Paramount / 1995 / 178 Minutes / Rated R / Street Date: September 1, 2009
Cliff Stephenson had this to say in his August 2000 review of the previous DVD edition of Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning Braveheart:
“Are there any films as superbly created as Mel Gibson’s Braveheart? With only his second turn behind the camera, Gibson managed to make an epic that eclipsed not only his past films as an actor but also a film that even the master directors like Hitchcock, Ford, or Spielberg would have been proud to make. The seemingly disparate thematic elements and tonal shifts Gibson juggles should work against each other, but instead somehow serve to make a truly great film. Not only is it an epic adventure with some of the most grandiose battle and action scenes ever placed on film, but it’s also a poignant romance, a wrenching drama, and even manages to have some huge laughs in between.
“As well as helming this epic, Gibson also stars as William Wallace, a man at the head of Scotland’s revolt against tyrannical English rule. He didn’t want the responsibility, but through a tragic turn of events feels compelled to take up the fight to free his homeland. And in a country where the aristocracies rule only to please the English monarchy, there’s little else to turn to but the people who must fight for their own independence. From one battle to the next, Wallace and his ever-growing band of outnumbered freedom fighters lead an insurrection. Soon Wallace’s stature grows to that of a man of near-mythical stature, which is only fueled by his unpredictability and unwillingness to bend to the tyrannical political system.
“To his credit, Gibson treats the material with great respect and gusto, never resorting to caricature or irony. There’s a passion in his filmmaking that seeps from every frame of his masterpiece. The battle scenes can hold their own and indeed rival any screen conflict ever put on film, including those of Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, or Gladiator. The barbaric quality of the fighting may be hard to watch for some, but it is entirely appropriate to the subject matter and Gibson never revels in it.
“Another strong element is the amazing original score by James Horner. I had three favorite scores in the summer of 1995, and defying the odds, they were all by Horner: Braveheart, Casper, and Apollo 13. The themes created for Braveheart are among Horner’s best, and unlike some of his other work, aren’t just derivative of his other scores.
“Perhaps unfortunately, Braveheart has gained a reputation for its graphic depiction of violence; it is graphic, but that’s so little of what this movie is about. The film has something rare in today’s cinema, and that’s soul. I’ve never made it through the ending of this movie without being completely moved to tears. I don’t have to watch the entire film to produce this reaction; just the last half hour will do it to me without fail. It’s a product of a deeply moving story that effects me with each viewing.
“Another interesting aspect is that I think it proves Mel Gibson to be a better director than he is an actor. Both Braveheart and his directorial debut, the seldom-mentioned The Man Without A Face, are superbly crafted films, but I can’t say that about all of his performances. Yet he’s all too often placed into a narrow category of the ‘pretty face that can draw a crowd.’ Like Clint Eastwood, I think Gibson will make a most comfortable transition to working frequently behind the camera.
“Mel Gibson got just about everything right with Braveheart. When the Oscars were handed out that year, the film walked off with five, including Best Director and Best Picture. In my estimation, Gibson not only deserved that award, but also created one of the best pictures of all time.”
I have to concur with Cliff’s assessment. I probably hadn’t watched the film in about seven years before I cracked open the much-anticipated Blu-ray release, and I was surprised at how swiftly it drew me in like I was seeing it again for the very first time. Braveheart was the film that proved Gibson had the directorial chops to take on some challenging film projects — and he did just that with subsequent efforts such as The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto. One thing is clear: Gibson has evolved into a skilled director since making his debut with The Man Without a Face, and the accolades and awards heaped onto Braveheart were all richly deserved. And while I don’t think he’s yet matched the level of success that Clint Eastwood has as an actor-turned-director, I certainly think he’s well on his way.
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