Written by Fantasma el Rey 

Braveheart is one of the finest Hollywood epics to hit the screen, sparking a new wave of historical battle films centered on legendary heroes. Whether your veins pump Scottish blood or not, you can’t help but cheer and wish that the outcome of Braveheart’s true events were a bit different. The film does stray at times, giving way to dramatic license but again it works and pushes the movie, adding to the allure of William Wallace and the fight for Scottish freedom. It’s a well-rounded film that’s story drives it far beyond scenes of battle and blood, drawing you deeper into its tale of love and honor.

Director and star Mel Gibson delivers a fine performance in both roles telling the story of William Wallace, c. 1270-1305, through his mind’s eye and cinematic vision. Wallace was a Scottish hero/rebel outlaw that plagued the life of one of England’s most respected kings, Edward I, known as “long shanks.” Edward I is the epitome of evil in this tale and to the Scots I’m sure he was, but we must remember that the man used what became known as the English longbow so effectively in battle that this weapon changed the way large armies fought and is considered by some as the modernization of warfare. We can’t forget that parliament took its modern form under his reign as well. Yet as with all men of power, he’s one man’s hero and another’s devil. From 1297 to about 1305, Wallace was a thorn in Edward’s side, fighting a few pitched battles while doing the majority of damage with his guerilla tactics.

The battle scenes in Braveheart are huge indeed, packed with action, excitement, and blood, a necessary evil in bringing the horror of the age’s warfare to life. Now for a round of fact vs. fiction and that dramatic license mentioned earlier, let’s focus on the events at Sterling (Bridge). In the film the battle is a big affair with both sides charging at one another. In reality the fight was on a bridge that Wallace had his men weaken, giving him the chance to attack as the English troops came off the bridge disorientated by its collapse. At this time Wallace was co-captain of the Scottish forces along with Andrew de Moray, who was left out of the film entirely, which is understandable since the film is about Wallace and Moray did die from the wounds he suffered on the bridge. Even with these discrepancies the movie works as far as historical dramas are concerned.

Braveheart is well written thanks to Randall Wallace, who wrote the script while researching his Scottish heritage. Randall’s script is filled with humor and moments of light-hearted laughter brought on by believable supporting characters. This humor fits and matches the brutal/ beautiful world which we are locked into for nearly three hours, lost in the story and Scottish/Irish landscapes where Gibson filmed. The story of love is a big part of the Wallace epic and has been ever since Blind Harry wrote it down in the epic poem over a hundred years after Wallace was captured and quartered. Wallace’s love for his murdered wife, his love for his friends, his home, and freedom for generations to come is what lies at the center of the tale.