Braveheart (1995) User Reviews (1,457)

Rebel Yell

[Lejink · 8/10 · 9 November 2023]

My old dad used to treat this Mel Gibson Best Picture Oscar-winner with utter scorn and derision, especially with reference to the actual facts as known. He always started off with the respective differences in size between the real William Wallace's true dimensions and the much less imposing Mel Gibson while anyone who does the mildest of diligence into the historical facts will see just how much licence director Gibson and his screenwriter Randall Wallace took with the Scottish rebel-hero's story. I know and knew all this even as I rewatched the film again but despite the overwhelming number of plot contrivances served up, I have to admit as an independence-leaning Scot myself, the film never fails to stir my own blood.

We follow the young Wallace from his early childhood, almost literally blooded early in life to hate the occupying English army under the rule of their despotic King Edward Longshanks played with real brio by Patrick McGoohan. When he loses his father and older brother in another betrayal by Edward, it's clear that the now fully-grown, long-haired Wallace is only awaiting one final provocation before he accepts the freedom-fighter mantle and takes up the cudgels on behalf of his downtrodden people.

For those who don't know very much about Scottish history, it is filled with glorious failures and almost as often double-dealing, back-stabbing intrigue so that it's no surprise when his heroics are brought to an end by a combination of underhand scheming on the part of Edward and the connivance of the corruptible Scottish nobility, in particular the treachery of the future "try, try again" hero - King Robert the Bruce. But Wallace has the last word in more ways than one with his martyr's death and impregnation of the future English queen.

Certainly one of Hollywood's more outrageous retellings of a story from history, the movie bludgeons its way into the viewer's consciousness down to the twin combination of Gibson's muscular, gritty direction and his athleticism and conviction in the lead role. Sure, the accents across the cast are occasionally as convincing as a King's promise, but with effective use of crowd scenes and the gory, no holds-barred depictions of battleground warfare, laced with earthy humour and even a good old Highland romance, Gibson delivers a powerfully uplifting if historically inaccurate feature which has thrilled the Scottish national psyche and no doubt the freedom-seeking aspirations of many another country ever since.

My favorite Mel Gibson film

[klindon-38400 · 9/10 · 3 May 2023]

I'm a fan of super intense acting performances. Intensity to me is what I think people call star power or charisma. Lethal Weapon is one of those movies where his intensity is on full display but he has a different kind of thing going on here. He's a tad older, wiser, gets accosted personally and his livelihood, so his intensity is of a different ilk. He's crazy in Lethal Weapon but in Braveheart he's completely intense while being completely sane at the same time. All of his actions in this film are justified. You're rooting for him from frame one. This is the best film he's ever been in and possible ever will be.

Your Heart is Free, Have the Courage to Follow It...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 6 September 2020]

A simple message but even today, over seven hundred years later, there are far too many captive to their cultures, governments and institutions. They take a large slice, sometimes all of the freedoms William Wallace and so many others fought for. Keep up the fight because, like the tide, those oppressive forces wont curtail.

A rousing piece of cinema, you can forgive the historical inaccuracies in order for it to tell a hugely engaging and inspirational story full of hope, although it leaves you under no illusion of mans inhumanity to man and the vile and despicable things that can be done in the name of greed, power and control.

"Every man dies, not every man really lives."

[0U · 24 February 2020]

The Academy Award winning war epic Braveheart is an extraordinary film that set a new bar for the genre. The story follows a Scottish peasant named William Wallace who's pushed into leading a rebellion against the tyranny of English rule when his wife is murdered. Starring Mel Gibson, Patrick McGoohan, Sophie Marceau, and Brendan Gleeson, the film has a strong cast that delivers outstanding performances. Additionally, the battle sequences are remarkably gritty and violent, which adds to the authentic tone of the film. And, composer James Horner provides a sweeping and majestic score that's incredibly powerful. A groundbreaking film, Braveheart does an exceptional job at depicting both the valor and the horror of war.

Freeeeeedooooommm....

[brentcollyer · 10/10 · 12 March 2021]

It doesn't get any better than this. Mel Gibson didn't just star in this movie but directed and produced. No one will ever forget...

Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

It's a Masterpiece. Best Movie of All Time

[heisenberg12 · 10/10 · 4 August 2019]

Braveheart is the best movie ever made in history, an absolute sculpted work of art that depicts every emotion of human existence, from suffering, to courage to love, in front of the background of political astuteness and socio-hierarchal analysis.

