nothing special

Rating: 4/10 (7 February 1999)

A vastly overrated picture.
The acting is very plain and uninteresting and the characters are rather superficially developed. Mel Gibson is trying hard to be intense, but without much substance to it.
The movie is full of historical inaccuracies, cliches and
stereotypes. The evil caricature of King Edward as a rabid and cruel monster is particularly unconvincing. The movie somehow never really explains what the freedom for which Wallace is fighting is really about.
Some of the battle scenes are pretty impressive and very well done, though. On the whole, however, a rather boring, plain and uninspiring film, certainly not something I'd want to watch more than once. Also far too violent, especially the torture scene in the end.