Braveheart

Mel Gibson, USA 1995, 177 minutes

Braveheart is a film that seems to have been bursting to come out of the Scottish film industry for sometime. Strange then, that it took an Australian director, American writer, and Japanese and American money to make it come true.

Part romance, part action, it tells the story of the life of William Wallace, sworn protector of Scotland, from childhood to death, creating a highly emotional, yet immensely enjoyable, rollercoaster ride through this part of Scottish history (artistic license excepted). From the brutal slaying of his father, through the events which subsequently lead to his fight with his English, and his victories on the battlefield, up to his defeat and sacrifice Gibson excels, both as director and as star, and, though his accent falters, he manages to inject passion and humour into a character who could have turned into a medieval Rocky.

Long, bloody and pulsating with raw energy, it is a modern epic to challenge the like of Spartacus. Helped by a strong supporting cast including Patrick MacGoohan as the snarling English monarch, Edward the Longshanks and Angus MacFadyen and Ian Bannen as the conniving Bruce the younger and elder as well as Catherine MacCormack and Sophie Marceau as the love interests, it also has some of the best battle scenes ever seen (reminiscent of Excalibur on a bigger budget) and fully realises the futility of war whilst paying respect to those who fight it.

Braveheart may not quite match the epics it seeks to emulate and it might not have deserved the Oscar but that doesn't stop it from being a damn watchable film. It is not anti-English, as reported in the media, in fact it actually portrays all `races' concerned in both good and bad light, acknowledging that there can be evil and jealously lurking anywhere. A huge commercial hit in Scotland (and America, and Australia), attracting people who previously would never have come to see a film, this will get your heart racing. It's the quickest three hours you'll sit through. Simply unmissable.

"Breathtaking beauty, resonating brutality and rip-roaringly good story-telling *****" - Empire

Review by Neil Chue Hong
Taken from EUFS Programme 1996-97

Let me get one thing straight before you accuse me of misleading you: Braveheart is definitely NOT historically accurate. Although it may pretend to present a true depiction of the events of that time, it's really just Hollywood glamourising the story again. This does not in any way detract from the main reason you should be watching this film --- for enjoyment.

Braveheart is very much fashioned in the mould of the great epics such as Ben Hur or Spartacus, with a charismatic leading man rallying his supporters against the enemy. And Gibson does provide that charm with gym-toned muscles pumping and immaculately tousled hair extensions twirling, his perfect blue eyes piercing the clouds of betrayal and humiliation. As actor he lends a more quirky interpretation of a leader of men, which bears comparison with his performance as the troubled Prince of Denmark in Zeferelli's Hamlet. In both he is at his best in the action scenes, and there are some outstanding ones in Braveheart. Unfortunately, in his long, extended speeches about freedom, choice and Scotland, his accent tends towards a back-of-throat growl which is practically indecipherable, and his delivery is often over the top, too impassioned if that can be the case. As director, in only his second feature (after The Man Without A Face) he does impressively well for what could be slated as just another vanity piece.

By and large the rest of the cast does a good job of keeping up with the enthusiasm of Gibson. Perhaps the best of them is Angus MacFadyen whose portrayal of Robert the Bruce is both human and touching. Torn between his duties to his clan and his desire to see Scotland free, he eventually lets his heart decide. Catherine MacCormack does a reasonable impression of the Scots lass whom Gibson sweeps off her feet. Indeed Gibson takes a brave path by building up her character before despatching her unexpectedly, although it could be argued that this is necessary to explain Wallace's own change from peaceful crofter to rampaging fighter. As the lonesome French princess, Sophie Marceau certainly looks very nice (although in real history she would have been about 10 at the time) but really only serves as a female foil against which to balance the latter third of the film. Of course every film should have a snarling, mean, nasty, English bad guy and the wonderful Patrick MacGoohan fills the role well.

The struggle between MacGoohan's King Edward the Longshanks and Gibson's William Wallace provides the foundations on which the films outstanding battle set pieces are built on. Using many hundreds of volunteers from the Irish Reserve army, this is by far the most impressive portion of the film, a bloody and brutal segment that is unrivalled in recent cinema. The sense of inevitablilty that sinks on the viewer as the two sides square up and rush headlong at each other serves as a reminder of the real futility of war. In this film, the fighting is not glamourised; people fight to survive, people die. We see the classic portrayal of the sadistic upper ranks forcing their ordinary minions to fight the war for them.

Programme note by Neil Chue Hong
Produced for Braveheart shown Sun 1st Dec 1996
Placed online 1/2/97