Posted by NightSky on July 07, 2000 at 11:26:28:
I must admit to being one of those "sinners" who went to see The Perfect Storm over the holidays. Having spent time in Gloucester and being fascinated by the courage it takes to be a fisherman, I had anticipated the movie greatly. I'm also a great fan of Wolfgang Peterson as far back as Das Boat, and knew the realism would be outstanding. I was not disappointed, even though I was depressed at his insistence on maintaining the true ending to this real story. It certainly wasn't a Hollywood ending that was meant to bring viewers back over and over. I don't think there was a dry eye in the theater.
But there's also the idea that a German director has now given us two good films that depict modern American heroism. Both The Perfect Storm and Airforce One depict present day Americans as flawed, but brave and true in the face of adversity. It's a concept that's not held by many foreigners, or by many Americans, for that matter.
As for The Patriot, I doubt the day will ever come that I turn to Dean Devlon and Roland Emerich for a history lesson. I do not (and would never ) expect the purveyors of Independence Day, Stargate, and Godzilla to create a Ken Burns film essay on the Revolutionary War. They are the ultimate entertainers, and are very good at their craft. But I go to the theater to see an Emerich film for the special effects; and, as there will be few in The Patriot, I can wait to see it on the small screen.
All this brings me to one last point that I won't belabor, but I can no longer keep quiet about. There is more to history than battle and blood. Since most recorded history has been kept by men, the battles and blood tend to take the forefront, but in truth, our American history is much deeper and richer than our low points (wars) would have us believe. Thomas Jefferson did not carry a gun in the Revolutionary War, he had greater things to do, history making tasks that shaped our country far more than any battle or general ever could. To see American history as one battle after another is to limit oneself to those times when men could no longer find control of their destiny except through violence.
Sorry to be such a sinner, but sometimes I just can't keep my mouth shut. And if you're looking for a recent movie about Americans at war, rent Three Kings, it's exceptional. NightSky