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Saw this in the theaters with my family when I was 15. I HATE crying in front of people during movies and I remember we were all in tears. My dad was wiping tears off this face, my stepmom was outright bawling, and even my brothers were pretending that they weren't crying. LOL. The scene with the thistle and the music there made a HUGE impression on me as a teenager. I found it beautiful and absolutely haunting. Haven't watched this movie in years and it was so fun to see your reaction.
Same, I think it was the first realistic movie seen. Like if this was any movie before it. His friends would swing in and rescue him and he gets the princess.
When the film was released it was being shown in a cinema in Glasgow, Scotland. An English football team was playing in Glasgow and it's supporters went to see the film either before or after the match against a Scottish team. When the Battle of Stirling Bridge took place in the film the English fans erupted with fury, the Scottish in the cinema went mental and a huge fight took place!
Dang, you edited around the most important word spoken in the film. Where he yells FREEEEEEDOM in defiance, even though it means his death. One of the greatest moments. Such an amazing film.
Good. Because he never said it; in fact we don’t know what his final words were. I’ve listed everything that’s wrong with Braveheart (who was in fact Robert The Bruce….not Wallace) in a separate post.
how can you claim that he never said it and right after you say that we don't know what his last words were? if we don't know what his last words were then it could've been whatever including "FREEEDOM"@@davidanderson1639
I was a scrawny 14 year-old when I saw the Thursday midnight showing of this the night before opening day. This film made me feel a passion I had never felt before. The rush was incredible. I remember immediately going home and lifting weights until the sun came up. I actually got to tell the story to Mel while working on one of his other films, and he told me that his producer looked at him after the first screening and said, "boys are going in to see this movie and are coming out men."
Yes, Gibson's character is supposed to be younger than he appears. Gibson was offered the role, and he said he was too old and he asked to direct it instead. Somehow, he ended up doing both.
Special shout to the LATE GREAT JAMES HORNER who without his STUNNING SCORE this movie wouldn’t have had nearly the same impact… R.I.P. James! Saw this weeks after its release alone and was sooooo blown away by it dragged my GF to it the next night!
Yep this one is up there with Titanic and Field of Dreams for his best. Horner's on my Mt. Rushmore of the greatest composers of all time. Right next to Williams and Zimmer.
Cannot believe Horner did not win an Oscar for the score. The score is one of if not the greatest score ever made on film! Horner was shafted tbh. Deserved it.
I love your perspective and film knowledge. My sister's husband was killed, execution style, in the line of duty in 2002. Mel Gibson's people reached out to my sister and our family met him secretly. He gave my niece $10K for her education and spent time with us. He is as charming as you can imagine. His eyes were the bluest I've ever seen. By the way, Dave, the one that was murdered, he was a big fan of this film.
Can I ask why? She just smiles all the time. Even throughout this film she's nothing but smiles. Sometimes it's okay to smile but sometimes not. This isn't a film that should make u smile constantly. It's weird.
One thing that hits me so hard in this movie that nobody talks about is the father-son relationships. 4 instances of father-son relationships, with different dynamics, and the father dies (one a metaphorical death). William’s relationship was never realized. Robert detested his father. The King was a tyrannical father. And of course, Hamish. The relationship we men all wish to have with our fathers and sons. In my mind, other than the liberty stuff, this seems like the next most important theme. But no one ever seems to notice.
William's father, Sir Malcom Wallace, did not die when William was a young boy, orphaning him and leaving him with a hatred of violence and the English. Malcolm Wallace died in 1291 after being involved in several skirmishes with the English over the years and his son William was a full-fledged adult rebel at the time of his death. Oh & he never shouted ‘Freedom’ in fact we don’t know what his final words were. Also, let’s not forget Braveheart wasn’t William Wallace; it was actually Robert The Bruce who was given the nickname.
Murron's death is all the more heartbreaking when you notice the fact that just before he did it, her eyes were scanning the hills in the distance, hoping William would come and save it, but he never does. 💔😭
For my money, Brendan Gleeson is one of the best actors working today, and every time I see him in something I think about Hamish. The two guys who were the "common soldiers" in many scenes (the ones who wanted to leave the battle in the first scene) were in a movie together a few years later called "My Name is Joe". It's a Scottish film and while I scoffed initially that there were subtitles since they were speaking English, I don't think I would have understood a word without them.
"Why didn't they do anything?" Do recall the beginning of the film. "History is written by those who hanged heros". They were there to bear whitness. To tell his story and be his voice.
@@Henrik_Holst yeah really. Two dudes in cloaks... maybe armed with daggers, are going to rush the stage and fight through the dozens of guardsmen and men at arms in the castle to escape lol
I saw this movie five times in theater... which is saying something in the 90s. I kept finding people that hadn't seen it yet and dragging them to the theater. "Let's go right now."
Epic, wish I did, saw it only once in the theater, but seen it so many times after, it was my go-to movie on movie date nights, it worked every time and I loved seeing it with someone who hasn't seen it yet
@@Berg126 On one Occasion we got two young girls with us and they wept so much after the movie that we felt bad we had taken them with us to the theater...
7:56 - Yeah, this is one of those movies with good cinematography. Not just gorgeous shots, but *_well placed/used_* shots. Nowadays they tend to overdo things. But this? This, boys and girls is how you do it!
The only thing comparable was Monty Python and the Holy Grail! I’m convinced that the crew of Braveheart took a lot of visual inspiration from that film… and the costume designer, Charles Knode, worked on Holy Grail!
I was 15, but I missed it in the theater when it was released, but my luck, they re-showed it in a school holiday 7 or 8 months later, so I went to the first showing of the day, it was only me and 1 other young guy in the theater. It was epic, sitting alone in the dark and crying my eyes out, nobody had seen a movie like this in years back in 95!!! It didn't have anything like this it could copy or borrow from. This is a masterpiece and wish I could see it for the first time again
if you have never been the remote Scottish highlands are some of the most amazing and beautiful places on the earth, the peace and quite you get there is just amazing. what the do to willam wallace at the end is called being Hung Drawn and quatered.
