On those terms, the film is engrossing and sufficiently intelligent, especially when militia leader Benjamin Martin Mel Gibson cagily negotiates with British General Cornwallis Tom Wilkinson in one of the most rewarding scenes. For the most part, the story concerns Martin's anguished quest for revenge against ruthless redcoat Colonel Tavington played with snide relish by Jason Isaacs, and the rise to manhood of Martin's eldest son, Gabriel Heath Ledger, whose battlefield honor exceeds even that of his brutally volatile father. At its best, The Patriot conveys the horror of war among innocent civilians, and the epic battle scenes, while by no means masterful, are graphically intense and impressive. And although Ledger's love interest Lisa Brenner is too bland to register much emotion, the focus on family which frequently relegates the war to background history provides a suitable vehicle for Gibson, who matches his achievement in Braveheart with an effectively brooding performance. --Jeff Shannon