Braveheart: 1995

"In the Year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland - starving and outnumbered - charged the fields of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets; they fought like Scotsmen, and won their freedom."

Always gives me goosebumps being the proud Scotsman that I am.

But sadly, this film is nothing more than a work of historical drama-fiction. There was so much wrong with the accuracy of this film that I wouldn't have time to list all the glaring innacuracies. For example William Wallace was no common man, he was a noble, and like all the other Scots at his rank led an army -- and was defeated after a small conquest down to York.

That being said let's not detract from the epic storytelling of this film. Historically innacurate it may be but such an awesome story. It's a story about love, passion, vengeance, and conquest. Everything a good historical drama needs to be successful.

We start off this story with young William, a young boy naive to the complexities of life, going about his daily duties as a boy. Playing with his friend Hamish, and doing the daily chores around the house.

At the time he was a child, a rebellion was starting in Scotland against the English, and in an attempt to squash rebellion the king sets up an ambush to kill off all the clan leaders in one go. He was successful.

His father, a family man, but also a warrior was called to fight against the tyranny and was injured in battle and died. William was now an orphaned boy.

His uncle came that day from France to see off his brothers funeral and takes charge of William, who is now under his care. He takes him off to fight in the crusades and war in foreign lands. Most likely France but we aren't made aware of that situation.

We are then fast forwarded in time as young William is now older and in his twenties, tired and over and done with war and fighting and just wants to settle down and have a family. Raise crops and work the land. He doesn't want to fight anymore.

That's where he meets Murron, who he takes a fancy for and has to marry in secret because her parents are quite against it. They become very much in love. And hidden in their secrecy.

That's when one of the dirty soldiers try to rape Murron, and William Wallace fights off everyone and tries to get her on a horse and flees it off as he fights off any attackers. Sadly, Murron is attacked and captured and William escapes to meet at the rendezvous point but she isn't there. The local Lord of the village has already killed her in an attempt to flush William out.

Absolutely enraged with craziness that his wife was now dead, William banded local support and overthrew the local lord and ransacked his castle. And thus a passionate rebellion fuelled with years of passed unsatisfied vengeance began.

They tore down Cities, burned castles, ransacked forts and even took control of an English stronghold in England. It was looking dire for the English.

The film was a pleasure to watch and gave us gems like this one. I'll never forget Steven. He's my hero from that film. William Wallace was a secondary feature:

So despite its massive historical innacuracies, and painting the world as black and white when it's realistically more several shades of grey, this film was still an amazing one to watch. I thoroughly recommend it for everyone -- even to scowl at the fearsome Longshanks, who does a great job of playing the villain.

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