During his acceptance speech at the Oscar's when he won Best Director, after his list of "Thank yous", Gibson quipped "Now that I'm a bona fide Director with a Golden Boy, I guess I can try to do what every other Director seems to want to do, and that is act!"
The speech Wallace gives before the first battle (Stirling Bridge), like the speech Aragon gives before the battle at the Black Gates, are both based on the St. Crispin’s Day speech from Shakespeare’s Henry V.
MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A SCOTSMAN!! Saw it with my Dad in the theater. I know it isnt historically accurate, but it demonstrates the pride, heart, and soul of the Scottish people. It was one of my Dad's favorite movies rest his soul.
My dad saw it at the cinema in Singapore when he was working overseas and said as soon as it started he was emotional and wanted to come home to Scotland
I feel the same way as I guarantee the English did essentially the same thing with the Irish! And I don't know whether I'm legit Irish or scott-irish… but I still support anyone that's against what happened and how! 😢😢
I remember when this came out and the controversy about the horses. They released behind the scenes footage to show the horses were fake and no horses got harmed.
Loved your reaction to the movie.. When the movie came out in 95 in Scotland. I remember everyone standing and clapping at the end of the film! Also a couple of interesting facts.. Where I stay in Scotland is a place called Ayr. William Wallace spent a lot of his life in this area. The hanging of the Scottish nobles in a Barn near the start of the movie, was based on events in a poem by the poet Blind Harry. The Scottish Nobles were lured to the Barns of Ayr, captured by English troops and hung. Wallace evaded the trap. He then set fire to the English Soldier's Ayr barracks in retaliation. The Wallace monument stands in a field, in the small Scottish Parish of Craigie. The town of Ayr can be seen in the distance. The 60 foot monument is called the Barnweil Monument. It is dedicated to the memory of William Wallace and the burning of the English barracks. Burn Weil said Wallace.. which meant Burn Well!
I first saw Braveheart in 2005 in high school, literally - Mr Forsyth chose it for the visual media part of our English class. As such, I've seen it, particularly the Battle of Stirling Bridge scene ("the sword against the blue sky reflects the blue of the Scottish flag and that's why the director chooses to focus on it", etc), more times than I can recall. So it's testament to the strength of the movie that *despite* this introduction and exposure, I love it all the same. Historically, it's a mess, and not just for the points you raised. The Battle of Stirling Bridge took place on, well, a bridge. The Scots won through basically bottlenecking the English advances onto the bridge and killing them in waves, not through long spears or burning field tricks. The French princess not only wasn't in Britain at the time of Wallace's campaign, but was also just three years old. See also: face paint, tartan, and two-handed swords as other things very unlikely to have been in force at the time. Most amusing of all: the Scottish hero William Wallace is played by Australian Mel Gibson; The King of England is Patrick McGoohan, an Irishman; and the mad King Stephen of Ireland is portrayed by David O'Hara, who despite the name is Scottish. Congratulations - between this and Trainspotting you've probably covered two of the most fundamental cornerstones of Scottish-based cinema! Might I suggest Shallow Grave and/or The Angels' Share for two more? Thank you for these reactions - oatcakes and cheese to eat for myself!
Second "The Angels' Share" for sure. And I may be showing my age here but for me no list of Scottish film suggestions can be complete without "Gregory's Girl" (the first time I remember watching a film and really seeing us in it) and "Restless Natives", with an honourable mention to "Local Hero". (for me BTW one of 'Braveheart's more egregious transgressions is a more meta issue - it mostly wasn't even filmed in Scotland. 'Rob Roy' played similarly fast and loose with history _and_ featured a non-Scot lead playing Scottish but at least it features the actual Highlands and filmed with such loving care it's basically landscape porn at times)
You are without a doubt the most knowledgeable and thorough provoking movie reviewer, I know I'll enjoy this masterpiece watching again through your iiiiii s
Yes, the romance between Wallace and the French princess was completely fictional. In reality, she was just a young child when Wallace was killed. They never actually met.
@@davidanderson1639 Yes. I think if you are creating something based on actual events you have a responsibility to be as accurate as possible. Otherwise, people watching TV dramas might think Anne Boleyn was black. Oh, wait a minute….
@@jameslinham2733 What? So you’re also going to be telling me Cleopatra wasn’t Black?? 🤣🤣 I totally agree with you. If you are wishing to adapt a historical event into a film, then it should be as accurate as possible. Even Spielberg made errors in Saving Private Ryan; the large metal structures seen on the beach are facing the wrong direction….I’m assuming the production designer worked from photos of the landings?
28:52 - "Is he qualified?" - "I am skilled in the arts of secret backdoor negotiations and swordplay tactics, sire" - "Very well, I will make you responsible for the development of our airborne tactical doctrine...come, let me show you"
Yeah, the receding hairline bit is kinda true of Celtic peoples. I had a Slavic friend say to me, “You’re of Irish blood, so don’t get to fond of your hair” BUT! I can grow a magnificent blonde, red, black and grey beard!
Just for clarity, historically _many_ horses (and other animals) have been killed or injured in the process of making movies - in early westerns for instance, if you saw a horse go down it was likely because it had been tripped, _often_ leading to injuries and/or death. But by the 90s (when 'Braveheart' was made) those practices had long been outlawed and animal treatment tightly regulated to prevent cruelty.
I didn’t see the movie in its initial theatrical run, but it got more showings when it was buzzing pre-Oscars. My parents and I saw it and of course loved it, and we were so happy and proud when it won Best Director and Picture. Top five all-time for me.
Average medieval battle was usually under 2 hours. Exceptions being Hastings which lasted most of a day and Bannockburn which was fought over 2 days. this was due to Robert the Bruce's clever planning of the battle which slowly dragged the English into an area of land from which they could not escape..
