Featured Audience Ratings

• c0up  

  
  'Braveheart'. A most brutal underdog recollection. Kudos to Gibson for some fine acting, and direction during the numerous, bloody action sequences.

• Alexander D

  
  Mel Gibson seems to work best when in the realm of historical epics. If you need proof of this, seek out his leading role in 2000?s THE PATRIOT, set during the American Revolution, or his grossly underrated 2004 project THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, chronicling the last twelve hours of… More
  Mel Gibson seems to work best when in the realm of historical epics. If you need proof of this, seek out his leading role in 2000?s THE PATRIOT, set during the American Revolution, or his grossly underrated 2004 project THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, chronicling the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ. He only acted in the former instance, and he produced, wrote, and directed the latter, which proves that as long as he has some involvement with such films, he performs quite well. Gibson combines his quality effort of producing, directing, and acting for BRAVEHEART, the film that ran home triumphantly carrying the 1995 Academy Award for Best Picture. His performance as William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish commoner who dedicated his life to overthrowing English rule, is absolutely stellar. Everything from his flawless accent to his overt display of courage, makes him disappear as an actor and rather transform into his character. READ MORE ABOUT THIS BRAVE GIBSON MOVIE: http://themoviefreakblog.com/2012/05/06/review-braveheart/

• Jason S

  
  long

• Joshua W

  
  Now there's no doubt this is one of the highest points in Mel Gibson's carrer. This epic is one of the best films to happen to Scotland sence Trainspotting (But in a completely different way). It has a great flow of story which is a good change from other epics where plot… More
  Now there's no doubt this is one of the highest points in Mel Gibson's carrer. This epic is one of the best films to happen to Scotland sence Trainspotting (But in a completely different way). It has a great flow of story which is a good change from other epics where plot would happen in the begining and then just be 2 and half hours of blood and gore. Now this film has blood and gore... alot of it, but the story progresses through the entire film. This film also has one of the most insperational speeches in cinamatic history. It's not a perfect film but it's not half bad :)

• Mike S

  
  Mel Gibson's monumental masterpiece, of which he is both the leading star and the director, is a sweeping and majestic ode to one of history's most beloved heroes, William Wallace. Each and every scene a pure cinematic delight, this is a motion picture for the ages, that… More
  Mel Gibson's monumental masterpiece, of which he is both the leading star and the director, is a sweeping and majestic ode to one of history's most beloved heroes, William Wallace. Each and every scene a pure cinematic delight, this is a motion picture for the ages, that just gets better and more dazzling with time. Breathtaking scenery, sensational, Oscar-winning action scenes and one of the most beautifully orchestrated music scores ever produced, merits this grand and stunning epic a very special place in my movie-loving heart. Say what you will about Mel Gibson's sanity and the historical accuracy of the film. For at the end of the day, he knows how to make quality that counts.

• Raymond W

  
  No doubt an epic film, Braveheart is unnecessarily violent and long and historically incorrect. Nevertheless, Mel Gibson is riveting as William Wallace, the medieval Scottish patriot, the action and drama and romance have a decent balance, and the cinematography is absolutely… More
  No doubt an epic film, Braveheart is unnecessarily violent and long and historically incorrect. Nevertheless, Mel Gibson is riveting as William Wallace, the medieval Scottish patriot, the action and drama and romance have a decent balance, and the cinematography is absolutely phenomenal.

• Eric A

  
  Just watched this movie yesterday.....WOW I was missing out for YEARS. This is exactly my type of movie: medieval, thriller, adventure, bloody, great story......the list goes on. Inspiring to say the least, as Mel Gibson delivers an amazing performance, EPIC.