Telling the quasi-true story of one man's conviction and courage to exact vengeance for the killing of his first wife and father at the hands of the ruthless King Edward the II of England, who in turn inspires his small province of Scotland to rebel and go to war in a real fight for freedom and independence, Braveheart is a stunning depiction of the capacity of the human spirit to overcome the odds, defy tyranny, and achieve justice, respect, and dignity against oppression.

Although its retractors and critics will dwell and harp on the historical accuracy of some of the movie, particularly what part Robert the Bruce played in real life, there is no denying the true power and emotional influence of this movie. It's understandable, particularly for Europeans, how this could be problematic due to their upbringing in studying history, but the movie is not really about being historically perfect; it's a work of art about things much deeper. A documentary it is not, and it's duplistic and hypocritical for the film's haters to dwell on this minor detail, but perhaps allow historical rewriting to slide and give it a free pass in something like Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

On this topic, one of the dozens of best parts in the movie is when Robert the Bruce plays an important role in one of the battles, and eventually the movie does come around and get Robert's history back on track with more accuracy as to his part and character in the battle for Scotland's independence.

Without trying to get the history perfect, this movie is simply flawless. It's beyond flawless, really. A flawless movie can just be a technical masterpiece with very little power, but the raw power and emotion coming off the screen in practically every single scene in Braveheart is like an inferno.

James Horner's score is one of the greatest scores ever for any movie, and it successfully enhances the drama and emotion of each scene, without coming across as manipulative. It fits perfectly into every single scene it is used.

There isn't one acting role that is not well-done. This is one of Gibson's best acting roles, and the guy who plays Edward II gives an outstanding performance.

This is the greatest epic movie ever created in the history of Hollywood. A few years later, another great modern epic Gladiator came out and drew rightful comparisons to Braveheart, but while Gladiator is a very good movie, it lacks in the emotional depth, power, and ultimate inspiration behind the experience of watching Braveheart.

The final Act of Braveheart is one of the most powerful ever put on film. As a first time viewer, you really have no idea where the story is going to go (even as a repeat viewer it still holds weight). To this day, there is still nothing like it. Just when you think it's over or you know how it will end, it just continues to twist and turn, and then it closes with what is probably the best ending of any movie in history.

In addition to all of this, the body of Braveheart is loaded with outstanding battle scenes, incredible editing, and great dialogue rooted in inspiration, political strategy, philosophy, and stunning human experience of love, desire, passion, suffering, and identity.

When you look at the top rated movies on IMDB, it is laughable that comic book movies and good popcorn-fun movies are actually rated above this. This is without a doubt, hands down, one of the top 25 movies ever made, and in my opinion, it is the #1 best movie of all-time.

This movie is a masterpiece.

Best movie ever

[rutan07 · 10/10 · 13 September 2005]

Most on this site pick the Godfather, or the Shawshank Redemption, but this is it, this is the best film ever made. People will complain, will argue that I am wrong, but I will say it again...Braveheart is as close to perfection as a movie can be. The acting is superb, the man who played Lonshanks, the actor who portrayed Robert the Bruce, both should have been nominated for Oscars due to their powerful rendering of evil and a man who is saved from losing his humanity (from becoming evil) by meeting William Wallace. And let us not forget the direction, the cinematography. Braveheart is glorious, beautiful to look at. The slow motion pictures of horses preparing to charge armed combatants, the entire landscape of Scotland that Mel Gibson captures with the camera. Braveheart is artwork, it is as good as any picture. That the film is number 93 on the list of the top 250 movies ever is a shame. Yes there is violence in this film but that violence does serve a point...that freedom isn't free and sometimes it takes death, gruesome and horrible, to let ones people taste what it is like to be free. Braveheart is a great movie and it deserves to at least be in the top ten of IMDb's list of greatest films.

Simply amazing

[high_voltage_41 · 10/10 · 19 November 2005]

I remember seeing this movie for the first time in late 2003, and I was impressed. I saw it again last night, and I was even more impressed. The acting is amazing, and the ending was brilliant. For me, all my guesses were incorrect. Everything that happens in this movie in unpredicted. The last half hour itself was highly unpredictable, and it had a powerful message. When a scene was meant to be dramatic, they did a great job at it. I don't know about everybody else, but the ending did make me cry. The message the movie sent kept me thinking for a while. The amount of courage and bravery was inconceivable, there was barely any faults or anything wrong with the movie. For a movie of 1995, they did a great job.

