Very loosely based on the life of one William Wallace (Mel Gibson). I recall I did not want to go and see this film with my fiancée. I just thought it was some long, boring drama even though I like Gibson as an actor, I just could not see how I would be entertained by the movie. Begrudgingly I went, and boy was I glad I did! About 30mins into the film, I was already smiling. The anticipation begins to build minute after minute, and totally washed over me halfway through.

I did not want the movie to end! It was that good. The story of loved ones lost, lives ripped apart and a country at war with itself that must come together to kick some major ass from the ruling king and his army. This is a story, for its cause, that will get any normal human behind it. I wanted to go and kick some ass myself when it was over.

I love this movie. I know the best lines by heart. It never gets old for me either. I watch Braveheart about 3 times throughout the year. That is what the movie does for me as it's written and directed to bring out a feeling of sadness and triumph of the human spirit and endurance. You see & feel this especially in the one scene where Wallace (Gibson) comes 'round the corner, a foggy mist is about the place, he's on horseback...you know what comes next! I won't say anymore. If you have never seen Braveheart or it has been a while since you have, it's time to welcome back an old friend or meet a new one.

It's no wonder that 544-hundred thousand plus people have voted this film top notch on IMDb with an average rating of 8.4/10. The directing and cinematography are superb. Want more proof that this is a great film? How about it winning Five Academy Awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director and was nominated for an additional five awards!

Best film ever made? There are some great films that I would consider for that title, I can never pick one above the other. But Braveheart would be in the top 5 if I ever have to.

Criticism towards the liberties writer Randall Wallace & Gibson took with the story and life of William Wallace and the First War of Scottish Independence did not damper many from seeing the film or its worldwide appeal.

In defending his script against criticism, Randall Wallace has said, "Is Blind Harry true? I don't know. I know that it spoke to my heart and that's what matters to me, that it spoke to my heart."

This film will speak to your heart.

"Every man dies, not every man really lives."

I didn't remember at all I would've been in for such a long ride. It has been a good 20 years since I've last seen it. I was only a mere 13 years old or so by then. My father had this one on dvd and was happy to watch it with me. All I remember from it were the battles, FREEDOM and the face paint.

So I went in rather fresh today and even though it was a long sit, the great battles made me sit through them a bit easier. I really didn't expect to see so much bloodshed. Limbs coming off, people on fire, blood, impalement, full mooning the opposition, the torture scene at the end and I thought his "great speech" would've been much longer.

Anyway, this is far from my favorite stuff from Mel Gibson but Braveheart is not that bad. I really enjoyed it, wish it would've been 30 minutes shorter and I really didn't care for the sub-plot with the princess of Wales. I know it isn't historically accurate but hey, they do address that in the opening which I thought was clever. So I'm not too bothered by that.

I was just out to get some medieval sword play and action and that is what I got. Brendan Gleeson can throw rock ey?

I am afraid that as a Scotsman, I had way more problem with the factual elements of this than perhaps I ought to have had. We have this history drummed into us as bairns, and so when a grand-scale depiction like this comes along, I excitedly expected more. It doesn't matter a jot that the eponymous Mel Gibson isn't a Scot - that is the acting equivalent of a red herring. What matters is that the story is largely a work of fiction. Gory, beautiful, authentic looking, certainly - but fiction nonetheless. Taken on that basis, then, it is still an entertaining mediaeval drama depicting the struggle of the king-less Scots against the oppression of England's King Edward I (Patrick McGoohan). Using a panoply of familiar faces, it gradually demonstrates the brutality of the English over these vassals, and introduces us to "William Wallace" (Gibson) who is one of the few who wishes to fight back. The killing of his wife at the hands of his local magistrate (Malcolm Tierney) is the last straw, and soon he is working with his kinsman Argyle (Brian Cox) to formulate a plan. What now ensues is a well produced, stylishly filmed drama offering us plenty of scheming and plotting and some seriously gory battle scenes before it all culminates in the unavoidable denouement. It takes it's time to get underway, but once it is up and running it is well paced, there is a minimum of romance, plenty of swordplay and lots of unadulterated freedom-fighter jingoism. Why not? It is a film about a man who fought for the freedom of his people against the tyranny of an interloper, and is effective at that. The historical timelines are a bit all over the place, as are many of the characterisations, but again that's another matter of fact that we have had to ditch at the opening titles. "Braveheart" is exciting, fast-moving and bloody - just what it is meant to be, and for that Gibson ought to be commended. Just a shame it couldn't be just bit more rooted in fact.

Historical flaws aside, Braveheart is a rousing spectacle.

So it comes to pass in the year of 1995 (not a year of our lord I think) that Mel Gibson would craft the award winning epic that is Braveheart, a film that is historically bent in the extreme, that is directed by a man who would go on to have a less than favourable character reputation, and a film that has a heavy handed approach at times. It's also as choppy as a boat ride during a tidal wave, so yes, Braveheart is far from flawless folks. Yet the structure, the epic emotional swirls and sheer spectacle of it all marks it out as a rousing treat.

It's a lavish gargantuan epic that somehow seems out of place for the year it was made, perhaps the secret of the films' success is because the 90s were crying out for an epic to get us hankering back to those halcyon days of Spartacus et al. Or just maybe the film punched the buttons of the public psyche because it is a great and grand thing to see the little people rise up and kick some ass? The oppressed and the bullied strike back as it were, surely that theme works for the normal human being? It's a sweeping tale that involves love, loyalty, honour, dishonour, treachery, death & heroes and villains. In short it ticks all the boxes for the genre it sits in (clinical bloody battles superbly full on). Gibson is William Wallace, and although he may struggle to nail the Scottish accent to fully convince at times, he more than makes up for it with his verve and vigour when delivering his lines - with the Sons Of Scotland speech at Stirling a particular iconic highlight.

Patrick McGoohan is pure egotistical villainy as Longshanks, King Edward I, and the supporting cast also do sterling work (or should that be Stirling?). Brendan Gleeson, Tommy Flanagan, Catherine McCormack, Angus Macfadyen, and the wonderful James Cosmo all add flavour to the delightful scotch broth on the screen. The score by James Horner is appropriately tight to the themes at work in the piece, and the cinematography by John Toll was rightly awarded at Oscar time since he captured the essence of the film. Be it the lush rolling hills or the blood stained field in the aftermath of battle, Toll's work is critically in sync with the unfolding mood of the picture.

So yes, damn straight, flaws and all, pic has the ability to lift and inspire many a discerning viewer. It does kick you at times, but as it does so, it also emotionally engages you from start to finish - to which the film deserves every accolade and award that it won. Because the grandiose epic had seemed long gone, but Gibson and his army brought it back to the modern era and made a genre piece fit to hold it's head up high with the greats of years gone by. 10/10

Being Scottish, this movie really does a good job at showing off the scenery in and around Scotland. The story line of this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through the movie. Mel Gibson does a really good job with the accent and plays a great role as William Wallace in the movie.

I cant help by want to stand up and shout FREEDOM! once the movie is finished. Could watched this movie another 1000 times and not get board of watching it. It's a must watch for any one who has not see it yet.