Braveheart

Braveheart gives you everything you would expect out of the typical blockbuster movie. The film has an epic runtime of 3 hours and features some intense and heart-pounding battle scenes. However, there is also some substance behind the flashy action as the movie conveys a very powerful message and there is rarely a dull moment during the experience.

One of the most obvious strengths in Braveheart is its sheer scope and ambition. Not surprisingly, there is plenty of violence and warfare throughout the film as it is meant to show one nation's struggle to achieve independence from the control of a tyrannical state. The battle scenes are always intense regardless if it's simply William Wallace fighting off a few soldiers by himself or grandiose thousand member armies clashing. The major battles in Braveheart are flashy and large-scale as they are very reminiscent of Lord of the Rings style engagements. Furthermore, the movie as a whole moves along at a steady pace and there is rarely a down moment in the movie that feels out of place or boring as the huge action scenes are usually curbed at about 15 minutes so they don't drag on for an inordinate period of time and the story is actually interesting to follow so I actually felt emotionally invested in the battles since they represented more than just the best special effects that money could buy at the time. I also found that the movie does an excellent job of really spacing out the battles with meaningful story telling. There were only a couple of fights between large armies with character development and story building forming the bulk of the film's formidable runtime. The story gives depth and meaning to Wallace's quest to liberate Scotland and actually provides the viewer with some perspective on what's going on so that the movie doesn't just equate to a collection of cool-looking, but ultimately pointless fights. I found that the movie peaked at just the right times so that the combat stayed fresh and interesting, but I also never found myself bored with the larger context of the actual storyline.

While I enjoyed Braveheart on the whole, I did find that the ending to the film was incredibly predictable and it was also overdone at points. If you watch this movie, you'll never really find yourself in doubt about how everything will turn out as the way the movie plays itself out is pretty typical and doesn't really break any new boundaries or leave itself open to interpretation. That being said, there are some unexpected twists and turns along the way that spice up the plot and keep the movie moving along so it doesn't become so predictable that you're inclined to stop watching altogether. Additionally, I felt that the film became somewhat overdramatized at points where it felt like the movie was trying to be really deep and powerful at points where doing so just wasn't effective at the time. It's kind of hard to explain this sort of feeling about the movie to those who haven't watched it, and it may be a matter of personal opinion, but it just seemed to me that it tries too hard at points to be an amazing movie where it really doesn't need to because Braveheart is quite good and it just seems to be a bit over the top at times. 

The intense battles and the epic atmosphere surrounding Braveheart have become a cherished aspect of the movie for good reason. However, the major production value and work that went into making the movie would have been rendered almost completely meaningless if there wasn't an engaging and captivating story to back it all up. Braveheart involves the story of William Wallace, a commoner who is distraught over the personal hardship that the rigorous British rule over Scotland has brought upon him. His response to these dire circumstances is to fight against them in whatever capacity possible, and like a snowball rolling down a hill he soon finds many others joining his cause to do the impossible and gain independence. It's important to note though that he doesn't just mindlessly fight whoever he can whenever he can, but rather he stresses the importance of having the mental strength, endurance, and wherewithal to be able to keep fighting and never lose perspective of what the fighting is for. I really like how the movie reminds the viewer that it's not really what we have, such as our brute physical strength, that makes us who we are, but it's more our mental fortitude and what's within us that emits the real power that can be harnessed and called upon come battle time. When you watch this movie you'll find yourself sympathizing with Wallace's cause and being drawn into the experience as you hope he can fight the power and win the freedom we all desire. Ultimately, being able to draw the viewer in and have him/her relate to what's going on in the story is the strongest attribute that any movie can have as it's this relation that allows the viewer to perceive the greater message and really feel impacted on a personal level.

Say what you want about Mel Gibson's personal views, but he certainly knows how to put together a quality product as he directs and stars here. Braveheart features a combination of awe-inspiring and thought provoking storytelling with entertaining and epic battle scenes. The movie hardly ever lets up and even though its conclusion is ultimately predictable and obvious, the movie on the whole is fantastic and definitely appealing to the average moviegoer.