As I said in my comment . Braveheart is possibly the most inaccurate historical movie ever made. Stirling Bridge was a very clever battle and Wallace wasn't even in command. The brilliance of the victory came down to a Scots noble called Andrew D'Moray who was mortally wounded during the battle and Wallace was given credit. @@davidanderson1639
Don't forget that the Battle of Hastings was fought by an English army that were mostly untrained farmers and foresters who had just force marched up to sort out a Viking invasion at the other end of the UK, a distance of 185 miles in 4 days, then turned round and force marched back to face the Viking's invading from Normandy so thats 370 miles in 8 days with a battle in the middle and a battle at the end, don't make folks like that anymore. And yes they were Viking's at Hastings, Normandy was given to the Vikings by the French so they would stop raiding France.
@@martinsear5470 Very true. Its estimated that Harold lost over a third of his professional Housecarls at Stamford Bridge.. Also around 1500 northern housecarls were kiled killed by the Vikings at the sometimes forgotten battle of Fulford a week before Stamford bridge..
I first saw this film in 1995. The screening was at theater which had an ornate balcony and proscenium arch, normally used for larger scale stage productions. They did a series of movie screenings in the 90s, which included As Good As It Gets.
Here's a suggestion Shanelle, a good film where also main actor and director are the same one: Dances with Wolves (1990) It is a Western starring, directed, and produced by Kevin Costner. It's an adaptation of the 1988 novel of the same name by Michael Blake. I'd recommend the extended version (although it's a long one).
There was some behind the scenes footage somewhere, maybe on certain editions of the DVD, where they go into depth and show production footage of how they costumed so many extras and such for the huge set piece battles, how they used fake horses in spots, etc. This was a huge movie to film, and you gotta give it up to the producers and all the production assistants that had to coordinate this.
Good reaction Shan. Amazing movie, and yes, they played very loose with the facts, but the storytelling is phenomenal. The complaints about the lack of accuracy miss the fact that this entertainment, not documentary.
Yeah... but entertainment that pretends to be telling history, facts, and truth when it's not can have real world consequences. One can say all the same things about "Lost Cause" movies about the South and slavery, etc. People believe and invest themselves in those stories, and that matters when they are lies and it affects other people in the present.
@@josephmayo3253 It added fuel to an independence movement in Scotland. If people want that for contemporary reasons, that's fine, but it demonstrates that people do assume fiction is history. And history has always had issues with being confused with and used as propaganda to serve present agendas. That's why its historians' jobs to note when a story gets things wrong.
@@josephmayo3253as someone half English half Scottish I'd say this type of film gives the usual English man = bad narrative. Based on fallacies Its certainly retelling of history. It would be similar to making a film depicting poor American setters being attacked by violent native Americans. And basing it on real events that were not accurate
This was the first soundtrack i ever bought! This was the background for many of our Dungeon N Dragons games lol. Also, Sophie Marceau(french queen)....my first love!
The Battle where he says They make take our lives but they will never take our Freedom! was The Battle of Sterling Bridge. You may notice there is no Bridge. Robert the Bruce is where Batman gets his first name from.
Great movie. Another great historical movie that came out the same time but was overshadowed by this movie success is Rob Roy 1995 with Liam Nisson.. Also there is the great movie The Count Of Monte Cristo 2002
Although I loved this film I don't think is can be called a great historical film due to its vast inaccuracies. I'm half English half Scottish and my Scottish farther absolutely hated this film due to its inaccuracies from Wallace relationship to a princess that was around 5 years old at the time. To the awful depiction of Robert the Bruce. A very entertaining fimn but historically inaccurate
When they cut off his... yk what (egg plant) during the torture in front of all the people, just before he screams freedom- always makes me feel immense physical and emotional pain.. Love this movie so much. First time watching your reaction, I will be watching many more!
I'm pleasantly surprised you hadn't already reacted to this. I thought you already had and almost didn't click on it. Looking forward to your reaction to Braveheart.
This was filmed in Ireland, and they used the Army Reserves for the extras in the big battle scenes. Had a lot of friends who took part it. The stories alot of them had to tell were hilarious. Giving a bunch of 18 year old weekend warriors with fake swords and telling them to go at each other lol...... Lots of injuries haha.
I was 14 when I saw this in the theater...I want to say this was one of the first films to be so gory with the violence and battle scenes. The movie was so good that people sat in the theater for a couple of minutes in total silence...it was that heavy. The only other movie I saw in theater where everyone was silent after the movie was Saving Private Ryan .
I was on the live chat last night and it was hard to get her to see my comments with all her subs/fans. Alot of ppl throwing up good suggestions on her page. I've forgotten how many gd movies came out in the 90s. Was hoping she'd see my "Fried Green Tomatoes" and "Little Man Tate" suggestions. I imagine "Good Morning, Vietnam" would be blocked for the music 😕 I enjoy her channel for the intuitive and valuable feedback you don't really get from other reactors. Kinda cool that her white blanket & rainbow stripes match her sweater on the outro picture 🙂 Have a gd wknd everyone!
One of my favourite movies. My only gripe is that a lot of people seem to think this is a documentary, accurately portraying what happened at this point in history.
Such a huge movie for my teens. You should also give "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" some consideration. It's done much in this manner, starring Mila Jovovich. It's mostly flown under the radar, but it's an exceptional film.
General Douglas Macarthur gave a speech in Japan upon seeing the look of hope escaping his troops, Gen Mac told of his aunt who was attacked by a mountain lion the beast's jaws clenched her neck... she fought back and carried the scars of that attack on her neck till the grave. General Douglas Macarthur's aunt was The Great Grand Daughter of a Scottish Earl
I saw it on the first date with the woman who is now my wife. We arrived early ti the theatre and thought we were late and walked in during the torture scene at the end of the movie. Because his wife shows up in the crowd, I was never so shocked at a movie death in my life.
