Braveheart (1995)
Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Brendan Gleeson, Patrick McGoohan
Primary genre: Epic
Secondary genre: Historical
Third genre: Drama
Nominated for: Best director, best film, best make up, best screenplay, best cinematography, best costume design, best film editing, best original dramatic score, best sound, best sound effects editing
Won: Best director, best film, best make up, best cinematography, best sound effects editing
Mel Gibson’s second directional effort was a force to be reckoned with surprising many through its breathtaking scope, poignant storytelling and heroic antics. Taking inspiration from one of Scotland’s greatest folk heroes, “Braveheart” tells the (hyper-dramatized) tale of William Wallace who organized his fellow men to fight against the British rule amidst political (and local) intrigue, doomed romances, betrayals and lots and lots of courage.
“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”
The relatively tame 1990s were not prepared for the Aussie’s vision of medieval Britain. Gone are the days of romanticizing (at least visually) the Dark Ages. Gibson’s camera does not shy away from crooked teeth, gaping wounds, dirt, mud, diseases and other “unpleasantries” which modern audiences are not familiar with. That era was nasty and brutal, a person’s living expectancy around 30 years old and it shows. His Battle of Stirling is a good example of invoking a powerful, honest and visceral impact towards audiences that was missing from Hollywood classics, filled with thousands of extras, hyperviolence, slow motion, and a level of head-crushing and limb-chopping cruelty still able to shock to this day. Highly regarded among the best battles in film history due to its ferocity, suspenseful staging and thunderous sound design, it is proof that Gibson might be a fine actor but also a keen student to channel his (vast) work experience with great directors (Richard Donner, George Miller) in his second directional effort. Not bad for an actor going behind the camera.
Amidst its visual panache courtesy of John Toll’s (“The Thin Red Line” (1998)) mesmerizing cinematography of gorgeous and atmospheric Scottish locations, there is plenty to admire in its straightforward storytelling. Although Randall Wallace’s script has been accused for its Anglophobic eruptions due to its almost caricaturesque depiction of the English nobles, kings and soldiers, its story is highly engaging propelled by a ferocious performance from Mel Gibson; his beautiful blue eyes are enough to justify the onslaught brought upon the English in a three hour running time established by a clear arc.
Gibson directs capably his cast extracting excellent performances mainly from the “towering” Patrick McGoohan (as the film’s chief antagonist, King Edward Longshanks), Brendan Gleeson and David O’Hara despite the script occasionally leaning towards 90s stereotypes of supporting acting (e.g., the crazed Irish, the brute Scottish, the obvious gay man, the conflicted noble). Although this might not seen favourably in our hypersensitive era, the performances are nonetheless entertaining in the grand scheme of things, a reflection of the writing at the time which did not offer much meat for this type of roles. The female characters though fare less well; the gorgeous Sophie Marceau is reduced to a vessel of mourning or sad looking wife between battles and political shenanigans offering nothing insightful from France’s part while Catherine McCormack’s quiet and limited screentime serves as the sole catalyst for Wallace to explode.
If you lean back though, it is certain “Braveheart” will plenty entertainment on a grand scale for which Hollywood used to be famous for. Whether it is its sweeping scope, excellent production and costume design, the highly emotional score by James Horner (one of the best soundtracks of all time) or the memorable lines and powerful speeches, Gibson’s monumental historical drama still gets a hold of people’s hearts. Expertly edited and put together, it never feels boring and its long hour running time passes by effortlessly due to sequences and segments that never outstay their welcome with an organised display of a chess board’s pawns.
It is not hard to understand why “Braveheart” was such a massive (and unexpected) Oscar winning success remaining beloved almost three decades later. Despite the large amount of liberties being taken with the original story, they makes sense in order to create a more cinematic and cathartic take on Wallace heroic and arguably tragic journey. So check your historical expertise at the door and enjoy this epic movie. It deserves it.
“Freedom!”
+Stunning cinematography
+Likeable, and compelling hero
+Hyperviolent and realistic
+Epic filmmaking at its finest
+Fantastic soundtrack
+Emotional and intellectually engaging
-Underdeveloped female characters
-English caricatures