Blah, blah, blah - I'm bored and etc. Anybody got a car they want washing?
Blah, blah, blah - I'm bored and etc. Anybody got a car they want washing?
Member since:03.10.2000
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I've said it before and I'll say it again: There are some films that you just avoid. For no obvious (or even rational) reason you avoid some films like the plague, there are others that you just don't fancy, and some that you never seem to catch. Braveheart fell into the second category for me. I had no real desire to see it and when the light of my life kept banging on about how fabulous it was it only hardened my resolve (oo-er). She's a tenacious soul though and eventually she wore me down and we ended up throwing the disc in the player and settling down for the evening...
With the wars between Scotland and England at it's height, the evil English King Edward Longshanks tricks the noblemen of Scotland to their deaths, leaving a young William Wallis orphaned. Raised by his uncle, Wallis travels and studies hard before returning to Scotland to find a land under the thumb of the the English King. In an attempt to suppress uprising, Longshanks has handed great swathes of the country to English noblemen and in an attempt to ethnically cleanse the land introduced a law by which noblemen can 'enjoy' a woman on her wedding night (before her
husband). Trying to avoid the law, Wallis and his beloved marry in secret but she is still taken by the local Lord, enraging Wallis and bringing the threat of large scale war back to life. Can a 'savage' scotsman defeat the King of England? This is no average scot and it will prove to be no average war...
The outlook isn't good (which maybe why I avoided it for so long): Mel Gibson not only stars but also directs his first film, it's historical and there were many other similarly set films released at the same time, and it's set in Scotland (I don't have a problem with that but surely the cast's accents would). So why do audiences and critics rate this film so highly? Probably because they've seen it.
A sprawling, epic production this is a superbly well made film that looks and feels magnificent. Long gone are the days when Hollywood clumsily tried to win our emotions and it seems that nowadays there are many films that can manage it. Braveheart is somewhat formulaic in it's setup and ultimately we all know the outcome (historical films are sadly stuck with this problem) (unless it's something like U-571 where history gets re-written by the US), but again, like so many films, it's not the destination that's important but the journey. Yes we know what's going to happen but somehow we still feel the thrill of moment and enjoy it. Although this is a long film (nearly 3 hours tested my ability to sit still I can tell you) it manages to be gripping and exciting for most of the film, and only the end scene appears protracted and draggy. Hardly a problem though, more of a note.
As I said earlier, Gibson not only stars but also directs. Why? Is it a story close to his heart? Does he have a vested interest? Who knows. Who cares. All that's important is the final product and what a final product. Gibson does great justice to the history, the people, and ultimately to the viewer's intelligence. Yes we go down Hollywood boulevard occasionally but as a whole Gibson imbues great dignity into the scots, their ancestry, heritage, and customs. The English come across as malicious, vicious, double crossing heathens and how accurate this is I don't know. An element of pantomime (boo at the bad guys, cheer for the whiter than white good guys) maybe, but not enough to spoil things - look at them as strongly drawn instead. As a first directorship, Gibson does a magnificent job, never trying too much or attempting to redefine the cinema (look at Wiggy Shatner in Star Trek 5). It's a solid film that does what it does (and does it well) and doesn't try to be something that it isn't.
As an actor Gibson is very much seen in the action man Lethal Weapon mould, and like the appraisal of his director's skills, he emerges as far more than we might expect. Throwing his Mad Max and Martin Riggs personna's aside, Gibson does great justice to his Wallace character, coming across as an intelligent but passionate man, totally dedicated to freeing his fellow countrymen. It's a great performance and maybe an Olivier could have done better but in this day and age we shouldn't quibble. McGoohan provides a worthy adversary as Longshanks but you might spend too much time looking forsigns of The Prisoner. Evil and totally cold hearted, it's an unnerving performance that will have you on edge and certainly waving your flag for the Gibson camp. Sophie Marceau (she of future The World Is Not Enough fame) provides the required French accent but doesn't come across as being really strong enough and the lack of strong romance between her and Gibson provides one of the few shocks in the story.
Gruesome in the extreme, this in no way sanitises war and we get blood, decapitation, and gore in all it's glory. Apparantly far more explicit than the versions shown on TV, this reminds us of Gladiator's approach to violence only more so. The squeamish will squirm mightily and this may end up shocking many audiences. Never added for titilation, the violence serves as a reminder of just how brutal these times were.
Obviously not for all ages or indeed tastes, this can appeal to a wide range of viewers: romantics, historians, blood fans. If there's anyone who shared my concerns and avoided it then put your worries to one side and give it a try - you won't be disappointed
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Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
A stupendous historical saga,Braveheartwon five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best ... more
Director for star Mel Gibson. He plays William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish commoner who unites the various clans against a cruel English King, Edward the Longs...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Mel Gibson stars in and directs this sweeping saga about Scotland's brutal battle for ... more
independence in the 13th century. When William Wallace's (MEL GIBSON) wife is ravaged and murdered by English troops, his quest for revenge quickly turns into an impa...
A stupendous historical saga,Braveheartwon five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best ... more
Director for star Mel Gibson. He plays William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish commoner who unites the various clans against a cruel English King, Edward the Longs...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Mel Gibson stars on both sides of the camera playing the lead role plus directing and ... more
producing this brawling richly detailed saga of fierce combat tender love and the will to risk all that's precious: freedom. In an emotionally charged performance ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![Braveheart [1995] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78493099.jpg "Braveheart [1995] [DVD]")
May 31st, 2001
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