An excellent movie, but a bit of a fairy tale

Rating: 7/10 (12 September 1999)

I truly enjoyed this movie, from the direction and realism of the medieval battle scenes, to the cinematography and score. However, for the sake of equal time, please note the following information.
"Edward I might be taken as a pattern of the medieval king. He is remembered on the whole for his achievements rather than by his personality. Tall, strong and handsome in figure, he was magnificently royal in presence, clear and emphatic in speech, forceful and enterprising in action. He was uncertain in temper, but reasonable in council. Above all, he attempted to live by the ideal of Christian knighthood -- devoutly gallant and heroically chivalrous."
I'm not saying the book I culled this information from is any more accurate -- we are talking about events that took place 700 years ago. But don't take this movie to heart as the whole truth. Examples of history vs. Hollywood:
William Wallace was 19 when his father was killed. He had killed English soldiers before his father's death. The French princess first arrived in England years after Wallace died. Edward I lived years after Wallace's death.
My favorite error/omission was that in the movie the Battle of Stirling Bridge was in an open field without a bridge in sight. The bridge was the key element to Wallace's victory.