I absolutely guarantee this movie to anybody who enjoys action and war with a bit of drama mixed in. One of the best, or maybe even the best movie of the 20th century.

A Very Fast 3 hrs

[damianphelps · 10/10 · 21 January 2021]

What to say about Braveheart?

This movie holds up against the challenge of aging, its exciting, adventurous, funny and passionate. The movie is beautifully shot and sounds incredible.

Is it violent? Sure but what war isn't. I think Mel makes violence as much a part of the story in all his (relevant) films. The characters struggle through great violence and the impacts that is has on them, by not shying away from it we are allowed to get a small appreciation of it and them.

The movie isn't OTT but delivers great action that serves the story and entertains the viewer.

Its considered a classic film and so it is.

You should have courage to make this movie. ⭐

[EVON1TY · 10/10 · 2 March 2023]

Most of the times Hollywood movies is sided. I don't know what you believe but sadly this movie based on the truth. Only some of the minor subjects are added to make the movie more interesting. The additions were pretty minor most of the times, the main subjects is based on the truth.

Doesn't matter which nation you are, I think you could love this movie so much. It's actually not only about wars and battles. It has so effective Romance subject. For me the actual subject. Also the movie shows how Freedom is important.

Mel Gibson did something special. I don't know is there another movie like this? I'll explain the success I like in this movie. I don't have another example that any movie with great lead actor with achieving so many things. It has James Horner's brilliant scores, (that I don't know how didn't get the Academy Award) has amazing Cinematography, has amazing Costumes and Makeup, also has magnificent Set Decoration.

I don't know how Mel Gibson managed to do all these when he's acting superbly. I know making a movie is not a personal job, It's more of a team job but I'm saying Gibson directed the movie so good while acting superbly. I think that's a real special achievement.

Sometimes it's hard to be a Scotsman

[stabb666 · 6/10 · 24 April 2010]

There are times when a movie can be watched for its pure entertainment value, but it's usually when we're talking about epic scale fantasy-land type stories. With historical adaptations, it would be a refreshing change if movie studios, writers and directors could actually stick to facts for once in a while.

Too often, we get served a mishmash of explosions and/or overly dramatic performances trying to make up for the lack of any real acting talent. Braveheart is one of those ilk and as a Scotsman and student of history, I can't get past the blatant revision of important events in a vain attempt to make up for a terrible script, distinctly average direction and an accent that would get you killed if you used it in any bar in Scotland.

This film is rescued by some great cinematography, but there is really no need to redo the story of William Wallace, as the truth is every bit as dramatic as this pandering to an American audience's need for the hero to be a glorious warrior for justice and almost without sin. It seems to be that 'Hollywood' can't seem to realise that anti-heroes, as the real Wallace was, can be every bit as entertaining, if not more engrossing for their character flaws, than these sanitised, lily-white warped reflections could ever be.

Man vs King

[raidbers · 10/10 · 2 September 2005]

This has to be one of the best movies I have ever seen. I recently purchased it and have watched it at least five times since then, and each time i pick up on things I did not see the other times. The fight scenes are great, the plot is both interesting and thought provoking, there is romance and comedy. This is a movie that any person can appreciate at some level.

True, the historical content may have been distorted, but even though, this movie is meant for entertainment. It is not a history lesson caught on video.

The acting is absolutely superb, this movie is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat for the entire three hours.

Mel versus history

[petra_ste · 6/10 · 12 September 2008]

Why is Braveheart regarded as a great movie? It's a serious question.

I'll grant the soundtrack is fine - probably the last effective work by the now increasingly insufferable James Horner.

Aside for that, Braveheart belongs with Gladiator and Titanic to the Hall of Fame of "Bafflingly popular, but nothing special" pseudo-historical movies (and I'd argue it's the weakest among those three).

So, why is this great? Characters? Set-pieces?

The human drama is laughable. Director Mel Gibson and writer Randall Wallace never met a cliché they didn't like. The true historical events would be interesting enough without spicing them up with nonsense; see the fictional romance between Wallace and princess Isabella, something so mawkish it would make a soap-opera writer blush with shame (note that the real Isabella was about ten years old when Wallace died).

