Wendy Greenwood

When it comes to movies that reach epic proportions and manages to surpass it to legendary status, one film personifies that, and that is Mel Gibson's Braveheart. From its production values, to its beautiful cinematography and excellent direction, this epic defiantly deserves a spot among cinema's greatest pieces of filmmaking. In 13th century Scotland, it tells the story of William Wallace, a Scotsman who, after witnessing his wife being publicly executed by the English, wages an all-out rebellion against the tyrannical English rule. Soon, his rebellion grows from a small group of farmers to, eventually, every clan in the country as he leads them to war for the freedom of Scotland. While, sure, it may not be entirely historically accurate, like the love connection between Wallace and Princess Isabella. But even with some of the historical inaccuracies, it doesn't get in the way of the overall narrative and spectacle. Gibson, who is also the director, shows off his cinematic vision with its authentic production design, gritty and dramatic tone, and sheer spectacle. I especially love the cinematography here, especially the sweeping shots of the Scottish landscape (even though some of the scenes are filmed in Ireland. For a film that is nearly 3 hours long, it felt like the movie had just the right amount of time, and that's mostly due to the film's steady pacing and good editing, especially the quick editing shots during the battle scenes. Speaking of which, the battle scenes are amazing. Right up there with Lord of the Rings, these are among the best battle scenes ever put to film. I'll never forget the Battle of Stirling Bridge scene (historical inaccuracies aside though) for being a brutal, bloody, and badass sword fight. You have heads being decapitated, blood splattering everywhere, impalements, people getting stabbed, people being set on fire, tortured, and getting shot by raining arrows; this is as brutal as medieval warfare could get. Lastly, the epic score done by the late James Horner is so good that it is the icing on the cake. The casting and performances are excellent: Brendon Gleeson, the late Patrick McGoohan, the gorgeous Sophie Marceau, among many others. But the real star is Mel Gibson, in probably one of his best, if not, his best performance, even better than Mad Max. He perfectly shows how any epic hero can be both badass and emotional at the same time. Overall, Braveheart is everything that I wanted in an epic film. A great story, phenomenal filmmaking, A-List performances, lush production values, and an epic score makes this a milestone in cinema history. After more than 20 years, it still stands as one of the best movies ever made. If you haven't seen it yet, what the hell are you waiting for? Go check it out. Final Verdict: 10/10 with an Epic Seal of Awesomeness.