I would advise taking the film with a grain of salt and just enjoying the rousing adventure.
Now, for those of you who need to know more about the real William Wallace, here are a few selected items from the "Encyclopedia Britannica" that are not mentioned in the movie: "When King Edward returned from France in 1298, he invaded Scotland. On July 22 Wallace's spearmen were defeated by Edward's archers and cavalry in the Battle of Falkirk, Stirling. Although Edward failed to pacify Scotland before returning to England, Wallace's military reputation was ruined. He resigned his guardianship in December and was succeeded by Robert de Bruce (later King Robert I) and Sir John Comyn "the Red." There is some evidence that Wallace then went to France in 1299 and thereafter acted as a solitary guerrilla leader in Scotland; but from the autumn of 1299 nothing is known of his activities for more than four years. Although most of the Scottish nobles submitted to Edward in 1304, the English continued to pursue Wallace. On Aug. 5, 1305, he was arrested near Glasgow and executed as a traitor. In 1306 Bruce raised the rebellion that eventually won independence for Scotland. Many of the stories surrounding Wallace have been traced to a late 15th-century romance ascribed to Henry the Minstrel. The most popular tales are not supported by documentary evidence, but they show Wallace's firm hold on the imagination of his people." Lastly, "Isabella was married to Prince Edward on Jan. 25, 1308," some three years after Wallace's death. Don't believe everything you see in the movies.
Video:
In any case, you may believe in the excellence of the 2.16:1 ratio, widescreen, anamorphic transfer. The picture quality is bright and colorful, realistic in detail, well delineated, with only the slightest touch of shimmering pixels in things like chain mail. It allows one not only to enjoy every picture-postcard locale but every gash, slash, chop, and blood stain in every battle.
Audio:
In addition, believe in the superiority of the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, which is not only robust to match the movie but conveys even little things like a bird flying overhead left to right in the rear speakers, the sound of horses' hooves as a rider approaches from the back, or the delights of James Horner's Scottish-inflected musical score. The sounds are smooth and natural, and in between the audio is dead quiet. Very nice.
Extras:
Supplements are scarce in this otherwise splendid presentation, but the few items we do get are worthwhile. There is Mel Gibson narrating a full-feature commentary. There's a twenty-eight-minute documentary, "The Making of Braveheart: A Filmmaker's Passion," which is well named. There are twenty-two scene selections, probably too few for a film of this length. There are two widescreen theatrical trailers. There are English and French spoken languages. And there are English subtitles for the hearing impaired.
Parting Thoughts:
One of the drawbacks of "Braveheart," like most epics, is its extreme length, nearly three hours. It goes by quickly, yet three hours is still quite a bit of one's time. In a movie theater, as a captive audience, the time may fly by faster, but at home with inevitable interruptions it can easily take up a full afternoon or evening. There was the neighbor and his son borrowing a cup of cooking oil to bake a cake; the lady at the door soliciting donations for the Sierra Club; three phone calls; one snack break; and two bathroom visits. Thank goodness for the pause control. I started around 3 p.m. and finished the film at 7:30. I mention this because you will want to plan your time accordingly.
It isn't easy making epics. Often, the surrounding material can overwhelm the characters. Just ask Kevin Costner, whose "Waterworld" and "Postman" were so bloated with peripheral matter their main characters were hardly noticed. But Gibson manages to keep his epic afloat by solidly grounding Wallace in the viewer's heart and mind. The battle scenes are probably what audiences will recollect most, but Wallace himself comes over almost as strongly as any of the battles. The only substantial equivalent is Kirk Douglas in "Spartacus," another epic where the main character remains firmly rooted in memory despite the spectacle. "Braveheart" is deserving of its popularity, praise, and awards. It makes a worthy addition to one's collection of big, old-fashioned, grand-scale, blockbuster adventures.
Video:
In any case, you may believe in the excellence of the 2.16:1 ratio, widescreen, anamorphic transfer. The picture quality is bright and colorful, realistic in detail, well delineated, with only the slightest touch of shimmering pixels in things like chain mail. It allows one not only to enjoy every picture-postcard locale but every gash, slash, chop, and blood stain in every battle.
Audio:
In addition, believe in the superiority of the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, which is not only robust to match the movie but conveys even little things like a bird flying overhead left to right in the rear speakers, the sound of horses' hooves as a rider approaches from the back, or the delights of James Horner's Scottish-inflected musical score. The sounds are smooth and natural, and in between the audio is dead quiet. Very nice.
Extras:
Supplements are scarce in this otherwise splendid presentation, but the few items we do get are worthwhile. There is Mel Gibson narrating a full-feature commentary. There's a twenty-eight-minute documentary, "The Making of Braveheart: A Filmmaker's Passion," which is well named. There are twenty-two scene selections, probably too few for a film of this length. There are two widescreen theatrical trailers. There are English and French spoken languages. And there are English subtitles for the hearing impaired.
Parting Thoughts:
One of the drawbacks of "Braveheart," like most epics, is its extreme length, nearly three hours. It goes by quickly, yet three hours is still quite a bit of one's time. In a movie theater, as a captive audience, the time may fly by faster, but at home with inevitable interruptions it can easily take up a full afternoon or evening. There was the neighbor and his son borrowing a cup of cooking oil to bake a cake; the lady at the door soliciting donations for the Sierra Club; three phone calls; one snack break; and two bathroom visits. Thank goodness for the pause control. I started around 3 p.m. and finished the film at 7:30. I mention this because you will want to plan your time accordingly.
It isn't easy making epics. Often, the surrounding material can overwhelm the characters. Just ask Kevin Costner, whose "Waterworld" and "Postman" were so bloated with peripheral matter their main characters were hardly noticed. But Gibson manages to keep his epic afloat by solidly grounding Wallace in the viewer's heart and mind. The battle scenes are probably what audiences will recollect most, but Wallace himself comes over almost as strongly as any of the battles. The only substantial equivalent is Kirk Douglas in "Spartacus," another epic where the main character remains firmly rooted in memory despite the spectacle. "Braveheart" is deserving of its popularity, praise, and awards. It makes a worthy addition to one's collection of big, old-fashioned, grand-scale, blockbuster adventures.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]5056[/release]