Characters are painted in broad strokes: Wallace = flawless hero, giving Gibson the chance to play the umpteenth messianic figure of his career; Edward Longshanks = Satan, with Patrick McGoohan having a blast as the moustache-twirling villain; Isabella = romantic princess yearning for real love, so lovely Marceau can make puppy eyes at Gibson and have ludicrous "Oooh, he looks so hot!" chats with her handmaiden. The only one who is given some depth is Robert Bruce, allowing Angus Macfayden to walk away with the movie.

Other low points include the racism inherent in making every British character a sneering monster and the odiously homophobic portrayal of Edward II - who was just a little boy at the time - as an effete, mean-spirited buffoon (think how the murder of his lover is played for laughs!).

Battle scenes, while featuring a certain visceral intensity, are not great. There is no sense of complex tactics or spatial relationships; Gibson's notion of medieval warfare seems to be "people running and screaming". Incidentally, swords are MELEE WEAPONS. They cannot be thrown at a great distance with a whirling sound to impale an enemy far away... unless you are in some cheap sword and sorcery flick.

The funniest thing about these battles, though, has to be our heroic Scots using both face paint (which was a Celtic practice hundred of years BEFORE) and kilts (invented much LATER). It's the equivalent of a WWII movie with soldiers carrying both medieval armors and iPods. However, while ridiculous, this is a non-issue compared to clichés and paper-thin characters.

Still, this is per se a watchable flick - just don't try to sell it as the next Lawrence of Arabia.

6/10

Medieval superman takes on evil empire in revisionist epic

[pwfinch · 1/10 · 13 February 2007]

Shockingly one-sided portrayal of real, tragic events that left thousands of innocents dead on both sides of the Anglo-Scottish border.

Previous historical epics have dealt very maturely with the subjects of conquest, rebellion, repression, etc - 'Spartacus' being one good example, 'El Cid' another – so for that reason alone, this self-indulgent, schoolboy fantasy rates as a big disappointment.

Basically, Mel Gibson throws the history book away, and makes Scottish knight William Wallace into a Geronimo-like hero, constantly on the run, constantly outwitting (and brutally slaughtering) his cruel, pompous, haughty, tyrannical, cowardly, ignorant, 'pagan' (!) enemies. Rarely is it mentioned that the real guy killed anyone who understood the English tongue, and often skinned and burned alive his prisoners – many of whom were taken during Scottish raids into England (yes, it happened both ways, though this film would have you think differently).

Does it work? Sure it works, on a very simple level. The scenery is lovely, the battles are probably the most convincingly filmed to date (though if you look closely, you'll see that they mainly consist of brawny Scotsmen bloodily butchering screaming, squawking Englishmen). But it does work. It's pacey enough, it's entertaining and it has as raw, gutsy feel.

If, however, you're like me, and you prefer at least a little bit of historical accuracy, then it's a dog's breakfast. To begin with, the armies Wallace led are portrayed in the movie as poorly-armed highlanders, whereas in reality they were lowlanders, easily as well equipped as the English armies they fought. The battle of Stirling Bridge was decided by the collapse of the bridge under the weight of the English cavalry, most of whom then drowned in their armour. The Scots did wreak some butchery, but mainly on the small infantry vanguard who'd got to the other side – the English 'heavy horse' were never involved. At Falkirk, the Irish didn't side with their fellow Celts (they despised the Scots), and though the battle was indeed won by the English because the Scottish nobility fled the field, Wallace also fled – how else did he survive? The characterisation is extraordinarily weak. Gibson himself, though his performance strikes a convincingly muscular, patriotic note, speaks in modern Glaswegian and sports blue woad and Celtic plaits that predate the Dark Ages never mind the Middle Ages. Sophie Marceau's beautiful French princess is totally one-dimensional as an abused innocent (in truth she was a scheming harpy, who later connived in the savage murder of her own husband and then an attempted coup). Patrick McGoohan (who steals the show for me – at least he gives his character some charisma), concentrates mainly on the stern, unyielding side of Edward Longshanks – we don't learn that he founded Parliament, or revised countless laws for the benefit of the underclass, etc.

