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The Patriot (1998 film)
Encyclopedia
The Patriot is a 1998
action film
loosely based on the novel
, The Last Canadian
by William C. Heine
. The film stars Steven Seagal
, Gallard Sartain, L.Q. Jones, Whitney Yellow Robe, and Camilla Belle
. It was directed by Dean Semler
, written by M. Sussman, and produced by Patrick Choi, Nile Niami, Howard L. Baldwin, Steven Seagal
, and Julius R. Nasso
. The plot involves an American
patriot who has to foil the plot of a militia
to release a deadly virus
. The film is rated R by the MPAA. It is Seagal's first direct to video film.
, Montana
, local doctor and former government research immunologist Wesley McClaren (Steven Seagal) who has an interest in herbal medicine
and is also a weapons and self-defense expert, is called to a hospital when people start dying from an unknown but very deadly disease. He determines that the cause is a highly dangerous airborne virus
and calls in a Biological Response team, who seal off the town while doctors start treating sufferers with a vaccine. Several have already died.
The source of the virus is traced to a local self-styled rebel militia leader, Floyd Chisolm (Gailard Sartain
), who has given himself up after a long siege and has been arrested on weapons charges. In court, having ingested the virus himself (believing that he also possesses the vaccine) he spits at the judge, and starts the rapid spread of the disease.
Floyd's militia followers, who have been allowed to go free, attack and capture the hospital, including Wesley and his daughter Holly (Camilla Belle
), with much loss of life, and rescue him. But too late, they realize that the vaccine they possess does not actually work.
Working at gunpoint, Wesley takes a sample of Holly's blood; it shows that Holly has been infected, but somehow her body is fighting it off. Wesley and Holly contrive to escape and travel to a farm where Holly's grandfather lives. Wesley takes a blood sample from his friend Dr. Ann White Cloud (Whitney Yellow Robe), and realizes that her body is also fighting off the infection.
Wesley and Ann gain access to a secret underground laboratory where Wesley used to work, where they hope to come up with a cure. Wesley finds out why Ann and Holly are not being affected by the virus: they have been drinking tea made with a specific wild herb that is known to Native American healers.
Back at the hospital, Wesley and Holly are captured by the militia, but he manages to kill Floyd and disable the other soldiers. As soon as the biological protection team learn of the cure, they go out and pick all the flowers they can find and drop them by helicopter over the town, telling the people to boil them and drink the liquid.
1998 in film
-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
loosely based on the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, The Last Canadian
The Last Canadian
The Last Canadian is a 1974 science fiction novel by William C. Heine about the adventures of Eugene Arnprior after North America is devastated by a plague. The U.S. release of the novel was titled Death Wind.- Plot introduction :...
by William C. Heine
William C. Heine
William C. Heine is a Canadian author most notably known for The Last Canadian, a science fiction novel filmed as The Patriot starring Steven Seagal. Heine was editor in chief of the London Free Press, London, Ontario, Canada....
. The film stars Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
, Gallard Sartain, L.Q. Jones, Whitney Yellow Robe, and Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle is an American actress. Her works include The Lost World: Jurassic Park, When a Stranger Calls, 10,000 BC, The Quiet, Push and Speedy Singhs.- Early life :...
. It was directed by Dean Semler
Dean Semler
Dean Semler, A.C.S., A.S.C. is an Australian cinematographer. Over his career, he has worked as a cinematographer, camera operator, director, second unit director, and assistant director.-Early years:...
, written by M. Sussman, and produced by Patrick Choi, Nile Niami, Howard L. Baldwin, Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
, and Julius R. Nasso
Julius R. Nasso
Julius R. Nasso is an Italian American Film Producer, Pharmacologist, and businessman.Nasso was Born in a small village of the southern Aspomonte in Calabria Italy on the 19.oct.1952Nasso is a graduate of St...
. The plot involves an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
patriot who has to foil the plot of a militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
to release a deadly virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
. The film is rated R by the MPAA. It is Seagal's first direct to video film.
Synopsis
Near the town of EnnisEnnis, Montana
Ennis is a town in Madison County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 840 at the 2000 census. The elevation of Ennis is above sea level. U.S. Route 287 runs through town, following the Madison River as it descends from West Yellowstone...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, local doctor and former government research immunologist Wesley McClaren (Steven Seagal) who has an interest in herbal medicine
Herbalism
Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
and is also a weapons and self-defense expert, is called to a hospital when people start dying from an unknown but very deadly disease. He determines that the cause is a highly dangerous airborne virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
and calls in a Biological Response team, who seal off the town while doctors start treating sufferers with a vaccine. Several have already died.
The source of the virus is traced to a local self-styled rebel militia leader, Floyd Chisolm (Gailard Sartain
Gailard Sartain
Gailard Sartain is an American comedic and serious actor, often playing characters with roots in the South. He is also an accomplished and successful painter and illustrator.-Early years and education:...
), who has given himself up after a long siege and has been arrested on weapons charges. In court, having ingested the virus himself (believing that he also possesses the vaccine) he spits at the judge, and starts the rapid spread of the disease.
Floyd's militia followers, who have been allowed to go free, attack and capture the hospital, including Wesley and his daughter Holly (Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle is an American actress. Her works include The Lost World: Jurassic Park, When a Stranger Calls, 10,000 BC, The Quiet, Push and Speedy Singhs.- Early life :...
), with much loss of life, and rescue him. But too late, they realize that the vaccine they possess does not actually work.
Working at gunpoint, Wesley takes a sample of Holly's blood; it shows that Holly has been infected, but somehow her body is fighting it off. Wesley and Holly contrive to escape and travel to a farm where Holly's grandfather lives. Wesley takes a blood sample from his friend Dr. Ann White Cloud (Whitney Yellow Robe), and realizes that her body is also fighting off the infection.
Wesley and Ann gain access to a secret underground laboratory where Wesley used to work, where they hope to come up with a cure. Wesley finds out why Ann and Holly are not being affected by the virus: they have been drinking tea made with a specific wild herb that is known to Native American healers.
Back at the hospital, Wesley and Holly are captured by the militia, but he manages to kill Floyd and disable the other soldiers. As soon as the biological protection team learn of the cure, they go out and pick all the flowers they can find and drop them by helicopter over the town, telling the people to boil them and drink the liquid.