Not a must-see, but certainly an impressive cinematic work.

Rating: 7/10 (9 May 2015)

I am not denying the quality of this film when I say that it is a slightly overrated movie. I know that since I viewed it during it's twentieth anniversary year, I probably don't fully appreciate it. It's still a good movie two decades later, but I just think that calling it the seventieth best movie ever is a bit of a stretch. It perfectly fits the epic genre, but has a very Prince of Thieves feel to it.
The story is both character and plot driven. The characters that advance the story the most are Longshanks, Robert the Bruce, and of course William Wallace. Though his character is less prominent, Longshanks provides most of the plot twists in his attempts to stop Wallace. Most of the storyline consists of moving from one battle to another with some form of complication regarding the nobles or Longshanks arising between skirmishes. It can get a little complicated, but you can follow the plot without having to concentrate too much since there aren't too many characters to keep track of. There is a minor internal line with Wallace avenging his dead wife, but it doesn't have any real progression, though it is addressed a number of times.
I didn't feel like the characters were written with anything award winning, but I'd say they're all above average. Wallace fits the Scottish bill of being very strong-willed, but with an emotional side. He has a few inspiring speeches and lines, which is part of what makes this movie as renowned as it is. That said, his character isn't the deepest protagonist that we can all really relate to, though we can certainly sympathize with his various plights. Murron is well developed considering her limited screen time. Longshanks is a pretty good villain with a prototypical tyrant personality and arc since he has a downfall of sorts. Robert the Bruce has a pretty good arc in turning away from the wishes of his father to follow Wallace's guidance and his own conscience. He has a very evident and strong progression in rejecting the standard that his fellow nobles have set for him. I wasn't thrilled with the incorporation of Princess Isabella, especially since she historically never met Wallace according to the FAQ page. I think she could have been left out and let Wallace mourn over Murron's death like in Bourne Supremacy, which I guess he does a little. The other minor characters like Edward Longshanks II, the Irish guy Stephen, Hamish, Prince Edward, Robert's father, and the nobles are written with fair proficiency, but I've certainly seen better.
The action sequences come mostly in large scale battles. The sequences aren't too long, but there is a lot packed into them. There is a pretty good amount of blood, but it's not presented in too graphic a fashion. Apart from the big battles, there are a couple of smaller skirmishes in military outposts and villages, but no duels or other high-octane confrontations.
The technical execution seems pretty good for the time, but I know I can't really gage that properly twenty years out of context. The sound mixing and editing was satisfactory for the most part, and exceptional in a couple of places. The high-pitched Scottish bagpipes didn't make for James Horner's most impressive score, but it wasn't bad all in all. There were a couple of sequences that could have been shortened, like the one where Wallace re- enters his village to avenge Murron. I understand that it was a very pivotal moment, but there still could have been a good twenty seconds of slow-mo shaved off.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes action but doesn't mind a good story to go with it, and anyone who likes a good story but doesn't mind some blood and battles on the side. The elephant in the room is that the film is almost three hours long, so just be conscious of that when you decide when you want your rental period to start. I haven't seen enough Mel Gibson movies to know whether this Gibson fans will enjoy Braveheart, but since it's regarded as his crowning achievement it's probably a safe pick for all Gibson fans. So set aside a school break or long weekend to watch it through if you're okay with the genre and subject matter. I sometimes recommend a twenty to thirty minute trial period, but this is more of an all or nothing kind of movie. Overall Rating: 8.2/10.