Great epic film!

Rating: 10/10 (17 August 2005)

Mel Gibson shows his true talents in 1995's "Braveheart." He acts, produces, and directs.
"Braveheart" tells the tale of Scottish hero, William Wallace, who led his people in a revolt against England in the 13th century. He wins many battles, wins enemies and alleys, and is feared and revered. Until his capture and execution. Wallace remains as Scotland's national hero and this film glorifies him as well as the human concepts of freedom and liberty.
Little is known about William Wallace. The major source of this film was Blind Harry's poem, which is debated for historical accuracy. Well, this film is a Hollywood film, and as we all know, Hollywood cares little about history. Inaccuries are many, including the first battle being fought on Sterling ground whereas sources say it was fought on a bridge and the use of kilts for men (the clothing didn't exist at the time). But the most inaccurate is the romance between Wallace and the French-born princess of England, who was a little girl at that time.
Historical inaccuracies aside, this a great action-packed film that can be enjoyed by anyone old enough to swallow it. It's a raw film, featuring tons of violence, ranging from really bloody battles, as so on and so forth (this was, after all, a violent time). Gibson, known for violence issues, such as in "Lethal Weapon," portrays the battles realistically with no remorse. He brings us to the reality of that harsh time. He manages to make the battles very violent yet emotional. Viewers can feel as if they're not watching a re-enactment of the battle but in the actual battleground itself.
"Braveheart" is a beauty to watch. Other than providing lost of gut-wrenching action, it also has some lovely cinematography. Filmed in Ireland (though not in Scotland, where it takes place in), it offers lots of gorgeous scenery thanks to cinematographer John Toll. There's also great music from James Horner, who uses the most of Scotland's instruments, including bagpipes and flutes. The music is emotional and the mood is perfect. The script fares well under the writing of screen writer Randall Wallace. Although having no relation to the film's protagonist, Randall Wallace shares the same last name with William Wallance and this coincidence inspired him to write the script. Under his storytelling skills, the script tells the story of the struggle to win freedom from a tyrannical power.
The direction is great. Mel Gibson not only is a good actor but talented producer and director as well. This film was not Gibson's directional debut, however, since his first directing experience was during "The Man Without a Face," but he is talented, nevertheless, and his skills are even featured on his third directional attempt, "The Passion of the Christ." The directing makes this films good. In this film, Gibson, as the protagonist, battles the English, an attempt later repeated in "The Patriot." Of course, no film would be good with its cast of characters and the talented actors and actresses to portray them. Mel Gibson stars as Wallance, alongside Patrick McGoohan as a great antagonist Edward I "Longshanks" of England, Catherine McCormick as Wallace's tragic bride, Sophie Marceau as the French-born English princess, Brian Cox as Wallace's uncle, Brendan Gleesan as Wallace's childhood friend, as the list goes on.
Released in 1995, "Braveheart" has gone to win 5 Oscars even Best Picture. It revived the epic film genre that was later done in 2000's Gladiator. Today, this film is remembered as an great epic tale of the strong will of an oppressed people to win a deserved freedom from a tyrannical power.