Sample Movie Review

This is the republish of an old post showing folks a very good example of a movie review. Hopefully it helps those of you who are having questions and wonder where to start.

Since a lot of folks seemed to be a little bumfuzzled on how to do a scholarly movie review, I thought I would throw you guys a bone. I got in touch with one of my former students/current friends who always did a great job on her movie reviews and asked if she would be willing to send me one of her old reviews to show you guys as an example. (Thanks Maria!)

Remember, this is an example of what to say in your review. I have taken out the specific info on the citations -everywhere you see (citation) is where she had one- and the works cited page. You have to include those in yours. Also read the example for content, not for format. Sometimes the format gets a little wonky when you copy a Word document into Blogger.

As always, post a comment or email me if you have questions.

Name
Ramona Shelton
Survey of American History I
27 October 2009

The History Behind The Patriot

The 2000 film The Patriot tells the story of the later part of the Revolutionary War. The story’s setting is in South Carolina from 1776 until the American victory at Yorktown in 1781. Its plot deals with a man named Benjamin Martin and how the war affects his family, town, country, and consequently, him. As the film progresses, viewers learn that he is a widower with seven children and that he fought in the French and Indian War. His two oldest sons want to fight in the militia against his wishes. After losing the younger of the two to the cruel British General Tavington, he decides against his previous judgment to join the war himself. He becomes a force to be reckoned with during the duration of the movie and is seen as a great American hero. The Patriot is full of action, emotion, and is actually very historically accurate. While the story is fictional, it represents the true story that all Americans hold dear to their hearts.

The main characters in the movie that were nearly symbolic of actual people include Benjamin Martin, General Lord Cornwallis, and Lieutenant Colonel Tavington. Others bear a resemblance, but there isn’t enough evidence to conclude that they are the historical people. Benjamin Martin is unmistakably Francis Marion, also known as “The Swamp Fox.” Cornwallis is a slightly altered version of himself, and Tavington is the ruthless Banastre Tarleton. These men play huge roles in the film and are historical figures that will not be forgotten. They bring the movie to life with their distinct personalities and attitudes.

Francis Marion was born in 1732 in Winyah, South Carolina. His military career began in 1761 with a successful attack against the Cherokee in the midst of the French and Indian War (citation). This agrees with Benjamin Martin’s experience previous to the Revolutionary War. In 1775, he was elected to the first provincial congress of South Carolina. During that year, he was appointed captain of a newly formed militia. In September of 1775, he led the capture of British forts in Charleston, South Carolina. This is one place where the movie differs. Gabriel, Martin’s oldest son goes into the war earlier than him. The next year he was promoted to lieutenant colonel (citation).

After Charleston was captured by the British in 1780, Marion organized a small group of ragged clothed troops, having only the bare necessities to fight, and taught them guerrilla tactics (citation). Martin is shown in the film doing the same. He recruits men in bars to fight for their cause. Marion’s men bothered the British by staging surprise attacks, breaking communication lines, and rescuing American prisoners. When threatened, they would retreat and hide in the swamps (citation). With General Nathaniel Green, Marion and his men successfully fought at the Battle of Eutaw Springs and forced the northern retreat of the British in September of 1781 (citation). There was a final battle in the movie before Yorktown that could be seen as somewhat of a parallel to this battle. South Carolina was finally free from the British. Francis Marion wasn’t exactly like Benjamin Martin, but the similarities are undeniable.

Banastre Tarleton, also known as “The Butcher,” played an important role in the British attacks during the war. He fought unfairly, killing his own wounded but was described as a bold, effective leader (citation). Tavington in The Patriot did an excellent job painting the picture of Tarleton. He had a frightening aura about him the entire time. The houses and churches that the British soldiers burned, looking for Benjamin Martin, represented the truth (citation). Tarleton was called a man of “sanguinary and resentful temper” and also called vain, arrogant, and brutal in his military conduct (citation). While his pride caused him to lose Camden, he was victorious at Monck’s Corner, Lenud’s Ferry, Waxhawks, and Fishing Creek (citation). He gave Marion his name, “The Swamp Fox,” for his elusive ways in guerrilla warfare (citation). In the film, Tavington refers to him as “The Ghost” instead. Tavington made things look bleak for the Americans, and Tarleton did the same in reality.

General Lord Charles Cornwallis was the principal commander of the British army during the Revolutionary War. He was later known as the man who “lost America.” His average reputation from before 1781 dropped drastically after losing at Yorktown (citation). He believed in fighting civilly. In the movie, Cornwallis is shown in one scene speaking to Tavington about the embarrassment that he is facing due to Tavington’s military styles. Cornwallis’s biggest downfall, like Tarleton, was his pride. He didn’t believe that the colonial army had a chance of beating the strongly trained British army that he commanded. He was truly wrong. John Shaw, a British veteran, recollected after the Battle of Camden, “I myself was an eye-witness when at that first interview between him and Tarleton, the account of the disaster brought tears from Cornwallis’s eyes (citation).

One of the other important parts of the film was the help that the colonists received to finally win the war. Both the blacks, free and enslaved, and the French aided the Americans. Without them, the outcome of the war may have been different. However, many colonists protested the practice of enlisting slaves. Even George Washington, the American military leader, was afraid of a revolt. The Continental Congress agreed with the order that all “Negroes be excluded from the new enlistment” and “slaves be rejected completely (citation).” This changed later on because the British were allowing blacks. Americans were afraid the blacks would fight for the British (citation). Slaves were promised freedom at the end of their service. The movie highlights this with a black slave who cannot read or write, serving in his master’s place. Even after his term, he stays out of loyalty and fights until the end.

Once Saratoga had taken place, the French decided to sign an agreement officially supporting the colonies in overthrowing their king’s iron fist (citation). All of the Americans, especially George Washington, welcomed the monetary and military help from the French. The sea was their main territory and played a crucial part to the end of the war (citation). Although, as the movie portrays, the French were hurt in the French and Indian war, they finally had a great opportunity to humiliate their enemies. Naval superiority may have been the American’s greatest weapon of all (citation).

The last battle, which took place in Yorktown, Virginia, was a victory for the Americans through a combined attack. Green’s men, Marion’s militia, Washington’s troops, and the French Navy all worked together to make Yorktown a success. This battle was only mentioned briefly in the film, but it was the most important of them all. Afterwards, America was free. They were free from the tyranny of Britain and free to make their own choices. The government was in their hands to compose and control however seemed right to them. The Patriot is an excellent movie. It presents “good history” that brings tears and a rare sense of strong patriotism. I would recommend it to anyone and consider it one of my favorites now. I enjoyed watching the film, but researching the actual time period was also truly rewarding.