The lord is killed and the garrison of soldiers sent back to England. This is a story of power and loss, both politically and socially, and its profoundness is not decreased over the three-hour running time. It is a drama as well as an action movie, for among the weighty scenes between key players are stunningly-choreographed battle sequences. Gibson deserves much praise for his orchestration of such vast numbers of extras, for the chaotic likes of medieval wars are often lost in front of the camera. He keeps the lens out of the mud and, though fine editing, keeps the interest level high.
Actors turn in stunning performances as well.
Gibson, of course, masters the character of Wallace as an intelligent commoner who summons the pride and nationalism of Scotsmen and leads them to victory over the English. His key scene comes midway through the movie when he demonstrates his mastery of Latin and French, a skill theretofore reserved for nobles and princes. All of these efforts are not wasted, and serve to advance the story and the background of other characters in Randall Wallace's skillfully written screenplay.