Braveheart: 1995

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Braveheart is one movie on this list that I already owned. Or at least, I used to own it. After rewatching the film with me, my husband said that we didn't need to keep it anymore. It wasn't because he disliked the film; it's just that he doesn't need to see it again. That sums up how I feel about the film. I didn't dislike Braveheart; then again, I can't say I liked it either. Parts were interesting, parts seemed long. Overall, it was fine.

The most interesting parts of the film were the music, the landscape (although some of the shots were too long...Scotland, though beautiful, didn't change much in the film--it's vibrant green with a misty quality), and the message of not giving up even when all hope is lost. Watching the first twenty seconds of the trailer shows the beauty of the country. That first twenty seconds also shows something I disliked about the film: the love story between William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) and Murron (played by Catherine McCormack). Her character was underdeveloped for me. I couldn't really understand what they saw in each other besides physical attraction and him being the guy her parents said she couldn't date. I know there's the history of them knowing each other as children and her giving him the thistle, which is a sweet scene, but it's just not enough for me to see them as in love. The longing stares that litter the first hour of the film as just obnoxious; those don't build character for me or suggest that their relationship has any depth.

Once the romance section was over, the fight for freedom began. These scenes were fine, but the battles and debates began to feel repetitive, win or lose. I liked what Ryan and Nate had to say in their podcast about Robert the Bruce's character, but I won't repeat them here. You'll need to listen to them to hear those thoughts.

Braveheart was one of those movies that my husband repeatedly said I should watch. Well, I've seen it now. And like I said, it was fine. I have to wonder, though, if I would have felt differently if I had seen it before Mel Gibson demonstrated who he really is with all those hateful comments. I couldn't help but think about those comments as I watched this film, and I know it influenced my viewing of him as a performer. But even so, I like to think that my opinion would have been the same.