As far as saying “why didn’t his friends do anything?”, the 2 men (who were wanted criminals as well) were surrounded by armed guards at a public torture, with dozens if not a hundred or more people who (initially) were thirsting for his torture & death, in a place that was guarded and protected. What could they have done? Possibly today we are so inundated by fantasy or comic book superhero scenarios that viewers expect/hope for unrealistic, fairytale endings. Although there are plenty of historical inaccuracies in the film, it is true that Wallace was tortured and executed. Changing his death into an impossible “happy ending” would have made the film less powerful as well as removed one of the more important historical aspects of the film.
This is one of the many movies I know line for line and I never get sick of it. Gladiator and Braveheart are still my top 2 favorite films because I love Swords. Also. the soundtrack for this movie by the great James Horner is what gets me every time. I love this film too much.
29:29 - 'Cause the prince sent her to the meetings with his father instead of going himself, so Edward pays him back by sending her to negotiate. To humiliate him basically.
The first large battle that is shown in the movie is supposed to be the Battle of Stirling Bridge, it took most of the day since you asked about the amount of time. The strategy for the scottish forces was different as well. The english force of several thousand men had to cross a small bridge, when about 2000 men ( around 30 percent of the total ) had crossed the bridge, scottish forces attacked from the high ground with longspears, the bridge was taken by heavy infantry to cut off the smaller english force. A cavalry contigent of the scots used a crossing several miles away to attack the archers.
@@jescis0before you get too angry remember this film is one of the worst if you want historical accuracy. Infact the only correct bits are the names of some of the characters. Everything else is basically BS.
@@eddhardy1054 I know, I don't 100% rely on movies for historical accuracy. Heck even Disney's Pocahontas is inaccurate, but it's a good start, if anyone can't read/don't want to read, they can always talk to a historian who has and done their research. But if you really want to know true historical accurate facts… research is the best! 😉😉
Braveheart Epic movie. Shanelle, another epic very well acted movie based on real people in history. "Tombstone" with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer. Playing Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
You are right about the love story not happening. Isabella was still a child in France when Wallace was fighting the English. Akso, Wallace was NOT Braveheart, that is the name given to Robert the Bruce.
![Braveheart (1995) Movie Reaction [ First Time Watching ]](/img/n.gif)
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@shanelleRiccio #shanericcio thank you for this classic movie reaction..
What happened to your color purple reaction video?
@@jebVlogs556 Removed cause of copyright issue (strike or warning or something). 🙁
@@TheJamieRamonedang that must've happened to Leo aka "MrVideo" reacts as well :(
Did you know that the bagpipes in this movie or Irish bagpipes and not Scottish
Saw this in the theaters with my family when I was 15. I HATE crying in front of people during movies and I remember we were all in tears. My dad was wiping tears off this face, my stepmom was outright bawling, and even my brothers were pretending that they weren't crying. LOL. The scene with the thistle and the music there made a HUGE impression on me as a teenager. I found it beautiful and absolutely haunting. Haven't watched this movie in years and it was so fun to see your reaction.
I was around the same age when I saw 🤣 seen both The Patriot and the Movie "Braveheart" apparently my dad/mom were Mel Gib fans hehe 😂
Same, I think it was the first realistic movie seen.
Like if this was any movie before it. His friends would swing in and rescue him and he gets the princess.
i also hate crying in public!! haha
When the film was released it was being shown in a cinema in Glasgow, Scotland. An English football team was playing in Glasgow and it's supporters went to see the film either before or after the match against a Scottish team.
When the Battle of Stirling Bridge took place in the film the English fans erupted with fury, the Scottish in the cinema went mental and a huge fight took place!
Dang, you edited around the most important word spoken in the film. Where he yells FREEEEEEDOM in defiance, even though it means his death. One of the greatest moments. Such an amazing film.
Right? Why would she cut that part out 😐
It’s one of the most iconic lines in cinema history.
Well duh. This is how they get Patreon subs.
Good. Because he never said it; in fact we don’t know what his final words were.
I’ve listed everything that’s wrong with Braveheart (who was in fact Robert The Bruce….not Wallace) in a separate post.
how can you claim that he never said it and right after you say that we don't know what his last words were? if we don't know what his last words were then it could've been whatever including "FREEEDOM"@@davidanderson1639
I was a scrawny 14 year-old when I saw the Thursday midnight showing of this the night before opening day. This film made me feel a passion I had never felt before. The rush was incredible. I remember immediately going home and lifting weights until the sun came up.
I actually got to tell the story to Mel while working on one of his other films, and he told me that his producer looked at him after the first screening and said, "boys are going in to see this movie and are coming out men."
i watched this on release in a theatre in glasgow, shouts, of 'yassss' - 'ya durty english bstard' were being shouted throughout movie :X
Yes that what a fantasy historically wrong story fantasy does for you, I bet you watched enter the dragon Bruce Lee to.....
Yes, Gibson's character is supposed to be younger than he appears. Gibson was offered the role, and he said he was too old and he asked to direct it instead. Somehow, he ended up doing both.
He's 39, so he still got it back then
Paramount insisted Gibson play Wallace if they allowed him to direct it.
29:04 - "I did not see that coming!" Neither did Philip. 😂
--I always took that as the point too, the king was *proving* Philip wasn't "skilled in the art of military tactics"
Special shout to the LATE GREAT JAMES HORNER who without his STUNNING SCORE this movie wouldn’t have had nearly the same impact… R.I.P. James! Saw this weeks after its release alone and was sooooo blown away by it dragged my GF to it the next night!
Yep this one is up there with Titanic and Field of Dreams for his best. Horner's on my Mt. Rushmore of the greatest composers of all time. Right next to Williams and Zimmer.
