Over-rated, over-long, over-sentimental, historically inaccurate

Rating: 3/10 (17 September 2008)

This is not all bad, but it's definitely not all good either... and I am simply amazed that this tripe won an Oscar.
It's overlong, over-sentimental and (I gather) historically inaccurate. I'm not sure that this matters although it's a fine line with these historical dramas - I'd like to think that they are based on the facts and I can learn a bit about the world...
The battle scenes are certainly impressive, but gory and indulgent. The love interest with the princess is just laughable, and Mel's acting just didn't work for me - with his piercing blue eyes and haughty carriage, I felt at times (especially when he rides on horseback with his arms spread in a show of submission) as if he was imagining himself as a messianic figure - but with a false humility, a fake messiah.
I did come away wanting to know the real history, but I also came away feeling unfulfilled, that I had been fed a load of er manure, shall we say.