comment #1

nemo says ...

I wonder what she called him as she slapped the cuffs on him -- "candy ass"?

comment #2

BurmaShave says ...

This film never gets old for me, but then I am a douchebag.

comment #3

Chase Kahn says ...

DVD Beaver needs a damn facelift. They can't be matched for home video coverage, but god damn how does anyone navigate that son of a bitch?

comment #4

Breedlove says ...

Nah, BRAVEHEART kinda rocks. Great movie, actually. Think of how many movies since then have tried and failed to match it. Gibson is an awesome director. Such a great score, too.

I remember reading way back when it came out that Mel didn't want to star in it and tried hard to find someone else to star. It's hard to picture anyone else in the role, I've always wondered who he offered it to.

Hope Mel keeps directing. And starts acting more, for that matter. Total nutjob in real life but a welcome presence in Movieland.

comment #5

Travis Crabtree says ...

With ya, Wells.

I liked it enough when I saw it, but never really got whipped up by it like so many others.

It's a decent action film that won the Best Picture Oscar because "it's about something way back in history....it's IMPORTANT".

comment #6

Steven Kar says ...

It didn't seem there was enough story and enough going to justify the 3-hour length, so how DID they do it?

Also, that movie absolutely had no complexity, which is something that I believe is missing from almost all American movies these days.

comment #7

Brendan says ...

Will watch it anytime it is on (must be that 25% Scottish in me). It could have used about a 20 minute trim, but there are some solid performances in this thing. Mel is crazy intense and the late great Patrick McGoohan was icy good.

Breedlove - I agree with you 100% on the score. James "My Heart Will Go On" Horner had a great year in 1995 with the scores for Braveheart and Apollo 13 (almost as good as his work in 89 for Glory & Field of Dreams).

comment #8

mick hilliard says ...

Brendan, I agree with you. Those are great scores by Horner. His score for "Braveheart" really made that movie seem better than it was. I did love the battle scenes though.

comment #9

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Will watch it anytime it is on (must be that 25% Scottish in me).

Ugh.

In that case you should also watch The Krankies.

Americans.

comment #10

Atticus Grinch says ...

It's worth the watch. It's not like DANCES WITH WOLVES, which I agree does not hold up at all. On the contrary, a second look at BRAVEHEART only reinforces that in spite of his escalating lunacy, Gibson has always been a stunning talent, and this is by far his greatest work as both actor and director.

comment #11

great scott says ...

I just remember the look of horror on Meryl Streep's face when this thing won the Best Picture Oscar. How it beat Apollo 13 or Sense and Sensibility is a mystery.

comment #12

Brendan says ...

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey I'll watch anything that depicts the Brits in their true light. Heck, where did we learn all of our dirty tricks from?

Off to watch a double bill of "Braveheart" & "In The Name of the Father". Might wash it down with an encore of "In The Loop" on demand so I can watch Yank/Brit/Scot surrealism.

comment #13

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

One of the funniest (i.e. bad) depictions of Evil Englishmen was The Patriot of course, which was pretty much Braveheart 2.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley had some terrible acting from the English soldiers which made them come across as comedy villains.

comment #14

jackkerouac says ...

Like 'Gladiator', I watch 'Braveheart' at least once a year since seeing it in the theater; solid acting and directing, great score, good action and it has held up well. A very entertaining movie. I have seen Apollo 13 a few times since and, although it is a well made, enjoyable enough flick, I have little desire to see it again. As far as 'Sense and Sensibility' goes - enjoyed it but once was enough. Personally, I think the Academy got it right that year.

comment #15

MDOC says ...

Breedlove,

I was just reading recently that Gibson wanted Jason Patric to star in Braveheart but couldn't get the financing uless he starred himself. I can't remember where I read that, maybe here?

I love Braveheart, I also enjoyed Gibson's commentary on the DVD.

comment #16

mpneeb says ...

HEAT or TOY STORY should have won that year.

comment #17

Josh Massey says ...

As "South Park" puts it, "Say what you want about Mel Gibson, the son of a bitch knows story structure."

comment #18

MALONE says ...

I started losing faith in the Oscars when BRAVEHEART, a truly conventional film, beat out BABE for Best Picture.

comment #19

erniesouchak says ...

Once was definitely enough. I never have been able to figure out the college-guy love for this movie.

comment #20

crazynine says ...

Everytime Wells writes something like this, I begin to realize just how big that bubble of his is.

Braveheart is on TV *constantly*. And you know what? People watch it *constantly*. It's a great movie. Is it high art? No-- but many people rather enjoy watching Braveheart on TNT whenever it shows up.

Movies can be art, but they exist primarily to entertain. And Braveheart is entertaining.

Alas, only stupid people like entertainment.

comment #21

MDOC says ...

Here's the question, Braveheart or Gladiator? I love both but have to give Braveheart the nod.

comment #22

Gordon27 says ...

crazynine - I'd like to amend that; it's entertaining, with a whiff of higher art (mainly because it's "historical", but also, they've got accents).

It's funny, because I agree with many of the specific criticisms being mentioned here (not the vague ones, but when people say it's simplistic and all that), but I definitely enjoy it. Except for 'The Passion of the Christ', he's a really solid storyteller behind the camera.

comment #23

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Haha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKotmfsKOz4

comment #24

lipranzer says ...

Though I prefer ROB ROY, the other "If it's not Scottish, it's crap!" movie to come out that year, I do think BRAVEHEART is a solid, old-fashioned historical adventure story, at least for the first two hours or so (and Catherine McCormack sure is lovely). When Sophie Marceau shows up, however, I think the film does slide into soap opera, and yeah, that "Freedom!" scene is a bit grating.

As far as the Oscars that year, I'm more bitter about LEAVING LAS VEGAS not getting nominated for Best Picture at all than about BRAVEHEART winning.

comment #25

Markj74 says ...

@MDOC: Agreed, Braveheart over Gladiator. Horner's score, Toll's photography, the battle sequences, the affecting death of Murran... shit, i'll have to watch it again now! When did Hollywood last release an old-school historical as good as this?

comment #26

free games says ...

Braveheart rocks. Great movie.