Cannot believe Horner did not win an Oscar for the score. The score is one of if not the greatest score ever made on film! Horner was shafted tbh. Deserved it.
agreed!!! @@MikeWilsonBarrett
Dont forget Morricone!! @@KS-xk2so
when he saw his wifes spirit walk through the crowd........my heart melted in a way it hadnt for any other film
I love your perspective and film knowledge. My sister's husband was killed, execution style, in the line of duty in 2002. Mel Gibson's people reached out to my sister and our family met him secretly. He gave my niece $10K for her education and spent time with us. He is as charming as you can imagine. His eyes were the bluest I've ever seen. By the way, Dave, the one that was murdered, he was a big fan of this film.
Can I ask why?
She just smiles all the time. Even throughout this film she's nothing but smiles. Sometimes it's okay to smile but sometimes not.
This isn't a film that should make u smile constantly. It's weird.
One thing that hits me so hard in this movie that nobody talks about is the father-son relationships. 4 instances of father-son relationships, with different dynamics, and the father dies (one a metaphorical death). William’s relationship was never realized. Robert detested his father. The King was a tyrannical father. And of course, Hamish. The relationship we men all wish to have with our fathers and sons. In my mind, other than the liberty stuff, this seems like the next most important theme. But no one ever seems to notice.
And Wallace becoming a father is his final act of revenge.
FREEEEDAAAAD!
William's father, Sir Malcom Wallace, did not die when William was a young boy, orphaning him and leaving him with a hatred of violence and the English. Malcolm Wallace died in 1291 after being involved in several skirmishes with the English over the years and his son William was a full-fledged adult rebel at the time of his death.
Oh & he never shouted ‘Freedom’ in fact we don’t know what his final words were.
Also, let’s not forget Braveheart wasn’t William Wallace; it was actually Robert The Bruce who was given the nickname.
@@davidanderson1639well if we don't know his final words, than he may very well have shouted freedom!
The Braveheart soundtrack is something else. So amazing.
It's something else, alright; it features Irish uilleann pipes 🙂
Rip James horner 😢
Murron's death is all the more heartbreaking when you notice the fact that just before he did it, her eyes were scanning the hills in the distance, hoping William would come and save it, but he never does. 💔😭
A lot of amputees actually worked on this film. They would fix them with prosthetics so when they cut an arm off, there’s no arm. Or leg.
"Him and his jawbone didn't deserve that." 100% LOL
The Bruce betrayal in my opinion is one of the greatest scenes in cinema history.
For my money, Brendan Gleeson is one of the best actors working today, and every time I see him in something I think about Hamish.
The two guys who were the "common soldiers" in many scenes (the ones who wanted to leave the battle in the first scene) were in a movie together a few years later called "My Name is Joe". It's a Scottish film and while I scoffed initially that there were subtitles since they were speaking English, I don't think I would have understood a word without them.
Winner of 5 Oscars including Best Picture.
"They may take our lives, but they'll never take OUR FREEDOM!"
"Why didn't they do anything?"
Do recall the beginning of the film. "History is written by those who hanged heros".
They were there to bear whitness. To tell his story and be his voice.
Also what could they them have done.
@@Henrik_Holst yeah really. Two dudes in cloaks... maybe armed with daggers, are going to rush the stage and fight through the dozens of guardsmen and men at arms in the castle to escape lol
@@KS-xk2so hehe, one of those that only works in a video game :)
I saw this movie five times in theater... which is saying something in the 90s. I kept finding people that hadn't seen it yet and dragging them to the theater. "Let's go right now."
yep 5 times aswell in different theaters... first and last time I did that.
Epic, wish I did, saw it only once in the theater, but seen it so many times after, it was my go-to movie on movie date nights, it worked every time and I loved seeing it with someone who hasn't seen it yet
@@Berg126 On one Occasion we got two young girls with us and they wept so much after the movie that we felt bad we had taken them with us to the theater...
I also did this is 95 with Mr.Hollands Opus. lol
In Age Of Ultron, Tony Stark makes a joke about reinstating prima noctus in the lounge scene.
I was a wee little eight year old when my parents rented this and Lion King. That was a rough night.
Wow. Yeah it is.
7:56 - Yeah, this is one of those movies with good cinematography. Not just gorgeous shots, but *_well placed/used_* shots. Nowadays they tend to overdo things. But this? This, boys and girls is how you do it!
The war scenes were the fist time in film history that we saw this kind of scale and brutality on screen. It still holds up really well today.
Yup. I will never forget the first time I saw that first battle scene. I was probably about 14 and it blew my mind. This movie is SAVAGE.
The only thing comparable was Monty Python and the Holy Grail! I’m convinced that the crew of Braveheart took a lot of visual inspiration from that film… and the costume designer, Charles Knode, worked on Holy Grail!
Gladiator is the poor man's Braveheart.
Most people don't know.
Bagpipes are the ONLY
Musical instrument that is
considered a Weapon of War
I was 15, but I missed it in the theater when it was released, but my luck, they re-showed it in a school holiday 7 or 8 months later, so I went to the first showing of the day, it was only me and 1 other young guy in the theater.
It was epic, sitting alone in the dark and crying my eyes out, nobody had seen a movie like this in years back in 95!!!
It didn't have anything like this it could copy or borrow from.
This is a masterpiece and wish I could see it for the first time again
if you have never been the remote Scottish highlands are some of the most amazing and beautiful places on the earth, the peace and quite you get there is just amazing. what the do to willam wallace at the end is called being Hung Drawn and quatered.
During his acceptance speech at the Oscar's when he won Best Director, after his list of "Thank yous", Gibson quipped "Now that I'm a bona fide Director with a Golden Boy, I guess I can try to do what every other Director seems to want to do, and that is act!"
It was the same distinction of Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves
The speech Wallace gives before the first battle (Stirling Bridge), like the speech Aragon gives before the battle at the Black Gates, are both based on the St. Crispin’s Day speech from Shakespeare’s Henry V.
I too thought of Lord of the Rings speeches. ☺
17:27 - Admit? The cheers in scottish movie theaters proudly boasted such satisfaction when this movie came out! And from then on!
MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A SCOTSMAN!! Saw it with my Dad in the theater. I know it isnt historically accurate, but it demonstrates the pride, heart, and soul of the Scottish people. It was one of my Dad's favorite movies rest his soul.
My dad saw it at the cinema in Singapore when he was working overseas and said as soon as it started he was emotional and wanted to come home to Scotland
R.I.P., Speedpainter1's dad.
I feel the same way as I guarantee the English did essentially the same thing with the Irish! And I don't know whether I'm legit Irish or scott-irish… but I still support anyone that's against what happened and how! 😢😢
@@jescis0 Robert the Bruce's brother Edward tried to take over Ireland. All the nobles sucked wherever they were from.
It’s historically insulting. Turns Scottish noblemen into cavemen.
Love the way you said "If you're lookin for someone quiet, you're gonna not like this" lmao 😂😁🤩🤣🤣😊😊😎😎
I remember when this came out and the controversy about the horses. They released behind the scenes footage to show the horses were fake and no horses got harmed.
The movie was epic and what was most underrated was the music for this movie. It is one of the greatest scores.
As odd as it might seem, I think “You dropped your rock” is one of my favorite lines in this movie.
Loved your reaction to the movie.. When the movie came out in 95 in Scotland. I remember everyone standing and clapping at the end of the film! Also a couple of interesting facts.. Where I stay in Scotland is a place called Ayr. William Wallace spent a lot of his life in this area. The hanging of the Scottish nobles in a Barn near the start of the movie, was based on events in a poem by the poet Blind Harry. The Scottish Nobles were lured to the Barns of Ayr, captured by English troops and hung. Wallace evaded the trap. He then set fire to the English Soldier's Ayr barracks in retaliation. The Wallace monument stands in a field, in the small Scottish Parish of Craigie. The town of Ayr can be seen in the distance. The 60 foot monument is called the Barnweil Monument. It is dedicated to the memory of William Wallace and the burning of the English barracks. Burn Weil said Wallace.. which meant Burn Well!
I first saw Braveheart in 2005 in high school, literally - Mr Forsyth chose it for the visual media part of our English class. As such, I've seen it, particularly the Battle of Stirling Bridge scene ("the sword against the blue sky reflects the blue of the Scottish flag and that's why the director chooses to focus on it", etc), more times than I can recall. So it's testament to the strength of the movie that *despite* this introduction and exposure, I love it all the same.
Historically, it's a mess, and not just for the points you raised. The Battle of Stirling Bridge took place on, well, a bridge. The Scots won through basically bottlenecking the English advances onto the bridge and killing them in waves, not through long spears or burning field tricks. The French princess not only wasn't in Britain at the time of Wallace's campaign, but was also just three years old. See also: face paint, tartan, and two-handed swords as other things very unlikely to have been in force at the time.
Most amusing of all: the Scottish hero William Wallace is played by Australian Mel Gibson; The King of England is Patrick McGoohan, an Irishman; and the mad King Stephen of Ireland is portrayed by David O'Hara, who despite the name is Scottish.
Congratulations - between this and Trainspotting you've probably covered two of the most fundamental cornerstones of Scottish-based cinema! Might I suggest Shallow Grave and/or The Angels' Share for two more? Thank you for these reactions - oatcakes and cheese to eat for myself!
Second "The Angels' Share" for sure. And I may be showing my age here but for me no list of Scottish film suggestions can be complete without "Gregory's Girl" (the first time I remember watching a film and really seeing us in it) and "Restless Natives", with an honourable mention to "Local Hero".
(for me BTW one of 'Braveheart's more egregious transgressions is a more meta issue - it mostly wasn't even filmed in Scotland. 'Rob Roy' played similarly fast and loose with history _and_ featured a non-Scot lead playing Scottish but at least it features the actual Highlands and filmed with such loving care it's basically landscape porn at times)
"You dropped your rock."🙃
My favorite reactor, finally watching my favorite movie and i just happened to sit down with nothing to do for about an hour... Perfect. Lets do this!
I know this is a couple of months old, but as a Scot, come visit here. You will love it. The place is amazing and Scots are actually realy friendly.
You are without a doubt the most knowledgeable and thorough provoking movie reviewer, I know I'll enjoy this masterpiece watching again through your iiiiii s
Yes, the romance between Wallace and the French princess was completely fictional. In reality, she was just a young child when Wallace was killed. They never actually met.
The list of inaccuracies is never ending. I’ve actually listed them in a post somewhere in the comments.
@@davidanderson1639 Yes. I think if you are creating something based on actual events you have a responsibility to be as accurate as possible. Otherwise, people watching TV dramas might think Anne Boleyn was black. Oh, wait a minute….
@@jameslinham2733 What? So you’re also going to be telling me Cleopatra wasn’t Black?? 🤣🤣
I totally agree with you. If you are wishing to adapt a historical event into a film, then it should be as accurate as possible.
Even Spielberg made errors in Saving Private Ryan; the large metal structures seen on the beach are facing the wrong direction….I’m assuming the production designer worked from photos of the landings?
28:52 - "Is he qualified?"
- "I am skilled in the arts of secret backdoor negotiations and swordplay tactics, sire"
- "Very well, I will make you responsible for the development of our airborne tactical doctrine...come, let me show you"
Yeah, the receding hairline bit is kinda true of Celtic peoples. I had a Slavic friend say to me, “You’re of Irish blood, so don’t get to fond of your hair” BUT! I can grow a magnificent blonde, red, black and grey beard!
This is my favorite movie of all time. Between the story, music, set design and location, it's just a masterpiece from start to finish.
Regardless of the dramatic liberties taken with this film, William Wallace is a national hero in Scotland. He will not be forgotten.
none of the horses died, they were just great actors, it is a movie
Just for clarity, historically _many_ horses (and other animals) have been killed or injured in the process of making movies - in early westerns for instance, if you saw a horse go down it was likely because it had been tripped, _often_ leading to injuries and/or death.
