better than any history lesson !!

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2016)

They say one picture is worth a thousand words? Well, here, a million words still wouldn't cover the reality that the cast and crew have put on the screen.
When I first saw it a couple of years ago I only gave it a 9, coz I thought Gibson looked a bit too old, but now, I can ignore the tram-lines on the forehead and just appreciate the excellent performance he gives. And, the interesting commentary he adds to the DVD, - explaining the "mechanical" horse scenes! and talking about the Murron (Catherine McCormack) "audition". (I wish that had been videoed, and released!)
Of course, I didn't know or care about 13th century history, but here it is, in full colour, and full emotion. With, as Gibson explains, added little bits of drama and humour just to relieve the awfulness of the reality of hand-to-hand combat that was so dramatically displayed.
Some people say it is not historically accurate? 'doesn't matter in my view, it is plausible. (except for the final hung/drawn/quartered scenes? that is simply not survivable, but Gibson does explain that what really happened was even worse.
I was so impressed with so many of the support cast. McCormack as Murron, so sad, yet that is most of the plot, that Wallace was so passionate that he got his revenge, quickly getting support from neighbouring clans, glens and towns. Patrick McGoohan as the horrible King Edward, Sophie Marceau, Jeanne Marine, Tommy Flanagan (with the Glascow 'smile'!) and his bride Julie Austin too, although only very briefly on screen, such a good piece of writing, direction and acting.
England and Scotland, at that time, and for some centuries after, was an awful place to be, full of scheming nobles, treachery, cruelty, civil war - yet somehow, evolution seems to have softened the hard hearts of men?
Braveheart is very close to being my 'best ever' movie, so it's a 10 now.