It's a big missed opportunity. The same story could still have been told, painting Wallace as a hero, depicting Scotland as an oppressed society, but a bit of balance and political back-story would have made it much more interesting and, dare I say it, more adult.

It sill works, but only the way a pre-1960s cavalry vs Indians western works: as a bit of rousing fun, anachronistic in a more educated age.

For he had only one life to give for Scotland.

[riddler_1138-3 · 19 November 1999]

On my list of the greatest movies of all time, BraveHeart ranks as number 3. It is by far one of the most epic stories ever told. Mel Gibson deserved all the credit he recieved and more. His portrayal of William Wallace, one of Scotlands most mightiest warriors, was spot on. The only part that lacked was the romantic affair of Princess Isabella and Wallace. It historically never happened. This movie also has other historical errors but WHO CARES!

The Battle of Stirling has to be the second most graphic piece of footage ever shot next to Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. I love the part where the English Commander gives the order to charge and Wallace sees this and raises his broadsword into the air and starts yelling. He charges the field with the Scots and I'll let you see the movie to see what happens next.

Wallace's emotional speech at the battle of Stirling still is inspirational and I think that the REAL William Wallace would be proud of the way Mel Gibson portrayed him.

My hat goes off to Mel Gibson. I hope he makes a few more movies like this one.

Out of ten............10/10!

Je-ne-sais-quoi-ly great!

[zwei · 10/10 · 17 November 2004]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to watch Braveheart till 2003 when it was on TV. However, the lack of theatrical effects never stopped me from being mesmerized by this epic for one moment. So mesmerized, I literally sat motionlessly on the couch for two minutes after the movie. Any normal audience would likely to cast his/her sense of reality away and be captivated by this distant Celtic saga.

Beside proving himself as a brilliant director, Mel Gibson more importantly gave life to a historical hero whose superb gallantry, vivid character and magnificent spirit shall never be history. Along with the unforgettable 'Alba gu bragh!' and the unprecedentedly heart-stopping 'Freeeeedom', Braveheart unquestionably is one of the greatest movies ever made.

One of the best modern movies of time

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 10/10 · 21 April 2002]

I'm talking just in the 90's. The 90's were a great time for the movies, we had so many memorable one's and there is no doubt that "Braveheart" is one of them. "Braveheart" is one of my favorite movies that never gets old. Despite it's long running time, I will watch this movie any day.

Mel Gibson has come so far in the movie business and he not only stars but directed Braveheart. He did a terrific job and deserves a lot of credit for this remarkable film. Despite it not being totally accurate with history, anyone can enjoy "Braveheart". Based on the life story of William Wallace, a town peasant who just wants to live in peace and harmony with a wife and children. But when the British king of England, Longshanks, is sick of Scotland "being full of Scots", he comes up with a way of bringing them more into a British land by "breeding them out". Promising any British soldier to a Scotish bride on her wedding night before her husband can have her. Wallace won't hear of it and marries his love in secret. When a British soldier notices his wife and attempts to rape her, Wallace comes in and saves her causing a riot in their village and he thinks he's got her safe when he sends her away from the soldiers, but they catch her and kill her right in front of her family.

Wallace has had it and wants war for not only the murder of his wife and love, he wants freedom for Scotland and will shed blood to do it. "What will you do without freedom?!", this is one of the most memorable speeches of all cinematic history during their first major battle with the British. Through countless battles, friends, traitors, and bloodshed, all Wallace just wishes for is freedom. As Robert the Bruce says to his father "They look at him and fight by his side." He describes Wallace's bravery and what everyone feels in wanting to be him. I love Robert's last line "You have bled with Wallace! Now bleed with me!" and the army stands and continues their struggling battles for freedom! This is such an inspirational movie with a powerful message "Every man dies, but not every man really lives" to a tearful ending that will make anyone shed a tear to a terrific heartfelt sound track, it's no wonder this won best picture with other Oscars. This is a movie, a terrific one that everyone should enjoy and watch.

10/10

A flurry of emotions to move you in every direction (at least once)

[suiko · 10/10 · 13 December 2004]

Unfortunately, I have yet to find a film of quite this caliber again. Braveheart contains elements of Romance (several heart- wrenching and warming instances), Epic/Action (spectacular scenes), Mystery (can take a few viewings to put it all together), History (albeit romanticised) and of course Drama (perfectly unravelled). This level of uncompromised multi-tasking allows the film to move you to laugh and cry, love and hate or even to think and be taught. I'm trying to avoid the clichés of glowing reviews (almost as bad as entirely negative ones) - but this is one of the few movies that I feel deserves one.

