This Al Pacino Action Movie Perfect For History Buffs Is Streaming For Free

Al Pacino has been in over 66 films and counting since he attained fame and critical acclaim with his breakthrough role as Michael Corleone in "The Godfather." But "Revolution," which is currently streaming on Tubi, likely won't ring many bells with fans of Pacino films like "Scarface" and "The Devil's Advocate." But if you love historical epics and want to see an Al Pacino movie in which he tries out a different kind of role, then the film will definitely make a boring afternoon brighter — in spite of the movie's dark subject matter.

"Revolution" concerns itself with fur trapper Tom Dobb (Pacino), a recent American immigrant who finds himself smack-dab in the middle of the newly-begun Revolutionary War. Dobbs' teenage son, Ned (Sid Owen and Dexter Fletcher) is immediately conscripted into the Continental Army as a drummer boy. Tom — without funds after being accosted by an overexcited mob of rioters — follows Ned into service to keep an eye on his child. 

Together, Tom and Ned experience great hardship and terrible deprivations as they try to carve out a place for themselves in their new country. While Tom and Ned are eventually successful, "Revolution" has taken a much longer pathway to reappraisal.

"Revolution" was notorious in its time for being a huge critical flop and one of the biggest financial bombs of 1985. It also garnered several Razzie Award nominations. But critics began to come around on it some time later, thanks to a recut version released by Warner Bros. decades after it first hit cinemas.

Director Hugh Hudson edited the film for home release, shortening it, excising its original happy ending for an open one, and adding fresh narration from Al Pacino. Dubbing this version "Revolution Revisited," it hit DVD in 2009. The revamped movie did garner a more positive reception, though some claimed its casting — including Pacino's, which involved an accent that sounded almost Irish and almost Brooklyn, but didn't lean enough in either direction  — was a problem that no recut could surmount. 

When this version of the movie hit the U.K. in a double-disc release, its booklet included an essay from critic Philip French, who declared the movie an underappreciated masterpiece ignored by the public and castigated unnecessarily by the press. Whether it's a crowning achievement or simply a Razzie-nominated movie that's actually worth watching, it's still a compelling outing.