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Braveheart

Play trailer 2:45 Poster for Braveheart R 1995 2h 57m History Drama Biography War Play Trailer Watchlist
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76% Tomatometer 131 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Tells the story of the legendary thirteenth century Scottish hero named William Wallace (Mel Gibson). Wallace rallies the Scottish against the English monarch and Edward I (Peter Hanly) after he suffers a personal tragedy by English soldiers. Wallace gathers a group of amateur warriors that is stronger than any English army.
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Braveheart

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Critics Consensus

Distractingly violent and historically dodgy, Mel Gibson's Braveheart justifies its epic length by delivering enough sweeping action, drama, and romance to match its ambition.

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Critics Reviews

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Harper Barnes St. Louis Post-Dispatch 11/18/2022
It's unclear when Mel Gibson became a combination of Sam Peckinpah and Akira Kurosawa, but there's no question that Braveheart is one of the best epic movies of the '90s... Scene after scene takes your breath away with its sometimes cruel beauty. Go to Full Review
Bob Fenster Arizona Republic 11/18/2022
In only his second film behind the camera, Gibson has crafted a historical epic, Braveheart, that stands tall among the biggest and the best: Lawrence of Arabia, Ben-Hur, El Cid. Go to Full Review
Ella Taylor L.A. Weekly 11/18/2022
Epic in length only and peppered with sniggering homophobia, the homage to Himself drags on for three hours going on three years. Go to Full Review
Marshall Fine Journal News (Westchester, NY) Aug 7
3/4
An ambitious and satisfying endeavor that establishes Mel Gibson as a director of strength and vision. Though his reach ultimately exceeds his grasp, it's a film that's worth the effort. Go to Full Review
Tim Appelo Oregonian Aug 7
2.5/4
Gibson learned a thing or two working for geniuses such as George Miller and Peter Weir, but he never grasped how to build suspense by delayed revelation of plot information... He has an eye -- or Toll does -- but not a thought in his head. Go to Full Review
Ed Bradley Flint Journal Aug 7
Braveheart has all the right ingredients for a rip-roaring saga, but Gibson overcooks the mix. The snail's-pace storytelling, overemphasis on scenery and awkward semi-mysticism scream "epic," but this film too often forgets to entertain. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Sahil K @Sahilk171 1d The starting 1 hour was brilliant, not boring at all you get invested into the love story and you really connect to the story but after that the movie gets really slow and boring, too many fights, scenes that could have been cut and very totally unnecessary and by the time the ending comes it gets really boring and predictible but overall a good story but not as good as the reviews suggest, 6.5/10 See more SELECT @SetecAstronomy Jan 13 What’s there to say except we wish this history is what actually happened: reflecting the uncompromising human spirit we imagine it could be. The only complaint is during the final scene: one of the axes is obviously rubber! See more Declan D. @filmbuffkid Jan 10 One of the saddest and most epic things I’ve ever seen since the planet of the apes trilogy and titanic, this movie shows the true meaning of love, passion and faith, that is how you make a masterpiece!! See more Mike D @ScreamingParrot Dec 28 Way too long, gets tedious. Wallas learns about his wife dying off screen, which is the most important point of the film. We know almost nothing about his two right hand men in 3 hours. Wallas didn't appear to care about freedom until his wife died. You think there would be more nuance in a 3 hour film. See more David I. @Iliff Dec 16 Best movie ever, and that’s that See more Chad H. @ASOIrishWoody Dec 5 Braveheart is the kind of movie that makes you want to run through a field screaming even if you just got out of bed and your knees crack like bubble wrap. It’s epic, it’s emotional, and absolutely none of the accents are historically accurate—but who cares? There are kilts and yelling. The Hero: William Wallace (Mel Gibson): A man fueled entirely by freedom, revenge, and the kind of rage only a guy who’s been through one too many breakups can understand. He spends half the movie giving motivational speeches and the other half absolutely ruining English soldiers’ day. The Plot (Guy Version): England is being a jerk. Scotland is over it. Mel Gibson says, “Not on my watch,” and suddenly everyone’s painting their faces blue and charging into battle like they forgot their health insurance deductible exists. Top Movie Highlights: The Speeches: Wallace gives a pep talk so good it could convince your slow coworker to actually show up on time. The Battles: So many swords. So much yelling. So many guys getting launched off horses like medieval lawn darts. The Kilts: Nothing says “fear me” like a man in a skirt holding a 10-pound sword and screaming in Gaelic. The Romance Subplot: Honestly there, but mostly overshadowed by the fact that Wallace’s idea of relationship counseling involves overthrowing a government. Historical Accuracy: About as accurate as a drunk guy retelling history at a bar. But again—no one came here for a documentary. We came for: Chaos Courage And dudes swinging giant weapons Most Iconic Line: “FREEEEEDOOOOM!” Delivered with the intensity of someone who just found out his Xbox got unplugged right before his game saved. Things I Learned from This Movie: Never mess with a man who owns both a kilt and a claymore. Medieval dentistry must’ve been a horror show. If someone starts a battle speech with “They may take our lives…,” buckle up. Things are about to get wild. Final Thoughts: Braveheart is testosterone in movie form. It’s loud, emotional, action-packed, and guaranteed to make you want to scream dramatically at random moments. See more Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Tells the story of the legendary thirteenth century Scottish hero named William Wallace (Mel Gibson). Wallace rallies the Scottish against the English monarch and Edward I (Peter Hanly) after he suffers a personal tragedy by English soldiers. Wallace gathers a group of amateur warriors that is stronger than any English army.
Director
Mel Gibson
Producer
Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson, Alan Ladd Jr.
Screenwriter
Randall Wallace
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, B.H. Finance C.V., Ladd Company, Icon Entertainment International
Rating
R (Brutal Medieval Warfare)
Genre
History, Drama, Biography, War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 24, 1995, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$75.5M
Runtime
2h 57m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Dolby A, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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