• Phil H

  
  Although rather historically inaccurate and biased against the English, this is an awesome medival romp with plenty of bloody action displayed in golden war sequences. The look and feel of the whole flick is perfect and very accurate to look at whilst the whole cast looks like they… More
  Although rather historically inaccurate and biased against the English, this is an awesome medival romp with plenty of bloody action displayed in golden war sequences. The look and feel of the whole flick is perfect and very accurate to look at whilst the whole cast looks like they have been plucked right from the chronicles of history hehe excellent costumes all round. Gibson does feel kinda miscast to be honest, he's too much of a 80's action man, too Hollywood, they needed someone alittle less well known and a bit more gruff, but the rest are near perfect especially McGoohan as the English king. The film really hits the spot with the battles, the rest is alittle dull but needed for the emotionally packed story and ending but the battles are some of the most fierce and brutal battles I've seen on film. I think this film started off the tidal wave of historical epics with extremely realistic brutal clashes as it was a real shock when first viewing at the cinema. Truly monumental pitched battles in this film, no mercy haha. Warning, it is very tearful near the finale, very well done, but the adrenaline sure does kick in ;)

• Universal D

  
  Gibson fights the nationalistic English hordes in this big brawling tribute to a Scotland that never was. Better than most medieval fare, there's still not much in the way of acting as there's no parts written that require any. An entertaining time but not meant to be… More
  Gibson fights the nationalistic English hordes in this big brawling tribute to a Scotland that never was. Better than most medieval fare, there's still not much in the way of acting as there's no parts written that require any. An entertaining time but not meant to be taken seriously.

• Jim C

  
  Braveheart deserved the Oscar. The plot never lets down and was great. The action was amzing and had every correct step to it. It was a masterful movie and I will watch it again one of these days.

• Jeff "

  
  Braveheart for me, at least has got to be one of the most epic films that I have seen. The film tells the story of William Wallace a Scottish Patriot who fights against the British during the 13th Century and the height of the rule of Edward Longshanks. Wallace's forces fought… More
  Braveheart for me, at least has got to be one of the most epic films that I have seen. The film tells the story of William Wallace a Scottish Patriot who fights against the British during the 13th Century and the height of the rule of Edward Longshanks. Wallace's forces fought for independence from British rule. There is no denying the scope of this film. Everything about it is grand. The Music and the battles are simply epic. This is by far Mel Gibson's best film since the Mad Max films. What makes Braveheart so interesting is the history behind the man. A common man who fought against all odds to get Scottish independence. Braveheart is a near flawless epic, and of course there are it's shares of inaccuracies, and thats why the film doesn't get a perfect score in my book. The casting decisions are phenomenal, Patrick McGoohan plays Longshanks with the cruel intensity that one could probably have expected from the real life Longshanks. It's hard to imagine a different person in the role. What thing that really stood out for me was the music score composed by James Horner. The music in this film is superb and the Braveheart score is one of my favorite film scores of all time. Braveheart is an action packed drama that combines history and romance in a film thats sure to please the diehard historical buff. As a history nut myself, I love it because it shows a very important side of Scottish history. For those who want to check out Mel Gibson's best directorial effort, here it is. No other film that he made has had the epic quality of Braveheart. A truly terrific film that has remained one of the best film epics since Lawrence Of Arabia.

• Tim S

  
  Just saw this recently again in high definition, and wow, I tend to forget how ferociously entertaining it is. Superb filmmaking on the grandest of scales. Easily one of the top ten epic-based films of all time. An all-encompassing experience.

