Braveheart

Rating:
Summary: Mel Gibson is no William Wallace
Review: Christ knows how Mel Gibson was able to get away with playing William Wallace, much less garner an Oscar for this movie. Gibson couldn't even hold Wallace's sword. This has to be one of the most ridiculous attempts to take on Scottish history in Hollywood. It made Rob Roy look good by comparison.

The battle scenes look like rugby scrums, with kelt raising reducing them to parodies of the actual battles that took place. If this had been a Monty Python sketch, I would have laughed heartily throughout, but it seems Gibson was dead serious in this bloated revisionist account of Wallace's ascendency to Braveheart.

I can understand how a movie like this would have fooled the general market, but is the Academy really that undiscerning? Do they have to give an Oscar to anyone who tries to make an historical epic? It is a real mystery to me how Mel could have hoodwinked both the general public and the Academy on this one, but then it seems Scottish history is little more than fodder for Hollywood's less than fertile imagination.

Rating:
Summary: Braveheart
Review: Braveheart is an incredible epic drama starring Mel Gibson as William Wallace. The story takes place in the late 13th Century when Wallace, a Scottish commoner, returns to his homeland. In an unlikely turn of events, Wallace unites and leads an untrained army to overthrow the new English King (Edward the Longshanks) in order to restore freedom to Scotland.

Not for the faint-hearted, Braveheart's war sceens are graphic and powerful. However, the bloodshed doesn't overshadow the intense passion that brings this film to life. It is filled to the brim with love, loss, and undying patriotrism.

Winning an amazing five Oscars, Braveheart is a must see.

Rating:
Summary: best movie ever!!!
Review: this movie is the best ever!!!! if i could give it 6 stars i would!!!

Rating:
Summary: Embarrasing
Review: The movie has its moments. Some beautiful photography, impressive sound and sentimentality galore for those in the move. But in truth it is really a very poor film. The plot is obvious. The characters belong in a second rate comic book. The stereotyping borders on the racist. It even makes the remarkable Sophie Marceau boring. Even melodrama should be more engaging.

Rating:
Summary: They can't take our freedom!
Review: In 13th Century Scotland, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) fights for the freedom of Scotland against Edward Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan), the ruler of England. English rule was harsh and unjust over the people of Scotland. William Wallace loses his family as a child because of a put down of a Scotish rebellion and later loses his love to a cruel English Lord. This prompts William to take up a cause for rebellion against England. Pushing Robert the Bruce to take his rightful place as the King of Scotland. Wallace leads many battles with England to try and secure freedom for Scotland.

This movie deserves a 5 star rating for the epic battle scenes. As well as the wonderful acting and cinematography.

Rating:
Summary: "A Timeless Classic to view agian and again"
Review: Braveheart is a story about William Wallace (Mel Gibson) and his fight for freedom and vengeance against the 13th century, bloodthirsty king Edward the Longshanks. After the king of Scotland dies without an heir, Edward the Longshanks, a ruthless king of England takes over the throne and oppresses and brutalizes the Scottish people in every way imaginable, even claiming the right to be the first to have sex with a newly married virgin wife of any Scottish man. When Wallace returns to his homeland after many years, he is dismayed by the treatment of his people. He forms a rag-tag but incredibly courageous army to fight the English and remove them from the country. After winning a few battles, Wallace becomes the symbol of hope for his people.
This movie is filled with nearly every kind of emotion. From the softhearted and romantic love scenes between Wallace and his wife, to the violence of the battle scenes, to the rage you will feel towards Wallace's enemies. It's full of patriotism, betrayal, love, hate, violence, and many others. This movie, though 3 hours long, never has a boring part in it. It's no surprise that it won 5 Oscar Awards including Best Picture, and Best Director for Mel Gibson.
Braveheart is an outstanding movie about actual historical events. However, it is not a movie to sit down and watch with young children. The battle scenes are very graphic and bloody. I would also warn potential viewers to make sure you have the time to view the entire movie before starting it. Make your popcorn, close the shades, and turn off the telephone, because you are in for a ride that you will not want interrupted.

Americans continue to go back to our normal "life as usual" after the 9-11 attacks, the flags have all come down, no more patriotic rallies, no more candle light prayer meetings. Also comes all of the bickering over trivial matters such as having the word "God" on our money or not. Maybe it's time for all of us to watch a movie like this again. Maybe we need to be reminded of the bloodshed and sacrifice that was, and still is made for our own country. In the movie Wallace was willing to risk it all for something he deemed more precious than life. FREEDOM. Americans need to be inspired to do the same and Braveheart is the movie to do it.

Rating:
Summary: There's nothing to say...
Review: about Braveheart, you see this movie and it speaks for it self and it's AWESOME. Nice work Mel.

Rating:
Summary: THE BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME!
Review: Directed and produced by Mel Gibson who's also playing the lead role, this movie not only won 5 Oscars including Best Director-Mel Gibson, and Best Picture 1995, but it is without question one of the greatest and most dramatic movies ever made.
This story takes place in the late 13th century.
William Wallace (Mel Gibson) returns to his native Scotland after living away for many years only to find his beloved land terrorized by a cold-blooded and ruthless king of England known as Edward the Longshanks.
Disturbed by the misery and suffering of his people Wallace rises to oppose the cruel king. After his beautiful wife, whom he secretly married so he wouldn't have to share her with the king is brutally murdered by the English soldiers, Wallace becomes a leader of a rapidly growing group of Scottish men determined to fight the king's army and get their freedom back. "Tell our enemies, that they may take our lives... but they will never take away... our FREEDOM!!!" After winning a number of battles, Wallace quickly becomes a respected warrior, hailed by his people and feared by his enemies. Respected for his undeniable courage, strength and intelligence, he's on a quest for vengeance and freedom.
Braveheart is a heart-breaking story blended with love, hate, courage, betrayal and an incredible patriotism. It is a story that will stay in your heart forever.
"EVERY MAN DIES, NOT EVERY MAN REALLY LIVES."

Rating:
Summary: Very Well Made But Historically Inaccurate Film!
Review: Nominated for ten Academy Awards and winner of 'Oscars' for Makeup, Sound Effects Editing, Cinematography (John Toll), Best Director and Picture, few can argue that this movie was not well made. This film managed to propel Sir William Wallace, the infamous 13th-century Scottish hero through nearly seven centuries via the magic of a Hollywood script that took great liberties with historical fact.

While many praised this movie's epic film making accomplishment, just as many historians decried it's lack of historical accuracy. The film's script, by American screenwriter Randall Wallace (no relation), of William's life, love, and death owes much to Blind Harry, a 15th century minstrel who put his rhymes into writing *150* years after Wallace's execution. Wallace historians and biographers continually dispute part or all of Blind Harry's narrative, but his account of the patriot's life DOES provide the most entertaining version of the tale. Blind Harry also used a heavy hand when sprinkling his tale with bitter sweet passion. His mention of a young maiden named Marion Braidfute of Lamington, who Wallace allegedly courted and wed, provided the inspiration for Murron (Catherine McCormack), Wallace's secret wife in this movie. However, no factual evidence of the marriage survives to corroborate Blind Harry's, and now Hollywood's, tale. On the other hand, Wallace DID murder Sir William Heselrig, English sheriff of Lanmark. Wallace put him to the sword and cut him into pieces in May 1297.

One of the film's most intriguing twists is pure Hollywood invention. A calendar puts the *LIE* to the tale of Wallace's affair with Princess Isabella (Sophie Marceau), wife of Prince Edward II, and the fathering of her child. Isabella and Edward II married in 1307, two years AFTER Wallace's execution. Her son Edward III, was born in the years that followed. Incidentally,Wallace was executed by hanging, drawing and quartering, not by being disemboweled at the gallows as the film suggests. The script was also very unkind to Edward I (Patrick McGoohan) specifically, and to the Normans in general, who no historian will dispute, regardless of tactics, unified a then very culturally diverse England, propelling it into the mainstream of western civilization, and molding it into the great nation it still is to this day.

MANY other inaccuracies appear in this film as well, too many to name here, the most glaring of which had Wallace attired in the more familar Highlander costumes when he was, in fact, a Lowlander. This undeniably well done film is almost as much a fantasy as it is an epic, and because of it's lack of accuracy, will never qualify as a historical epic in the minds of historians or learned others aware of the truth. But admittedly, it is the good-guy, bad-guy scenario that is the proven Hollywood formula for box office success, and that alone is undoubtedly what motivated the screenwriter to pen this script for the majority of the unknowing American public.

The true power of this medium is that it has the ability to EDUCATE as well as to entertain, and it's truly shameful that so many viewers think this movie is an accurate representation of historical fact. It is NOT! See it for the character portrayals, costumes and well orchestrated battle scenes. But remember, the story itself is as much a self-serving, Hollywood-formula fantasy, as it is somehow well done.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best films ever made.
Review: Braveheart is a magnificent historical epic, easily one of the best films of its kind, a rousing period piece that boasts bloody and brutal battle sequences, but also adds an immense amount of depth, passion, and human interest into the wonderful story.

Taking place in Scotland in the 1300's, Braveheart is the story of William Wallace (Mel Gibson), a Scotsman who wishes only for peace after the deaths of his father and brother in a rebellion when he was only a boy. His Uncle Argyle becomes his caretaker, as well as his teacher and mentor.

Wallace eventually returns home to the love of his life, Murron (Catherine McCormack), and marries her in secret, due to the new British law that all newlywed women must be bedded with an English lord. But tragedy ensues, when Murron is killed for assaulting a British officer trying to rape her.

With vengeance and passion for freedom from tyranny in his heart, Wallace stages a rebellion against Edward the Longshanks, the King of England. He's aided by the help of old friends, countless villagers and highlanders, and the Princess of France, Isabelle (Sophie Marceau), and romance and strong feelings begin to develop between she and Wallace, who continues to fight for Scotland's freedom.

In only his sophomore effort as director, Mel Gibson weaves together a fantastic film, one that is complete in every and works on every level. The movie is most famous for its bloody battle sequences, which are indeed brutal and perhaps the best of its kind ever filmed. Despite the brutality, the violence is never glorified in any manner. War is truly ugly, and bloodshed is always a result.

Braveheart features a stunning cast, mostly of actors whom are unknown, but are very memorable in their roles. Of course, top acting honors must go to Mel Gibson, whose portrayal of William Wallace is powerful and brilliant (plus, the accent sounds genuine) and the fact that he did not even receive a nomination for his performance goes only further to prove how unfair the Academy can be. Patrick Mcgoohan is appropriately cold and callous as the King of England, a character whom we truly grow to fear and despise. Sophie Marceau and Catherine McCormack, two supremely beautiful and talented actresses, are great in their roles as the women in Wallace's life. Though McCormack has only a half-hour or so of screen time, her character remains long within you.

On the technical side, everything is marvelously executed. The cinematography is lush and beautiful, the sets are very convincing, and the musical score from James Horner is perhaps his best ever, a real compliment, considering the fact he also scored Titanic and Glory.

At 177 minutes, Braveheart's pace never lags for one moment, as it always mesmerizes and compels you. Credit this to the work of so many people (most particularly Gibson), who have put together a cinematic masterpiece. This is one motion picture experience that is a must for any moviegoer.