Not to be confused with the unrelated 2000 film of the same name starring Mel Gibson, 1998’s “The Patriot” stars Steven Seagal (“Under Siege”, “Fire Down Below”) in easily one of the best films I’ve seen him in. Apparently, a lot of Seagal fans dislike this one as it’s not one of his typical action flicks. It’s more of a thriller than anything else but it has more heart and more brains than any of his other movies.

A right-wing paramilitary unleashes a lethal virus, produced by the U.S. government, on a small town in Montana. Wesley McClaren (Seagal) is the local doctor, who previously worked for the government to counter biological weapons, and he’s now the town’s only hope as he races to produce a vaccine.

Fans of Seagal are likely to be disappointed that he kills very few people and doesn’t even throw many punches here. However, I’ve never been particularly impressed by his brand of action. He’s not exactly good in this more dramatic role but he’s more likeable here than in any of his action movies. Camilla Belle (“Practical Magic”) is okay as Seagal’s onscreen daughter, Holly. His real-life daughter, Ayako Fujitani “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe”) has a cameo. The best character is easily the militia leader (Gailard Sartain “Mississippi Burning”).

“The Patriot” certainly has a smarter script than Seagal’s other films. The plot is a lot less convoluted and is actually quite engaging. The are some bland moments here and there and maybe it fizzles out a little near the end but I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to. If you are not a fan of Seagal then I think this one is still worth a go. Just don’t expect an action film and you should find something with a little more substance to it.