But by the 90s (when 'Braveheart' was made) those practices had long been outlawed and animal treatment tightly regulated to prevent cruelty.
@@anonymes2884real horses weren’t used in the battle scenes, only mechanical horses.
I didn’t see the movie in its initial theatrical run, but it got more showings when it was buzzing pre-Oscars. My parents and I saw it and of course loved it, and we were so happy and proud when it won Best Director and Picture. Top five all-time for me.
Average medieval battle was usually under 2 hours. Exceptions being Hastings which lasted most of a day and Bannockburn which was fought over 2 days. this was due to Robert the Bruce's clever planning of the battle which slowly dragged the English into an area of land from which they could not escape..
Let’s not forget the mystery missing bridge at The Battle of Stirling Bridge…..along with the countless other inaccuracies in this film.
As I said in my comment . Braveheart is possibly the most inaccurate historical movie ever made. Stirling Bridge was a very clever battle and Wallace wasn't even in command. The brilliance of the victory came down to a Scots noble called Andrew D'Moray who was mortally wounded during the battle and Wallace was given credit.
@@davidanderson1639
Don't forget that the Battle of Hastings was fought by an English army that were mostly untrained farmers and foresters who had just force marched up to sort out a Viking invasion at the other end of the UK, a distance of 185 miles in 4 days, then turned round and force marched back to face the Viking's invading from Normandy so thats 370 miles in 8 days with a battle in the middle and a battle at the end, don't make folks like that anymore. And yes they were Viking's at Hastings, Normandy was given to the Vikings by the French so they would stop raiding France.
@@martinsear5470 Very true. Its estimated that Harold lost over a third of his professional Housecarls at Stamford Bridge.. Also around 1500 northern housecarls were kiled killed by the Vikings at the sometimes forgotten battle of Fulford a week before Stamford bridge..
That scene where she gives him a thistle, and then he kept it all his life....
A pretty flower, growing from a prickly stem. It's not subtle, but it is very appropriate.
I first saw this film in 1995. The screening was at theater which had an ornate balcony and proscenium arch, normally used for larger scale stage productions. They did a series of movie screenings in the 90s, which included As Good As It Gets.
44:06 "We do have to keep in mind it's 95 dollars" 😂
27:24 - Yep, Mel's performance is just perfect here!
was literally like damn where's my weekly Shanelle vid?
Then refreshed the page and smiled :)
Here's a suggestion Shanelle,
a good film where also main actor and director are the same one:
Dances with Wolves (1990)
It is a Western starring, directed, and produced by Kevin Costner. It's an adaptation of the 1988 novel of the same name by Michael Blake.
I'd recommend the extended version (although it's a long one).
There was some behind the scenes footage somewhere, maybe on certain editions of the DVD, where they go into depth and show production footage of how they costumed so many extras and such for the huge set piece battles, how they used fake horses in spots, etc. This was a huge movie to film, and you gotta give it up to the producers and all the production assistants that had to coordinate this.
Good reaction Shan. Amazing movie, and yes, they played very loose with the facts, but the storytelling is phenomenal. The complaints about the lack of accuracy miss the fact that this entertainment, not documentary.
Yeah... but entertainment that pretends to be telling history, facts, and truth when it's not can have real world consequences. One can say all the same things about "Lost Cause" movies about the South and slavery, etc. People believe and invest themselves in those stories, and that matters when they are lies and it affects other people in the present.
@@Mikearice1 What real world consequences are there to fictionalizing a 700+ year old story?
@@josephmayo3253 It added fuel to an independence movement in Scotland. If people want that for contemporary reasons, that's fine, but it demonstrates that people do assume fiction is history. And history has always had issues with being confused with and used as propaganda to serve present agendas. That's why its historians' jobs to note when a story gets things wrong.
@@josephmayo3253as someone half English half Scottish I'd say this type of film gives the usual English man = bad narrative. Based on fallacies Its certainly retelling of history. It would be similar to making a film depicting poor American setters being attacked by violent native Americans. And basing it on real events that were not accurate
I was 14 and saw it twice in the theaters when it came out. The first move to ever make me cry. Just an unbelievable great movie
We had an annual party in the woods based off of this movie that lasted ten years.
5:46 - Medieval British isles be like: "Laws, shmaws!" 😂
17:54 - I know. Love that asymmetric filmmaking! And it's Murron.
Apacolypto is a masterpiece! Mel Gibson has directed some great movies. Also requesting Collateral with Tom Cruise again
This was the first soundtrack i ever bought! This was the background for many of our Dungeon N Dragons games lol. Also, Sophie Marceau(french queen)....my first love!
34:55 - And here comes harvest time! 🤣
The Battle where he says They make take our lives but they will never take our Freedom! was The Battle of Sterling Bridge. You may notice there is no Bridge. Robert the Bruce is where Batman gets his first name from.
26:26 - They could last anywhere from a few minutes to a good number of hours or even days, depending of factors such as weather, terrain, strategy...
I only was 4 when this came out but I remember taking me to take me to see it the day it came out. If he wanted to see a movie I always went with him.
16:18 - Yeah, that's pretty much the correct state of mind to be in at this point.
2:10 I thought she was going to say something other than a nap... lol
19:30 - Well, I mean...you're not wrong! 😄
Great movie. Another great historical movie that came out the same time but was overshadowed by this movie success is Rob Roy 1995 with Liam Nisson.. Also there is the great movie The Count Of Monte Cristo 2002
Although I loved this film I don't think is can be called a great historical film due to its vast inaccuracies. I'm half English half Scottish and my Scottish farther absolutely hated this film due to its inaccuracies from Wallace relationship to a princess that was around 5 years old at the time. To the awful depiction of Robert the Bruce. A very entertaining fimn but historically inaccurate
When they cut off his... yk what (egg plant) during the torture in front of all the people, just before he screams freedom- always makes me feel immense physical and emotional pain.. Love this movie so much. First time watching your reaction, I will be watching many more!
