Pros: Inspirational look at historical figure, Great battle scenes, Well done film for epic genre and tells a good story, Can provide spark for more research on the subject, Memorable characters and some great quotes, a few touches of humor
Cons: Mel seems a bit self-indulgent in places, some gay bashing, Follows Hollywood formula for epics
One of the last things we need is another Braveheart review composed four years after its initial release. But after purchasing the DVD version recently I feel justified in sharing a few observations without saying a great deal about the basic plot that you can read in hundreds of other places. Perhaps it’s my Scots ancestry emerging that draws me to the film since I can’t claim that it’s the most artistic and well acted movie I’ve seen, nor is it the most gripping emotionally. Regardless, I continue to enjoy watching and re-watching it and share much of Mel Gibson’s enthusiasm for his project.
Make no mistake about it; Gibson directed it because he developed a true passion for the subject matter. (He also admits on the DVD that he developed at least an infatuation for the actress he cast as Murron) There was very little historical material published on Scotland’s greatest hero, Sir William Wallace, and Gibson’s film has created more awareness about Wallace than any scholarly study could have done. Indeed, the past few years that I’ve attended the local Highlander games, the Wallace clan has grown in numbers and stature, and all things Braveheart are referenced throughout the events and booths. More scholarship on Wallace has occurred after the film’s release.
I am impressed by the amount of historical research that Gibson and others actually did for the film, and Gibson is well aware that some events have been changed for dramatic purposes. One of the most notable is that Princess Isabelle could never have had a romance with Wallace or even have met up with him, as she would have been a little girl at the time. Gibson also admits readily that he was too old to play Wallace by about 15 years.
The background documentary shows Mel enthusiastically running up and down, organizing the shoots and demonstrates how some of the bloody battle sequences are choreographed and accomplished. There is some sense of realism to these battle scenes because most of the extras are actual military men – a big help in organizing the chaos. They even show how the illusion of spearing the horses in the battle of Stirling was accomplished with three fake horses mixed in with the real ones.
While the background information is good, I was most impressed by Gibson’s enthusiasm for the subject and for learning more about directing. If you do listen to Gibson’s commentary section, you will hear him obsessively discuss the different speeds that he shot certain scenes. Gibson is utterly fascinated by the effects that camera speed has here, especially when shooting more frames per second. This explains why I thought he was so self-indulgent in an early scene after he and Murron have been secretly wed and are looking at each other at a distance – a scene that lasts 2 seconds in real time but takes nearly 2 minutes to occur on screen. He repeats this slowed down technique many other times, most noticeable when Mel come to “surrender” to the Magistrate, but kicks some major ass instead.
Besides the romantic self-indulgence, which actually does have some bearing on the plot by providing Wallace with sufficient motivation to whup up on the British, the one scene that disturbs me the most is the one gay bashing scene. Even though Gibson claims this is not the case in his commentary, the staging for King Edward throwing the Prince’s lover out the castle window indicates otherwise. The audience reaction was decidedly anti-gay and cheering the unlikable King on for destroying the gay character, yet Gibson justifies leaving the scene in.
He doesn’t do this in another case when the test audience reaction showed repulsion. Gibson simply edits out the offending seconds. This takes place during Wallace’s execution where the executioner takes a large knife and cuts Mel’s shirt. To give you an idea of what gut wrenching seconds were cut from this scene, the original version had the executioner cutting more than Mel’s shirt off, so this sequence originally had another purpose and was not thrown in to thrill any ladies who came to see Mel’s torso.
I can still overlook the anti-gay sentiments in Braveheart because it does succeed on many other levels. It does teach us some previously little known history about Scotland that doesn’t have to do with Robert the Bruce or Robert Burns, and it entertains with some of the best battle scenes I’ve witnessed on film. And it’s got some memorable quotes, like Wallace’s poetic response to Isabella, “Every man dies . . . not every man really lives.” We can also be sure that there are business leaders and football coaches who are quoting Mel’s other inspirational words about fighting for freedom to their troops. Some may even appear with blue paint on their faces to symbolize the battle.
I only wish that Braveheart had been made sooner, before I traveled to England and Scotland in the early 1990’s. The Tower of London and Scottish sites would have meant a lot more to me had I been aware of William Wallace and his place in history. We do owe Gibson a debt of gratitude for bringing this epic to life and making it enjoyable.
Braveheart is a film that will appeal to a broad spectrum. Most men will remember the battle scenes and a few of the stirring calls to freedom, while many women will focus on the romance and . . . Mel. I know one lady who practically wore out her VHS copy looking for Mel’s member in the Stirling battle scene. The DVD wouldn’t wear out, and I suppose that Mel didn’t use a double for that scene. I really haven’t looked for it though – much too small a part. I prefer focussing on the big picture.
Perhaps my Scottish ancestry prejudices me positively towards Braveheart, but I do feel that it’s one of the better epics filmed over the past few years, and I will confess that I’ve watched it a half dozen times. It did inspire me to check out a few of the local Scottish gatherings – even eating the haggis served at the Burns dinner last year. Don’t feel obligated to eat haggis, as I don’t even think most Scots like it. But Braveheart is worth a viewing or so.
Note:
The DVD is worth purchasing for the clarity of the picture and sound, for the background documentary, and for Mel’s impassioned commentary. One feature I wish other DVDs would duplicate with their commentary tracks that Braveheart does is to include subtitles. Thus, you can easily follow the film while Gibson is talking.
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