Braveheart (1995)

Does "epic" equal "overblown?"  That's the question to ponder while 
watching BRAVEHEART, Mel Gibson's second stint behind the camera after  
THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE (1993).  In his earnest attempt to craft a 
SPARTACUS-scale spectacular out of a 14th-Century Scottish legend, 
Gibson serves up a revenge fantasy of epic proportions.  Forget Liam 
Neeson's feeble fuming in ROB ROY, here's an actor toting a chip the 
size of Scotland.  Gibson's character is out to avenge *everyone*: his 
father, his wife, even the whole of the Highlands themselves.  What a 
bargain! 
 
Forget the impassioned speeches and the hair extensions, it's the 
greedy, grisly battle scenes that shouldn't be missed.  No limb goes 
unhacked, no gut goes ungouged; and it's all enhanced through the magic 
of Dolby-surround sound effects.  Yikes!  The story needs work, though, 
as there's about twenty-minutes too much of it.  C'est la vie. 
BRAVEHEART looks like it cost a zillion dollars, and that buys quite a 
bit of bang for the buck.  
 
So what if the meat feels a wee bit stretched to the bone? 
 
Grade: B+ 

Copyright 1995 by Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies