Customer Reviews
great... - By: Yavuz Dademir, 05 Dec 2008 
braveheart is certainly one of my favourite films of all time.as an epic it has all of the features that an epic should have.mel gibson is successful both as a director & as the character william wallecein this film.and i think even 50 years from now on this film will be talked of, as we do about the great epic ben hur.
Total Tosh - By: G. R. Donaldson, 28 Nov 2008 
I believe Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders told the story of William Wallace more accurately than antipodean Mel. Also the disembowelling scene at the end!. Only an arrogant Hollwood leading man would think that a mere grimace wasin order before yelling the word "Freedom". Tragic but fun. Cant believe it won Oscars. What were they thinking.
"It's well beyond rage" - By: Mr. A. Whiteside, 04 Nov 2008 This film doesn't pretend to be a history lesson.What it does do is inform people about the Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace & it does itin an excellent way.Many people have been critical about the historical inaccuraciesin this movie but they miss the point.More than anything,'Braveheart' has opened the door for so many people to perhaps learn more about a man they may never have heard of before this film came along.
Mel Gibson deserves enormous credit for both his portrayal & direction.Indeed,the acting is pretty much top notch here & special praise must go to Patrick McGoohan as King Edward 1st.He positively drips evil & dominates every scene he is in.
This is true five star entertainment with fantastic cinematography,true emotionin many scenes & a superb soundtarck from James Horner.If you want a history lesson,you had better watch the History Channel on Sky.If you want rattling good action & an introduction to a special Scottish hero then 'Braveheart' is a must.
Incredibly Moving - By: Marlyly, 14 Sep 2008 
Let's get this straight from the start - I am a very poor historian & know very little about whether the events portrayedin this novel are closer to fact or fiction, except for what I have read from other reviewers who complain about the historical innacuraciesin Braveheart. I guess that is part of why I was so open-minded when I saw this film - I didn't really mind (or should I say notice) any deviances from the reality of what happened, really all I was looking for was a good film to watch with perhaps a little history thrown in, & that's exactly what this film provides.
Following the story of William Wallace who, after his (secret) wife Murron MacClannough is killed by Englishmen who are supposedly keeping 'order'in Scotland, Wallace decides to be the one to stand up & fight against the English for Scottish freedom. It's an incredibly interesting (and moving) story portrayed brilliantly (the film is close to 3 hoursin length but doesn't feel it) with parts that will make you cry, make you laugh, inspire you, & infuriate you with the injustice being shown. Mel Gibson plays Wallace to perfection, infact, the entire cast are faultless - the children at the beginning, Murron, the princes & kings, princess Isabelle - absolutley everyone, including the extras.
The film was madein 1995, but doesn't show it's age at all, infact, it could be showmn as a new filmin cinemas today & nobody would notice. Mel Gibson also did the directing for this film, showing that not only is he an incredibly talented actor, but a brilliant director to. He is a man of many talents!! This is an incredible film that is definately worth a watch. If you're a historian though, just go into it with an open mind. Fantastic stuff.
The Legend Grows... - By: Scottishnutjob, 30 Jul 2008 Gibson surrounds himself with brilliant actors who snatch the scenes off him, while he snatches the entire movie straight back from all of them. Randall Wallace's script is a stand-out as is Angus MacFadyen as the haunted 17th Earl of Bruce & the unforgettable Patrick MacGoohan as Edward, Hammer of the Scots, while the final charge at Bannockburn always sends chills down my spine.
Any time some English person wants to sound off about how unrealistic Braveheart is, I always tell them:
'It is unrealistic - the reality was much worse.'
