|
It has its faults - like a serious amount of historical
errors - but then it is not a 13th Century history lesson
on Scotland's fight to free itself from English rule, it is
more a powerful, emotional look at a bloody period of Scots
and English history.
And, boy, is it bloody.
On DVD, in particular, the sharpness of the still frames
and slow-motion replay allows you to really check out the
gory action in eye-averting detail. The scene where a vengeful
William Wallace caves in a skull with a flail makes even the
heartiest gore-lover go "oooook".
But Braveheart is more than blood and guts. It is
an earthy adventure, a love story, a tale of treachery, a
line-up of memorable characters and the story of one man's
vision for his country.
Just how Gibson managed it all is mind-boggling, but it is
a tribute to his talents that he pulled it off so well.
Okay, he had a ripper cast to help out, with Patrick McGoohan
being the absolute star of the whole thing as an imperiously
sinister Edward I, better known as Longshanks.
McGoohan absolutely revels in his scenes-stealing performance
with such great lines as: "Not the archers, arrows cost money.
Use up the Irish, the dead cost nothing."
And, when questioned by a surprised commander over his order
to shoot arrows even if it meant hitting his own men: "Yes,
but we'll hit their's as well. We have reserves. Attack."
Braveheart also boasts two of the most stunning female
actors around, in Sophie Marceau and Catherine McCormack,
who add much-needed grace and beauty to a grim story.
Newish face Angus Macfadyen is terrific as the unsure Robert
the Bruce and Alun Armstrong puts in a great performance as
a side-switching Scottish noble.
In addition, you can spend hours going through and spotting
many familiar faces in lesser roles - such as the uncompromising
James Cosmo as a stalwart Wallace supporter, Ian Bannen as
the scheming, leperous father of the Bruce and Brendan Gleeson
as Wallace's childhood friend.
The transfer on to DVD is up and down, with shadow areas
prone to film artefacts but, when you consider the amount
of action going on across the screen, it's pretty good.
Braveheart is an awesome movie that should be in every
home DVD library.
Conclusion: Movie 95%, Extras 85%
Continued:
DVD details at a glance >
|
