Movies are usually created to affect the audience in some way, either by appealing to the views and beliefs of society or by contradicting them. "The Patriot" is a movie which affects many people in different ways. With the use of its historical, political, and racial views, The film draws out mixed emotions from its audiences. .
"The Patriot" is one of the few Hollywood blockbusters of recent years to have received an enormous amount of criticism. The film's bashing of the British has raised a large amount of media attention in the United Kingdom. The film's director, Roland Emmerich, argues "the resistance to England's taxation of a slave-owning economy was central to the War of Independence.