• Thomas B

  
  Whenever somebody makes an action movie which is pure drivel, loved by fans and makes millions at the box office and somebody tells me that I should see it, I tell them no. And then when the Oscars come around and that movie isn't even nominated, no matter how much this fan may… More
  Whenever somebody makes an action movie which is pure drivel, loved by fans and makes millions at the box office and somebody tells me that I should see it, I tell them no. And then when the Oscars come around and that movie isn't even nominated, no matter how much this fan may have said that it should be, I laugh in their face. And then, when they tell me that action movies don't win Oscars anyway, I refer them to Braveheart. Even though the more pedantic of people would correct me, telling me that it's a drama, there's no denying the action tones; not just the blood and guts but the whole idea of a guy who's pushed to the edge and then shows the audience that he has mad fighting skills. However, this is not truly what the film is about, though this will be the only part that Jason Statham fans will be able to stay awake for because, oh no! here comes intellectual stuff! Braveheart is an in-depth look at William Wallace and the events surrounding him. It is political, moving and powerful as well as all the action bits. Mel Gibson's acting and direction are spot on in every case, giving a wonderfully restrained performance and showing the viewer the toll that the hardships have taken upon him. Even though he goes crazy and kills every one in the beginning of the film, at that time there is no cheering from the audience no awe-inspiring spectacle for the viewer to feast upon. Instead, it is a moving and almost heart-breaking scene for the viewer, as they experience the anguish that Wallace must be going through. In this way Braveheart differs from it's action film cousins, giving its characters actual character, and it is all the better because of it. The film is a very difficult nigh three hours long, but watching it is a gift, as each scene is filled with emotion and sincerity in performance. This film fully deserves the slew of Oscars which it recieved and to this day is regarded as one of the all time great pieces of cinema, and rightly so. Defining Scene: The final cry of "FREEEEEEEEDOOOOOOM!!!!!!!" which will make your hair stand on end, I don't care who you are.

• E.J. B

  
  Director Mel Gibson is not filming history, he's filming myth. The William Wallace portrayed here is the hero that legends are made of. The film is a flawless, and incredibly moving story of love and passion with complex characters and breathtakingly epic fight scenes.… More
  Director Mel Gibson is not filming history, he's filming myth. The William Wallace portrayed here is the hero that legends are made of. The film is a flawless, and incredibly moving story of love and passion with complex characters and breathtakingly epic fight scenes. Braveheart is so enthralling, it has the power to make you forget that you're watching a film, which is exactly what the best movies are supposed to do.

• Michael E

  
  it was a very well thought out film, and the main reason to see this movie is the music and the fight scenes, mainly because the music is all done in bagpipes which is a tribute to Scotland being how the bagpipe was invented there. and the fights are spectacular to look at and very… More
  it was a very well thought out film, and the main reason to see this movie is the music and the fight scenes, mainly because the music is all done in bagpipes which is a tribute to Scotland being how the bagpipe was invented there. and the fights are spectacular to look at and very epic

• Cassandra M

  
  Those who lambast Mel Gibson for his supposedly anti-Jewish sentiments in his recent production "The Passion of the Christ" would do well to remember his anti-English, and indeed anti-gay, portrayals in this otherwise superlative action film. Gibson's epic, bloody… More
  Those who lambast Mel Gibson for his supposedly anti-Jewish sentiments in his recent production "The Passion of the Christ" would do well to remember his anti-English, and indeed anti-gay, portrayals in this otherwise superlative action film. Gibson's epic, bloody romance was never meant to be a factual account of Scottish legend William Wallace, but has stimulated more interest in the real thing than a mere documentary ever could. Set in Britain in the 13th Century the plot, based largely on myth about the Scottish renegade, sees a young William Wallace (James Robinson) witness the brutal murder of his father (Sean Lawlor) at the hands of English occupiers. He is taken under the wing of his wise Uncle Argyle (Brian Cox) and grows up under his guardianship. Wallace (now played by Mel Gibson) returns home an educated man, falls in love with a beautiful local girl Murron (Catherine MacCormack) and marries her. However, when English soldiers rape and murder his wife, Wallace mounts a rebellion, bringing him into conflict with both the English King Edward Longshanks (Patrick MacGoohan) and duplicitious Scottish nobles, led by Robert the Bruce (Angus MacFayden)... The film makes no effort whatsoever in regards to historical accuracy, and the the characters come off (with variable success) as simplistic stereotypes. There is nothing wrong with most of this, but some stereotypes could have been avoided, in particular the portrayal of King Edward's son as a snivelling homosexual fop. By necessity the English are the villains, with the Scots either passionate warriors or double-dealing nobles. Whilst the anti-English sentiment is a touch overdone (a character exclaims "Excellent!" when he's told he'll get to kill the English), it doesn't seriously harm the film. Gibson has thankfully not Americanised his tale by asking American actors to assume fake Scottish brogues. With the exception of Gibson himself, almost everyone's accent here is natural and the film is better for it. Gibson delivers his all as Wallace, managing a passable Scottish accent. His Wallace is a Scottish Mad Max, only savvier, more sentimental and with a powerful patriotic streak. The character, though, lacks the ambiguity to make him a realistic personality. The film sees nothing questionable in Wallace invading England, effectively lowering himself to the level of his former oppressors. As for the supporting players, Patrick MacGoohan quietly evinces menace as the ruthless King, and Sophie Marceau makes the most of her limited role as the Princess of Wales. Angus McFayden gives a sympathetic portrayal of a torn Robert the Bruce, and Brendan Gleeson and David O'Hara provide solid backup as Wallace's trustiest allies. The battle scenes in the film are frenetically staged, with lots of quick editing plus copious amounts of blood and gore. They are well put together, but the endless slicing, dicing and skewering becomes repetitive after a while. Woven into the tale is a gentle Celtic score by James Horner. Whilst it has stirred interest in Scottish interest and heritage (including the life of the real William Wallace), taken on its own terms, "Braveheart" is an enjoyable action film and should not be taken any more seriously than that.