The witty banter between friends/foes/lovers/relatives is, in my opinion, flawless and aids the film's claim as a true classic. The soundtrack is similarly top-notch and encapsulates and refracts the patriotic theme during several key moments. The political sub-plot and gorgeous scenery also serve as refreshers during otherwise heavy areas of the story. Perhaps Braveheart's only flaw (but if you share my sentiments it's actually a bonus) is its length so you'll want to prepare a comfy seat and maybe even two pots of tea (complete with cosies!).

I suppose it's also relevant to touch on the historic inaccuracies as I expect this is what people might dislike most about this film. However, "History is written by those who have hanged heroes"; also, the overall sketchiness of such periods coupled with the right of artistic license are enough for me to personally dismiss such thoughts. On that note, I hope you also enjoy what, to me, is the greatest film created (so far).

Brutal, But Epic Masterpiece

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 25 March 2006]

This is an emotional, involving and ultimately draining film. By the time you are done, you are spent.

What makes this movie so intense is the passion of the main character: Scottish rebel leader William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, who put his heart and soul into this performance. Add to that a powerful story, great cinematography, excellent action scenes and even some humor....and you have a classic film.

Patrick McGoohan shines as the evil English king and Sophie Marceau, Agnus McFadyen and Catherine McCormack all contribute. I'm sorry the latter had such a short role as her beauty captivated me very much. All the characters in Wallace's "army" are fun to watch, too.

For those a bit queasy with bloody violence, this is not a movie for you. There are lots of gory action scenes that includes limbs being hacked off. This is not a film for the feint of heart. The only objection I have to the violence is the ending. Seeing a man tortured is not my idea of entertainment. I now fast-forward through that part but otherwise thoroughly enjoy the rest of the three-hour film, an "epic" adventure, if there ever was one.

The most memorable scene in the film, for me, was not any of the action scenes but just the absolutely stunned look on Gibson's face when he discovers his trusted ally was anything but that. To discover that the key people in the country that you are fighting for are not backing you must have been indescribably crushing to, although since this is the movies I don't know how accurate this was to the real story. Whatever the accuracy, it's a great film and belongs in anyone's collection of epic-adventure masterpieces.

The Blu-Ray transfer, by the way, is spectacular.

I'd give it more if i could

[katari24 · 10/10 · 27 December 2020]

I watched it years ago and just now and will definitely watch it again.. I feel like you can't rate it it's just beyond that it's so beautiful and it's epic. One of the best movies ever made. Mel Gibson is a true legend.

The best movie ever made!!!

[jcrap · 10/10 · 11 March 2005]

This is simply the best movie ever made, containing all the elements a perfect movie should, even considering that every person has a right to his/her opinion. The soundtrack is amazing, the scenes are ingenious and the story is simply excellent! This is a story about a Scotsman named William Wallace (Mel Gibson) and his fight for the freedom of the Scottish people, from the oppression of the English ruler-ship. After seeing the death of his wife at the hands of an English nobleman, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) sets out on a quest for vengeance that quickly turns into a crusade for freedom for the entire "country". The extreme violence as well as the human compassion in this movie are overwhelming in its brilliancy.

After Thoughts

[freethinkingworld · 7/10 · 14 December 2022]

So look, I like this movie, I even have nostalgia for this movie......it shouldn't be on the list for greatest movies of all time 😅😅. It's a good, fun film. The effects and battles are fun and exciting. I love reqatching the battle sense. But this movie can be rather dull in some places, and like everyone says, it is historically inaccurate. But! I don't penalize it as much as some people do for being historically inaccurate, I just had to point it out. I find that hardly any movies are accurate to History as it would make a dull film, so I understand where they are coming from. But non the less, fun great film....just overrated a bit.

"Every man dies. Not every man really lives."

[classicsoncall · 10/10 · 13 September 2014]

This movie is almost two decades old now and as is often the case with blockbuster films, I'm just now getting around to seeing it for the first time. My timing is kind of serendipitous too because Scotland will be voting on leaving the UK next week on September 18th, 2014 as I write this. It's pretty much a toss-up on how it goes, though whatever the outcome, the geopolitical consequences will be felt for a long time.

Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner are a couple of names who frequently find themselves involved in controversy for their projects. In recent years, Gibson has been at the center of some embarrassing personal exploits, but there's no denying he's had a major impact on film making with movies like "Braveheart" and "The Passion of the Christ". Both films offer an epic sweep and are cinematically dynamic. The battle scenes in "Braveheart" are among the most expansive and realistic as you'll see anywhere.

But as with most historical films, and I've learned this all too well by now, what you see is not necessarily what the world got at the time. I don't think such departures from accuracy are always meant to be made for the sake of revisionism, nevertheless they detract from a film's educational value. So one's approach to "Braveheart" probably ought to be made from the standpoint of an epic period drama with it's attendant personal stories thrown in as human interest. That's what you have here with this Best Picture winner and the award is well deserved on that score. Personally, I have my doubts whether the Scots ever mooned the British at the Battle of Stirling.

A decent enough film but a historical joke

[GoonerMan · 7/10 · 19 December 2000]

I am a fan of this particularly period in English History and when I initially saw Braveheart I recognised that this whole story is a complete fabrication and bears no resemblance to the truth at all. But I didn't worry too much - surely everyone would recognise that this is just a film? But no - it seems that a lot of people have swallowed this drivel and think that its all true.

This film is not just a little bit inaccurate, its a complete and utter joke historically. Just because Edward I (or Longshanks as the film constantly refers to him) died nearly seven hundred years ago is not an excuse to assassinate his character and to depict him as a coward is a complete disgrace. Edward had another nickname apart from Longshanks - The Lion of Justice - now I doubt he got that from being a tyrant!!!! This film makes the classic mistake of judging historical events and characters by todays standards rather than the context in which they existed. The political and social environment of medieval Europe was a lot different to modern-day USA, and do not be thinking that the Scots themselves were averse to invading weaker countries - they attempted to invade Ireland while Bruce was on the throne under the pretence of 'helping' them (they lost!). Now, I have the utmost respect for Wallace, but to depict him as a moral crusader is way off the mark - he was certainly capable of acts of brutality and barbarism himself. The character of Robert Bruce is equally inaccurate - being depicted as feeling guilty over changing sides when in fact all of his actions were for his own gain - and this is a man who murdered another Scottish claimant to the throne in cold blood - hardly a nice guy!

The storyline and characters in the film are also terribly one-dimensional. Every single Englishman in this film is evil and cowardly - there are no good English people to create a conflict in the English camp that would have made things more interesting. The English, like all European and World powers have been guilty of their fair share of atrocities in the past, none of which I am proud of, but to cast us as complete villains is clearly racism. Also, the plot has far too many holes and the characters do not behave logically - for example a royal French princess (Isabella) falling for a common Scottish peasant (although in reality Wallace was not a peasant and Isabella was only a child when Wallace died anyway and she certainly never met him). Edward also behaves illogically - loosing arrows on his own troops and throwing a young nobleman out of his castle window. The barons in England were immensely powerful at this time, and the king could not just do as he pleased without repercussions. However, perhaps the best joke of all in this film is the suggestion that Wallace was the father of Edward III. Apart from the fact that Edward III apparently looked very similar to Edward I and every bit a Plantagenet, he was born about 7 years after Wallace died anyway. There are enough historical inaccuracies in this film to fill a book.

As a piece of cinema this film is highly entertaining, if a little simplistic in plot. The battle scenes are exciting (although not accurate re-enactments of the battles they represent) and the story interesting enough to keep you watching. So, watch it and enjoy - but please treat it as a work of fiction, as apart from the names of the characters this is clearly what it is. History has always contained more exciting stories than fiction ever could - but the fact that the scriptwriters of this film needed to be so economical with the truth tells its own story - Wallace's life, although historically important, wasn't that interesting at all in reality.

Let he whose country is without sin cast the first stone.

[chris.murray3 · 1/10 · 30 May 2001]

I think that to even things up Hollywood should finance a motion picture in which Sean Connery, playing an Aborigine, leads his people in an uprising against their white Australian oppressors! If nothing else it would give Mel"Patriot" Gibson an overdue taste of his own medicine. Now if you will kindly excuse me, being English, I have some evil to go and do.