Revolution

I've seen this film many times - watched it again last night. This is a film which received some of the WORST reviews ever. Al Pacino wasn't nearly as bad as dumb critics say and the entire production was rather handsome (directed by Hugh Hudson). Nastassja Kinski co-starred. She was acceptable, though probably somewhat miscast. Still, she sufficed in her role as a young rebel whom goes against her American family who has taken the side of the British (a peculiar and quite distasteful [at least for an American] plot element). When 'Tom Dobb' (Pacino) and his son get conscripted by the American army - or more likely, Annie Lennox (the same) - the fight for them begins, especially when Tom's stupid son joins the military just because he wanted to "beat the drum" that the army happened to be doing at the moment on a city street corner in New York. Later, Tom replies to his son's inquiries about what to do next, "We'll go back to New York". Well, they're in New York. They were headed to New York on their boat in the beginning of the film, even though Tom seemed surprised that New York was "going crazy". Didn't he surmise that it would be like that? I mean, how long was he away? The film continues with Tom and son fighting the British, partly led by Don Sutherland (with a gigantic and unsightly mole on his face, apparently to show how 'evil' he is). By the way, The British are once again drawn to be horrible human beings (the way Hollywood always likes to draw them). There are several digressions from the main plot, like when Tom is recruited to participate in a mock 'foxhunt'. Meanwhile, Tom's son is captured and taken on a trip "north" (it's always 'north') to play a drum for the British.' 'Daisy' (Kinski) always happens to be around when some key event takes place. She sees the boy get "tooken" and somehow finds Tom to let him know. At this point, Tom steals a boat, paddles up river somewhere (there's NO ONE around, of course) and he amazingly finds his son tied to a wooden post in the rain, suffering from an earlier beating which ruined the boy's feet.. Tom rescues the boy and off they go up into the boat to escape. Indians destroy the boat and see Tom and son above on a cliff. Why Tom carried his son up to a cliff is puzzling.... he could have wet his boy's feet right by the boat. Anyway, other Indians (friendly this time) join up with Tom and fix the boy. Six months later Tom et al come down from the hills to join the fight. Tom meets Daisy (again) and the plot continues. More fighting, more plot endurance, plus a scene in a battle where, for some reason, Sutherland leaves the fight to run down to the beach (supposedly to kill an enemy "spotter"). Tom and son follow him down there and surprise Sutherland (and HIS son) with a sniper attack. This is a watershed moment in the film - the final scene with Sutherland - and Tom and son begin to make distance from the British and the war itself (so that the film can finally end). Tom's boy meets a nice Jewish girl and marries her. Tom's fondness for Nastassja grows, but he has yet to find out what happened to her. Is she alive? Is she dead? Does anyone care at this point?

Impressive, Epic, Eye-filling, Large scale scenes on the battlefield, and in the cities, Live action , no CGI, with literally a cast of thousands, You Are There realism, filled with incredible details, The cinematography is stunning, Every shot is beautifully composed, The story is similar to The Patriot ( 2000 ), as Al Pacino brings conviction to his role. One of the most underrated movies of 1985.