I'm pleasantly surprised you hadn't already reacted to this. I thought you already had and almost didn't click on it. Looking forward to your reaction to Braveheart.
This was filmed in Ireland, and they used the Army Reserves for the extras in the big battle scenes. Had a lot of friends who took part it. The stories alot of them had to tell were hilarious. Giving a bunch of 18 year old weekend warriors with fake swords and telling them to go at each other lol...... Lots of injuries haha.
I was 14 when I saw this in the theater...I want to say this was one of the first films to be so gory with the violence and battle scenes. The movie was so good that people sat in the theater for a couple of minutes in total silence...it was that heavy. The only other movie I saw in theater where everyone was silent after the movie was Saving Private Ryan .
I was on the live chat last night and it was hard to get her to see my comments with all her subs/fans. Alot of ppl throwing up good suggestions on her page.
I've forgotten how many gd movies came out in the 90s.
Was hoping she'd see my "Fried Green Tomatoes" and "Little Man Tate" suggestions. I imagine "Good Morning, Vietnam" would be blocked for the music 😕
I enjoy her channel for the intuitive and valuable feedback you don't really get from other reactors.
Kinda cool that her white blanket & rainbow stripes match her sweater on the outro picture 🙂
Have a gd wknd everyone!
Well she *DID* get the Fried Green Tomatoes DVD in the mail so it's a sure bet she'll get around to it. 😉
One of my favourite movies. My only gripe is that a lot of people seem to think this is a documentary, accurately portraying what happened at this point in history.
Such a huge movie for my teens. You should also give "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" some consideration. It's done much in this manner, starring Mila Jovovich. It's mostly flown under the radar, but it's an exceptional film.
General Douglas Macarthur gave a speech in Japan upon seeing the look of hope escaping his troops, Gen Mac told of his aunt who was attacked by a mountain lion the beast's jaws clenched her neck... she fought back and carried the scars of that attack on her neck till the grave. General Douglas Macarthur's aunt was The Great Grand Daughter of a Scottish Earl
This is and always will be one of my top 5 films of all time 👍 it's a shame these kind of cinematic epics aren't being made anymore 😢
Saw this at the cinema with school. Back in 2011 drove up to Scotland (live England) and didn't realise we stayed right where the battle occured.
31:32 - Yeah, that's scene's one of my my favorites in the whole movie! 😊
I saw it on the first date with the woman who is now my wife. We arrived early ti the theatre and thought we were late and walked in during the torture scene at the end of the movie. Because his wife shows up in the crowd, I was never so shocked at a movie death in my life.
Saw it on opening night, and the following night, with the wife.
Awe-inspiring, cinematic gold.
As far as saying “why didn’t his friends do anything?”, the 2 men (who were wanted criminals as well) were surrounded by armed guards at a public torture, with dozens if not a hundred or more people who (initially) were thirsting for his torture & death, in a place that was guarded and protected. What could they have done? Possibly today we are so inundated by fantasy or comic book superhero scenarios that viewers expect/hope for unrealistic, fairytale endings. Although there are plenty of historical inaccuracies in the film, it is true that Wallace was tortured and executed. Changing his death into an impossible “happy ending” would have made the film less powerful as well as removed one of the more important historical aspects of the film.
Another epic movie is kingdom of heaven by Ridley Scott. Sweeping camera work and lots of extras. Stars Orlando Bloom
This is one of the many movies I know line for line and I never get sick of it. Gladiator and Braveheart are still my top 2 favorite films because I love Swords. Also. the soundtrack for this movie by the great James Horner is what gets me every time. I love this film too much.
Now you've seen this one, you should see "Rob Roy"(1995) another famous one from history and from the same year!
Yup. That movie will always bring a tear to the eye.
Many of the extras were Irish Volunteer Reserve army (FCA) many of my friends were extras in the movie. They recruited amputees to do battle scenes.
I'm so excited for this!! I haven't even started watching yet 😂
I saw Braveheart when I was living in Vail CO in 1995. i loved it!!
“Can you just do that?” Pretty much all of English history pre WWII.
29:29 - 'Cause the prince sent her to the meetings with his father instead of going himself, so Edward pays him back by sending her to negotiate. To humiliate him basically.
The first large battle that is shown in the movie is supposed to be the Battle of Stirling Bridge, it took most of the day since you asked about the amount of time. The strategy for the scottish forces was different as well. The english force of several thousand men had to cross a small bridge, when about 2000 men ( around 30 percent of the total ) had crossed the bridge, scottish forces attacked from the high ground with longspears, the bridge was taken by heavy infantry to cut off the smaller english force. A cavalry contigent of the scots used a crossing several miles away to attack the archers.
That's cool! I'm sure it was a lot of people who became deceased from the greed of the English king! 🤬🤬
@@jescis0before you get too angry remember this film is one of the worst if you want historical accuracy. Infact the only correct bits are the names of some of the characters. Everything else is basically BS.
@@eddhardy1054 I know, I don't 100% rely on movies for historical accuracy. Heck even Disney's Pocahontas is inaccurate, but it's a good start, if anyone can't read/don't want to read, they can always talk to a historian who has and done their research. But if you really want to know true historical accurate facts… research is the best! 😉😉
Braveheart Epic movie. Shanelle, another epic very well acted movie based on real people in history. "Tombstone" with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer. Playing Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
You are right about the love story not happening. Isabella was still a child in France when Wallace was fighting the English. Akso, Wallace was NOT Braveheart, that is the name given to Robert the Bruce.
Also there's no evidence wallace and the Bruce ever met.
6:50 - That escalated quickly.
I saw it in Conroe Tx in a rent mobile home plus in the Acadamy Awards. Here is another great movie... DANCES WITH WOLVES.