• Richard C

  
  A-

• Mark W

  
  My being Scottish is probably not going to consist of the most accurate of reviews regarding this film but I will be totally straight up and admit that it is historical inaccurate on more than a few occasions. However, there's no denying the spectacle and grand scale of the whole… More
  My being Scottish is probably not going to consist of the most accurate of reviews regarding this film but I will be totally straight up and admit that it is historical inaccurate on more than a few occasions. However, there's no denying the spectacle and grand scale of the whole thing, harking back to epic films of the past that Cecil B. DeMille would have been proud of. It tells the story of 13th century Scottish peasant William Wallace (Mel Gibson) who after the raping and pillaging of his village and the death of his wife by the English army, takes it upon himself to make a stand and fight back. He assembles an army of his own and refuses to succumb to the rule of King Edward the Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan) inciting an uprising amongst the Scottish people against the tyranny and oppression of the English. As mentioned earlier, there are several historical facts altered for dramatic effect but when the real history is looked into, I wonder why it was altered. William Wallace's life and bravery needed no further exaggeration but then again it's Hollywood we have on the battlefield here. Speaking of which, the battle scenes are brutally and violently depicted and expertly shot by Gibson. He takes us straight back to the harsh conditions and environment of the people at this time in history and manages to give depth to the characters involved, regardless of their screen time. McGoohan in particular is absolutley superb as the bitter and determined King Edward and despite a dodgy Scottish accent, Gibson equips himself well as Wallace (so much so, that a carved statue at the "Wallace Monument" in Stirling Scotland, has the features of Mel Gibson). Wonderfully powerful music by James Horner also, not to mention some fine cinematography by John Toll. An epic film that competes on every level with the best of the genre and the only reason I don't give it five stars is incase my judgement has been clouded by Scottish bias.

• Conner R

  
  There is really no debate, this is an incredible movie. I think that it’s almost hard to see this and not be absorbed into the characters and meaning of freedom. For anyone who says it’s a bad movie because it’s historically inaccurate, you should really see more movies because… More
  There is really no debate, this is an incredible movie. I think that it’s almost hard to see this and not be absorbed into the characters and meaning of freedom. For anyone who says it’s a bad movie because it’s historically inaccurate, you should really see more movies because none depict true history. This captures the essence of William Wallace and his mission to free the country he loves. Mel Gibson’s vision is beautiful and flawless in execution. He also portrays William Wallace in a way that brings you to tears by the end of his performance. It’s a movie that not only holds up to it’s reputation, it exceeds it ten fold. I believe that it’s everything the historical epic attempts to be, both emotional and filled with large scale adventure.

• KJ P

  
  An Amazing Film! Could not have been made any better!

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