Slightly overrated but...

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2004)

The reason I am not in as much awe as others of this movie is that I saw The Patriot (also starring Mel Gibson) and The Last Samurai before I saw Braveheart. The battle scenes in those two later films are clearly influenced by Braveheart so it deserves credit for that. With Gibson making the soon to be released The Passion (which, having conservative Christian sympathies, I am really looking forward to) it is interesting that he cast himself as a Christ like figure. I'm sure most people know this but what is presented here is not entirely factual history but an interpretation of a myth. Nevertheless the movie is well acted, skillfully choreographed, lavishly produced, quite moving, and a nice window into English history of that period. Highly recommended, 8/10.