An Inspiring and Exciting (If Historically Inaccurate) Epic

Rating: 9/10 (6 December 2014)

At the sixty-eighth annual academy awards, Mel Gibson's Braveheart won five awards, including best film, and it deserved every one of them. With epic battle sequences, rousing speeches, remarkable performances by some of Hollywood's best actors, and its inspiring tale of man's quest to liberate his homeland from tyranny, Braveheart is as great a film as has ever been made.
Following the (mostly) true story of Scottish outlaw, hero, and martyr William Wallace, the film takes us from the childhood events that would shape him, through his war against the English, and to his betrayal and execution at the hands of Edward II. In any hands this would be an exciting tale, filled with violence, treachery, and intrigue. And in Gibson's hands, with a script based on the writings of the 15th century poet Blind Harry, this is truly a tale to inspire. It is inspiring because it is the story of a man who wanted only to live and work in peace, but who was willing to take up arms to avenge the woman he loved.
It is inspiring because no matter how high the odds were stacked against him, and no matter what he was offered in return for halting his crusade, he would not give up his struggle to free his beloved Scotland. And it is inspiring because unlike other men, who would have sought to use their military success towards their own rank and status, Wallace fought under the banner of another, Robert the Bruce, even when Robert did not deserve it. For Wallace it was not about power, or wealth, or even his own honor, though this mattered to him greatly. It was about seeing Scotland free and independent under the man who rightfully held claim to the throne.
William Wallace, as depicted here, is one of the greatest heroes in any film, and only Mel Gibson could have done the role justice. Despite the scandals and alcoholism that have plagued him in recent years, there can be little doubt that Gibson was, and is, a great actor. And when this film was made, he was at the very height of his career and acting ability. Earnest and charismatic he brings both the gravity and experience of a veteran actor and the energy and enthusiasm of a younger man. Few actors will ever give a performance as great as the one he gave here, and it was unquestionably the best of his career.
The other cast members also performed excellently. Patrick McGoohan is the very epitome of ruthlessness as Edward the Longshanks. Sophie Marceau likewise performs very well as the noble princess Isabella, whose romance with Wallace, although wildly historically inaccurate does much to give the film an extra emotional pull. Angus Mcfayden is particularly compelling as Robert the Bruce. He is a good man who genuinely wants to do the right thing, but who lacks self confidence and is plagued by evil council. It is with great anticipation that we await the moment he will break free from his fears and doubts and take up the cause.
From a technical and cinematic standpoint, Braveheart is exceptionally well made. No expense has been spared on the sets and costumes, and the film utilizes some of the most beautiful settings in Scotland and Ireland. And the battle scenes are among the greatest ever to be put on film. The scale of the battles is something to behold, with hundreds of fully armed and costumed combatants on both sides. Nor have the filmmakers shied away from the sheer brutality of medieval warfare. Watching the axes and claymores strike their mark, the hard part is believing that people weren't harmed. This violence alone, without the later execution scene, is enough to earn the film a hard R rating, but it is absolutely what's needed.
It may be graphic, it may be suspect in its historical accuracy, and I admit it has cast aside much of the complexity of the real William Wallace for the sake of a more compelling narrative. And of course it's a vanity production on the part of Gibson. But Braveheart is absolutely the kind of rousing epic that audiences crave. It is well acted, well crafted, and contains a compelling story and an uplifting message at its heart. Wallace's cry of "Freedom!" will resound with you long after the film has ended. There is no doubt in my mind that this was the best film of 1995, and it has lost none of its impact since.