Rating: 
Summary: Find the Cost of Freedom
Review: Mel Gibson plays the part of William Wallace, a Scotsman who lived in the late 13th and early 14th century. As a youngster he becomes an orphan after his father is murdered by the English. His uncle takes him in and away to be educated and taught the skills he will need when he reaches manhood. He returns to his home and wants to live a peaceful life but once again is terrorized by the English. He marries but his wife is murdered by the English, who control Scotland and can force their will upon her. Wallace is now filled with rage, kills the men responsible for murdering his beloved and recruits many other Scotsman in an effort to free themselves of the English. Edward I (Longshanks, played by Patrick McGoohan) is determined to squash this uprising. Many intense battle scenes and riveting drama. Wallace is driven by rage and rightfully so, his Scottish countrymen rally behind him. A man of courage and determination to free Scotland of their English oppressors.
Rating: 
Summary: Lethal History
Review: A vanity production if there ever was one, Mel Gibson's 1995 "Braveheart" is not so much a movie as it is a video game of medieval mayhem. As the 13th Century Scottish rebel Sir William Wallace, Mel makes love to beautiful women, fights gruesome battles, and barks speeches filled with repetitions of those democratic catchwords "country" and "freedom". Aware that the average 14-year old's eyes glaze at the mere mention of the 13th Century, the screenplay by Randall Wallace skims over the English domination of Scotland, quickly resorting to standard blood and guts, while the conflict between the clans and William Wallace's uneasy allegiance are too sketchy to be enlightening. Edward I of England, called Longshanks,is the movie's villain; and he's represented as a sadistic psychopath. In "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" Winston S Churchill says that Edward I "presents us with qualities which are a mixture of the administrative capacity of Henry II and the personal prowess and magnanimity of Coeur de Lion." Granted, Churchill was somewhat partial to royalty, but another source says Edward I was "at heart a good and honest man." In a hagiography like "Braveheart" the opposition must look as bad as possible if the hero's murders and arson are going to be represented as sympathetic, so Longshanks gets the shaft. (Shakespeare had to dramatize Richard III as a ruthless child-killer to make justifiable the usurpation of Henry VII, who was the grandfather of Shakespeare's sovereign.) As a director, Mel Gibson is no Eisenstein. As an actor, he woodenly plays Wallace as a peace-loving man who just wants to tend his farm and raise a family. When Edward establishes droit de seigneur in Scotland, Wallace marries in secret, but even then his wife is assaulted by English soldiers. In defending her honor, Wallace starts the rebellion almost by accident; and he soon becomes the hero of the Scottish cause, his followers (in a ludicrously anachronistic touch) chanting "Wah-les! Wah-les! Wah-les!" Little is known of the real William Wallace, the nearest thing to a biography being a poem that may or may not have been written by a bard named Henry the Minstrel about 180 years after Wallace's death. There is no mention of this poem in the movie's credits. Whether or not Wallace was multilingual is anyone's guess, but it's extremely unlikely he had an affair with the future Queen of England, a subplot thrown in to gratify the Harlequin Romance element in the audience. Isabella is depicted here as a yearning soul, but she's known to history as the "she-wolf" because of her cold-blooded betrayal of her husband Edward II. I know a lot of reviewers have said "Lighten up, it's only a movie", and I would agree if "Braveheart" were not so solemn and sententious. Bending facts is one thing (Sir Walter Scott did it all the time), but then to plaster these distortions across the screen in pseudo-historic splendor is a little dishonest. Now I see that Mel's coming out with a film based on the Passion. God help us.
Rating:
Summary: TRULY MAGNIFICENT!!!
Review: I recommend that everybody watch this movie. It is truly an epic and worthy of every award it received and probably more. I will not wax lengthy, as other reviewers have quite ably reviewed the film. But I will say this ... I first saw it on TV, bought it on VHS, and upgraded to DVD without hesitation as soon as it became available. That ought to tell you something.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Ever
Review: This movie is one of the best I have ever seen; it is truly a fantastic story. The setting, the characters, the battle scenes, the dialog, the passionate love he displays for his life-long soulmate are just a few things that make this movie great. I love William Wallace's character for his indomitable spirit and remarkable quest for justice and freedom.Other reviewers have complained of historical innaccuracies, but I feel that they're missing the point. History is not to be learned from Hollywood depictions. Every discerning person should know that by now, and as such, should expect Hollywood to distort truths for a more entertaining story. Thus, that is the point; it's a story with an excellent message. It's a remarkable, memorable, commendable and very moving story that you will not forget. This is a movie that both men and women will enjoy. It will move you in a way that few movies can. Everytime I see this movie, I cannot stop myself from choking up with a tear or two; and that's saying something for me...I never cry from seeing movies (except this one and "Rudy"). This movie is a "must see."
Rating:
Summary: Braveheart
Review: Braveheart not only stars Mel Gibson, but he directs this movie as well. His leading lady in this movie is Sophie Marceau who is splendid as the future Queen of Englang. After a long run at the theators Braveheart was released on V.H.S on May 21, 2002. Braveheart was released by Paramount Studio, and is closed-captioned for the hearing impared.
Braveheart is a movie about a common man who leads his fellow man to freedom and a chance of a better life. Wallas saw his Father killed before his verry eyes, and was raised by an uncle who tought him to read,write and fight better by hand and with a sword then any man around. Wallas did not truly become blood thuristy untill his wife was killed for not giving herself to one of the nobels. Then the battels truly became brutal and bloody with many deaths on both sides. The Crown of England may have might on it's side, but Wallas and his country men have justice on theirs. Braveheart will have you cheering,crying,laughing out loud ,and mad as hell. truly if you have not seen Braveheart you must.
Rating:
Summary: Tears you up emotionally
Review: An amazing, beautiful, chilling, exciting, sad, romantic, and even funny movie. Really not one actor or actress in this that I could bash except for maybe the prince's gay boyfriend. Really I love so much of the characters in this. The music is great as well. And I'm sorry their could not be a better story line. Not historically accurate? Who cares? Did it claim to be? Was this a documentary on the history channel? I think not! Mel Gibson's performance is amazing in this and I love the brief romance between him and the girlwhose name I would try spelling but I have no idea how to. The scenery alone is just breathtaking. I could watch clips from this movie while listening to its soundtrack all day long at least once in a year. Really every actor puts in a great performance, but my two favorite characters are the irish man Stephen and william wallace's best friends dad. The battles in this are great. Even though they are gory it isn't abused like some movies. The plot is great and everything really is great. I'd comment more on the movie but I hate giving things away.
Rating:
Summary: Braveheart
Review: Reviewed Date: November 2003
Studio: Paramount Studio
Genre: Epic
Exposure: Color
Running Time: 177 minutes
Rating: R
Release Year: 1995
Directed By: Mel Gibson Starring: Mel Gibson and Sophie Marceau. Within the movie Braveheart there is a story of heartache, love, destruction, and war. The movie is taking you back into time to the 13th century in Scotland. Mel Gibson plays William Wallace. Wallace finds love more then once in the movie. The movie has a lot of blood shed with the wars that are fought. Wallace is portrayed as a mad man in some parts of the film. He was drove to madness with the lose of loved ones. Wallace is a very intelligent man with a wisdom the enemies could never compete with. This is a very excellent movie. If you can withstand the dramatic portion of the movie that includes the bloody scenes. Mel Gibson did not only star in the movie he also, directed the movie.
I give Braveheart a 5 star rating, because it is a well put together movie with a love story with in itself.
Rating:
Summary: Braveheart warms your heart
Review: 1995 Academy Award winner
Rated R
Color with a running time of approx. 3hrs
Mel Gibson was the director and played the lead role with Sophie Marceau as his supporting actress. Mel Gibson portrays William Wallace in this historic tale of Scotland's greatest hero. No one knew of this great hero until Mel Gibson brought his story to life. Wallace believed in freedom and fought for it, not only for his self but also for his country. This historical epic shares with the viewers the good/bad and dark/light during the era of Wallace's time. It enlightens us to what the people did to survive and provide for their families. Gibson made a remarkable movie of Wallace's triumphs and controversies. Braveheart is an excellent movie that will warm your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Film......Beautiful DVD
Review: This review refers to the Paramount Widescreen Collection DVD of "Braveheart"..... Before 1995, I like many others, had not known much about William Wallace, or the very important part he played in European history. Now thanks to Mel Gibson's epic and realistic film of this 13th century Scottish hero, there are not too many of us who don't know his story. The film, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture(among many other awards)depicts Wallace's love and passion for his country, his freedom,his people, and Murron, the woman who's love he would carry with him long after her death, and who made his heart brave.From the touching romance to the bloody battle scenes, the film is filled with intense and stirring moments, and one that will inspire any one to dig down deep inside to stand up for what is right. There are many wonderful reviews here, delving into the storyline of "Braveheart", so I would like to talk about this fabulous DVD. If you do not own a DVD player and are looking for a reason to finally own one, this is the DVD that will get you hooked and you will never look back! I've watched "Braveheart" dozens of times on VHS(and always thought it looked pretty good), but after finally getting a view of the DVD, I felt like I was watching it for the first time. The wonderful cinematography by John Toll is magnificent. The gorgeous scenery and colors come alive. The costumes had details I never noticed before. A little sparkling jewel on the gown of the princess,the make up, even the rain looked so much more vivid.The presentation in widescreen lets you take in every detail of the battles and the castle.You have the choice of Dolby Dig 5.1 Surround or Stereo surround(choose in the set up)and is outstanding.All the sounds of the 13th century and the moving score by James Horner come through beautifully.The film may be viewed in French(stereo) and has captions in English for those who may need them. Special features include commentary by Mel Gibson, theatrical trailers, and a 30 minute featurette "A Filmaker's Passion: The Making of Braveheart", which is entertaining as well as informative.It's a great look at the history of the story, the technical aspects that went into the film and Gibson's own passion for it.(On the lighter side,look for Mel reading a beginners guide to making an epic film). At nearly three hours,I never want it to end. A wonderful love story, an epic adventure,and a piece of history on a great DVD. Enjoy....Laurie
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time top 10
Review: This film never ceases to amaze me and I have seen it over 20 times now. The story of William Wallace is an amazing one.
His character in this movie is inspiring. You watch the film with your heart in your throat. Some people complain it may not be historically accurate. Definitely many of the films scenes are indeed a record of history. Others are perhaps a guess at what happened. Either way, the story laid down in the film is worth seeing. If William Wallace wasn't all this movie says he is, then the ficitional character is still worth watching--for all that can be learned from him. And besides, William himself said, "History is written by the men who hang heroes."
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