Braveheart (Film Review)

1995 Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Mel Gibson; Written by:Randall Wallace
Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, and Brendan Gleeson
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time:178 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 9/10

First they killed his grandfather. Then they killed his father and his brother. Then they sent their lords to claim right to the first marriage night with his female compatriots. Then they killed his wife. William Wallace is tired of his British overlords. And this time he's not gonna take it anymore. It starts with raids. It leads to the field of battle, where Wallace not only earns victory, but the ire of the king, the love of a princess, and the 1996 Academy Award for Best Picture...but his quest for Scottish independence may cost him his life. Anything for freedom. It's 1995's Braveheart.
What am I going to say about a 27-year-old best picture winner that I just talked about for two hours on my podcast? Braveheart might not be the most historically accurate film, but it's a rousing cinematic success. As Wallace, Mel Gibson brings an authority and passion of which few actors have been capable. He brings that same authority and passion behind the camera, directing the hell out of this great-looking, well-acted movie. Every big moment hits like a battlehammer to the face, and the numerous successful small moments all work to give that hammer weight. The film struggles a bit when it leaves the highlands of Scotland for the king's court in England, featuring a few cringe-worthy moments involving the king's son that feel extraneous and add nothing to the film. That's about the only bad thing I can say for Braveheart. It's a classic.