I think this must go down as the first vaguely main-stream film that John Williams has scored, that isn't Spielberg or Lucas, in a very long time. After the Godzilla debacle, it seems that Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich have somewhat redeemed themselves with what is (crudely speaking) an American Civil War setting of Braveheart. I suspect that's something of a sweeping generalisation (no-one seems to have mentioned Glory as a comparison that I can see), but does sum up the gist of the plot. For whatever reason, Emmerich and Devlin didn't like whatever David Arnold had written (I can't see how Arnold could have gone far wrong given the type of film) and were lucky enough to attract the interest of John Williams who then became attached to the project, to many people's surprise and delight.
The now familiar bookending approach is taken yet again, with the only difference between the two versions being a very brief and curiously out of place coda at the end of the closing version. I guess there aren't too many different approaches with a film such as this and Williams has gone with having two themes, the first being a homely, familial theme; a folksy violin melody against acoustic guitar which is quite lovely. I didn't recall it at all the first time I heard it, but like the wonderful Anakin's Theme from you know what, it is a theme that grows on you with each listen, the harmonic shifts are notably splendid. Williams seems keen on harmonies that go off in unexpected directions and it is something I am getting rather fond of. The second theme is of course more noble and heraldic in stature, although it generally avoids being too nauseatingly heroic or, more curiously, over-loaded with patriotism. Perhaps the most memorable part about it is the positively sadistic piccolo duet that plays in counterpoint and the somewhat over-familiar snare drum pattern. Although Williams' staple as a film composer has often been the brassy and thrilling moments it is probably the folksy strains of the solo fiddle are what stick in the mind more after the event.
I think it would be reasonable to say that this is what everyone wanted Saving Private Ryan to sound like, but I can't imagine anything more inappropriate for Spielberg's film, which didn't really need any music at all. The Patriot isn't quite filled with action cues, but it does have more than usual for a recent Williams effort. However, the concert arrangement bookend pieces set the trend for what is memorable and what is less so and in the end, the gentle, folksy sections are almost certainly more convincing than the well wrought, if not oustanding action interludes. They certainly don't have the imagination and balletic sweep of his recent Star Wars outing.
I dare not confess to feeling an album is perhaps a fraction long, but it does sag somewhat in places and unlike the slow moving Saving Private Ryan, doesn't really have that certain something that made that particular score so wonderful. The themes are repeated fairly often throughout and don't seem to be malleable enough to be varied a great deal. The Patriot certainly has its moments, but I don't think that it really sparked Williams' imagination or emotional button quite as much as it should have. Of course a slightly less than brilliant John Williams score is still a hundred times better than the work of some composers and I must confess that it has grown on me a lot since I first heard it. As with the lower impact offerings Williams has produced recently, several listens are essential to benefit fully. I imagine the results are more subdued than anything Arnold would have written, but possibly more satisfying in the long run.
Rating ~ 
Total Time ~ 72:40