An Incredible Second Directorial Effort From Gibson

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2017)

Continuing my plan to watch every Mel Gibson movie in order, I come to Braveheart (1995)
Plot In A Paragraph: William Wallace (Gibson) begins a revolt against King Edward I of England, after his wife is executed for assaulting an English Soldier who tried to tape her.
I love this movie, it takes a while to get going, we don't see Gibson for over 20 minutes as the movie takes its time showing his early years. But once it gets going it's a sweeping, gripping epic movie.
Brilliantly acted, as well as directed, One of the best compliment I can pay this movie is it doesn't look like a Hollywood movie, it's locations for example, look green, but very muddy and very wet!! There is so much in this movie that is deserving of praise, but it's the battle scenes that stand out in this movie!! Once they start, they are often violent, bloody and very graphic!! But it never feels like shock gore (as so common now a days) it feels appropriate and it makes the world feel real.
It's even more impressive when you consider this was only Gibson's second movie as director!! It's interesting to note Gibson didn't actually want the role of William Wallace, as he felt he was too old, however Paramount would only finance the movie (With a $53 million budget) if he would star in it.
If there is a criticism of this film it is how it handles the love affair between Wallace and Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau), at 3 hours long, the movie didn't need to be any longer, but they meet, they're in love, she's pregnant, she's gone. It's all so rushed and it takes a little away from it all.
Braveheart didn't do as well as I thought, at the domestic box office, grossing $75 million to end the year the 18th highest grossing movie of 1995. I thought for certain this would have topped $100 million domestically!! But as I scrolled down the list, looking for where it ended amongst the years top grossing movies I was very surprised to see it so low, as I thought it would be amongst his top grossers.
I'm sure the lack of box office returns was made up by the fact that Gibson won two Oscars, one for best director and the other for best movie for Braveheart.