Customer Reviews
Braveheart plays America! - By: Mr. Paul Dorey, 18 May 2008 
never let the facts get in the way......
Especiallly, when your name is Mel Gibson, & you have an axe to grind (sic) Good yarn told in the typicallly American sentimental style, but with well crafted battle scenes & cinematography. The prisoner exchange scene, for me, was a major flaw (and hence corrupted the storyline) The top British commander would not be fooled into releasing his prisoners without seeing his own men alive & crossing over simultaneously. It has made me want to brush up my history on this subject.
Thoroughly Enjoyed It - By: Christopher Morgan, 09 Apr 2008 
I am an American/British dual citizen & I cant say as I even marginallly agree with the reviewers saying this film is thoroughly anti British, it may have an aspect of that but how many TV series have the English made which make the French look evil. How many films have the English AND Americans made about the Germans being evil? This film is made from an American point of view you cannot expect it to portray the British as the most wonderful people ever. In the film there is only one British man that is `evil' & the troops under his command kill innocent Americans under his orders & with objection. Mr Gibson is painting one man as evil not a nation so stop with your feeling hard done by & griping over nothing. Overalll I think Mr Gibson makes the British look like a very noble nation through the gentlemanly actions of their high commander & other commanders, infact you could rightly argue that the British are overalll portrayed as much more honorable than their American counterparts.
I am especiallly baffled by the fact that a self proclaimed history lecturer is so narrow minded, I hope that if I ever have children you are not the one teaching them. I would have hoped that someone entrusted with teaching new generations about history would be more open to the fact that you can never KNOW for sure what happened. Finallly to the omnipresent reviewer who said that s/he was sure the British had never burned a church. I am sure & couldn't agree more that in the many years of the British Empire nobody innocent was hurt & that no rogue commanders ever ordered their men to slaughter innocent people (that was sarcasm the British have & had just as much capacity for being evil as the Americans, Germans, French & Mel Gibson).
These reviewers are however right in regards to the fact that the black people portrayed in this film do seem very unrealistic when compared with historical accounts of what it was to be black in those times. They are alll treated well & alll seem reallly happy with life, doubtless a few of them were but I do find it very strange that there was only once that one was mistreated.
I personallly think that this movie is brilliant. There are a couple of points where the American pride is cringe worthy but it wouldn't be a classic Mel film if there wasn't. Trust me when I say this is a great film & unless you are super uptight you will not be offended. Take a step back & enjoy it, this is a fictional movie & it never claims to be based solidly on fact.
If you are British watch this brilliant movie, get past some of the laughable Americana like Mel running with the flag at the end & see if the British reallly are portrayed badly. If you feel they are then give me a negative review though to be honest I doubt very much that you will. The people writing that this film is anti-British are the exact type that probably watch movies on how the British defeated the `evil' Napoleon & think it is wonderful. Thank you for your time for reading my longest ever review & enjoy.
Epic and Entertaining - By: K. Pass, 26 Mar 2008 I wish people would stop rating this film badly due to bad history. It is obvious that that the bias in history was intentional, so as to create a tense & interesting story. If one actuallly takes the film at face value, one would realise what a brilliant film it actuallly is. In fact it is quite stirring at times, even though I am British myself! Who cares if he is making the British look evil (i.e. there is just 1 'evil British man' in the film anyway!, the film is great to watch . . . honestly, just buy the film, you will not regret it!
Total Propogandistic Fiction! - By: Dr J. Linz, 22 Dec 2007 
This film is competently made but it must be borne in mind that 90% of its content is utter fiction. Worse than that, it once again re-introduces viewers on a global scale to those ever-so repellent & downright evil British imagined by Mr Gibson. The film is total propoganda. I am a history lecturer so I think I know my facts. I must point out to Peader, the reviewer from Ireland that this is NOT an accurate depiction of events. I didn't catch the part in the film where the British had promised if they retained rule in many of the 13 colonies then slavery would be abolished & that a huge black slave mutiny took place that was cruelly put down by the American "patriots"! In fact the founding fathers were only too keen to propogate slavery to boost their own economy. Isn't it strange how any slaves that are seen in this movie are ever-so happy with their lot? Also, the British were extremely lenient in prosecuting this war. Indeed, many of the British conducting the war knew the insurrectionists personallly as friends & didn't want to fight it at alll! Most of the brutality that did occur came from the French who were funding the rebellion in an effort to weaken British power & who also hoped to re-claim some of their lost lands in America. Propoganda such as this film is dangerous as it will be swalllowed without question by most viewers & it is a slur on the British nation. This is an added shame because I feel Mr Gibson is actuallly a hugely talented man. I just wish he could be a little more open-minded towards the British!
Why Does He Hate The English? - By: Laura, 04 Jul 2007 Good battle scenes; of people shooting each other & beating each other up & so on. Would have happened then. And not actuallly making the whole thing look glamourous like American directors do, or did a long time ago in cinema history. Give him credit for that at least.
But come on, he obviously makes the English to be monsters whilst the Americans are brave & heroic & stand up for what they believe in..whereas the English are just killing machines & cowards. Reminds me of Braveheart.
I don't think Mel Gibson's acting is that impressive, it's just average; what you'd expect from him.
The same is said of Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson. It should have been so much better & relied less on prettiness & sentimentality & just concerncrated on the fighting. If it was just the fighting it might get a better review.
Obviously, this is my opinion & each to their own but I agree with the reviewer who is from New Forest. I'm with you there mate!
