Hoots Toots Och Aye Da Nooo!!!

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2005)

William Wallace was a hero, whose story lapsed into obscurity for the more famous Robert the Bruce (who liberated Scotland from the English). Because of the lack of historical detail this story is obviously going to a fabrication. A broad, romanticized story of an individual leading many to fight for freedom.
Well directed by Mel Gibson, with perhaps too much time spent on the battle scenes (which were not very accurate and never really explained the truth about how the Scottish beat the English....basically it was about using methods from Roman times that were effective but had fallen into disuse in an era when war was about making sure only the peasants died and the Noble's wore so much armour they couldn't fight properly, but they wouldn't get hurt either).
Instead of worrying about facts, Wallace becomes the idea of freedom and this what makes the movie brilliant. Along with the drama, romance, humour, fun fight scenes and dark violence the movie is above average.
However it stumbles in a number of places, making it less than perfect, but not so that it matters unless you want to watch it often.