For a film with such an inauspicious beginning, "The Patriot" didn't turn out too bad after all.

If you're not familiar with the story, this gory epic wannabe actually started out as a film biography of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, a k a The Swamp Fox. However, once unsavory aspects of Marion's life came to light, an extensive rewrite was needed to make the main character of the movie a more generic, less specific hero.

But judging by the results, you'd have to say that the filmmakers did a decent salvage job with the project.

And sure, "The Patriot" is overly long (by at least 30 minutes), and the whole thing takes itself so seriously that it nearly lapses into self-parody. Yet it's still surprisingly watchable, despite the many faults.

Of course, the main reason for that is star Mel Gibson, who lifts the movie on his back and carries it through the weak spots. Though his character here is a variation on the one he played in "Braveheart," he's the reason the film works as well as it does.

He stars as Benjamin Martin, a hero of the French and Indian Wars. Despite losing his wife, Benjamin has settled into a seemingly happy life as a South Carolina plantation owner. That is, until the Revolutionary War catches up with him.

Sickened by his own actions in the earlier warfare, Benjamin is hoping for a peaceful resolution to the conflicts between the American colonists and the British monarchy. But that doesn't seem likely.

First, his oldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger, from "10 Things I Hate About You"), joins up with the Colonial army. Then, Gabriel is captured and another son is killed trying to aid his escape.

Enraged, Benjamin finally agrees to lead the rebel militia, which is trying to hold off the charge of British General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) — at least until French reinforcements arrive. Benjamin is also hoping to exact his vengeance on the brutal British colonel (Jason Isaacs, from "The End of the Affair") who killed his son.

Admittedly, the film is part revisionist history and part revenge film, but it's also director Roland Emmerich's attempt to do something more "serious" after making the less-than-serious movies "Independence Day" and "Godzilla." Unfortunately, the results here are so overdone, so overblown that it nearly lapses into cartoonishness.

Add to that a surprisingly manipulative, speech-heavy script by "Saving Private Ryan" screenwriter Robert Rodat. His dialogue sounds more like heavy-handed rhetoric rather than actual conversation.

However, two things it does have in its favor are gorgeous photography (by veteran cinematographer Caleb Deschanel) and yet another stirring score by composer John Williams.

And let's be realistic here; Gibson is the main draw, and he provides ample reason for that with an on-fire performance that exceeds the limitations of the material.

He also gets some very good support by up-and-coming star Ledger, as well as the-falling-just-short-of-hammy Isaacs as his worthy opponent.

"The Patriot" is rated R for considerable wartime violence (including gun and cannon fire, swordplay and hand-to-hand combat), graphic gore, a few mild profanities and Colonial cleavage (one somewhat revealing outfit). Running time: 157 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com