The latest in a line of films that aim for American patriotic spirit and end up irritating or severely pissing off the British.

Following in the footsteps of Saving Private Ryan (oops, forgot to mention that 'Allies' implies more than just America) and U-571 (Insulting the British dead by claiming that it was the Americans who captured the Enigma machine) The Patriot depicts the British army as Nazis. One scene that has caused great controversy in Britain is the one depicting the British burning women and children in a church. This never happened of course, but it is an almost carbon copy of a Nazi atrocity at Oradour sur Glane.

I know that people say 'you shouldn't let facts get in the way of a good story' but there are some things that should be left sacred. I have been to the remains of Oradour and 10 years later I am still horrified by this act. Now I see my name and nationality tarnished with the same brush.

Imagine a high budget film starring respected actors being released worldwide and depicting the Americans building concentration camps where they ferry thousands of jews to be murdered, it could maybe even be titled "The American Dream" and you can probably imagine the way the Brits feel about 'The Patriot'. It is insulting to our nation (yeah, I can be patriotic too!!) and it also cheapens the acts of the Nazis (you can see it now: "well, we were only copying the 18th century British").

If you want more info and a better arguer then see this website: http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2000/07/03/patriot/index.html