Braveheart Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
In the late 13th century, William Wallace returns to Scotland after living away from
his
homeland for many years. The king of Scotland has died without an heir and the
king of
England, a ruthless pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, has seized the throne.
Wallace
becomes the leader of a ramshackle yet courageous army determined to vanquish
the greater
English forces. At the historic battle of Stirling, Wallace leads his army to a stunning
victory
against the English. Knighted by the grateful Scottish nobles, Sir William Wallace
extends the
conflict south of the border and storms the city of York. King Edward I is astonished
by the
unexpected turn of events. Unable to rely on his ineffectual son Prince Edward,
Longshanks
sends his daughter-in-law Princess Isabelle to discuss a truce with Wallace...
Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it.
The best movies are able to engender true meaning and unmistakable emotion in the midst of their
stories. It sounds easy enough, but time and again audiences are met with movies with the
potential to do something extraordinary but instead play it safe and fall back on special effects,
amped-up action, or pretty faces to cover up a hollow center that's devoid of artistic, thematic,
moral, or personal significance both for the on-screen characters and, in such cases, the truly
detached audience. It's rare when a film comes along that not only features a fundamentally sound
and accessible soul, but centers it in a film that captivates with lifelike performances, grisly but
purposeful action, and breathtaking technical qualities that serve only to reinforce, rather than
define, the film's spiritual core. Such a rare motion picture experience may be found in 1995's
Braveheart, a stirring and emotionally satisfying epic that examines the price of freedom
and the power of love to conquer all, each proving to be a force to be reckoned with that can
reshape a
man's heart -- and a nation -- forever.
Does this come in Mint Julep?
It's a time of great upheaval. The King of Scotland has died without a male heir to take the
throne,
and the King of England, Edward the Longshanks, has unceremoniously claimed the throne for
himself. Fighting has broken out both against the Crown and amongst the Scots, leading to the
death of young William Wallace's father. Years pass but nothing changes. William (Mel Gibson,
The Patriot) has
grown
into a strapping, hardworking, and honest young man that eschews the very notion of becoming
involved in local and national politics, instead longing only to make a life for himself and, he
hopes, a future family with his childhood sweetheart, Murron MacClannough (Catherine
McCormack,
28 Weeks Later).
They marry in secret out of fear of the Crown's "primae noctis" decree. Soon thereafter, an
overzealous
English soldier attempts to rape Murron, but she's saved by Wallace's timely intervention.
Nevertheless, Murron is unceremoniously murdered as an example to the people and a warning
against further interference with Crown business. Wallace and the townsfolk retaliate, beginning
a movement for Scottish independence that makes Wallace a folk hero to the people, and he
proves to be a cunning leader on the battlefield. Time and again Wallace rejects bribes from the
Crown in exchange for "peace" as his movement gains more traction and even the attention of
Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau), future Queen of England.
Though Braveheart is many things -- an epic adventure, an historical account, a bloody
Action picture, and a moving Drama -- one aspect stands above the rest and completely defines
the film and its every element: love. Braveheart is a love story through and through;
that strongest, most important, and -- when true -- most unwavering of all human emotions
shapes the film's very existence, evident both in the characters and through the work that went
into crafting the picture. Love is central to the story; it defines Wallace's adult life, shapes his
outlook on the world, and when that love is taken away from him, he lets loose with a vengeance
that equals the pain that -- in but a fleeting moment of time -- has come to define his life. His
love for Murron never fades, but it is soon equaled by love of country and -- far more importantly
-- love for and want of freedom. Wallace leads a crusade that's rooted in personal pain but
becomes a rallying cry for all of Scotland. Asking for no more and no less than to be left to his
own accord, to live without the foolish rules and regulations that define life under the Crown, and
free the people of Scotland from a future that promises to somehow, someday, be as painful as
his present, Wallace forms a personal belief system rooted in a yearning for that which he will
never have.
Braveheart proves to be one of the most fascinating films in cinema history thanks to its
unique juxtaposition of elements that contrasts beauty with brutality. For as savage as the film
may be, it's just as, if not more so, serene and soothing. Braveheart spends little time
developing the love story between Wallace and Murron, but it's handled with a tenderness
befitting such a simple and honest lifelong romance that cannot help but touch the heart,
particularly
when contrasted both with the arranged marriage between Longhsanks' heir and his French
bride and the carnage to follow. Besides the love story, Braveheart captures the
scene-chewing Scottish landscape to perfection; the rolling green slopes of the countryside alone
make the film worth watching, and even in the midst of battle, that beauty never fades. Its
incessant serenity stands as a monument to the beauty of the world and the importance of
calling it "home," a land that deserves only peace, happiness, and freedom. Lastly, Director Mel
Gibson has fashioned Braveheart with a technical
wherewithal that makes the film a true work of art from a purely visual perspective. Against the
harsh backdrop of medieval warfare lies an eternal testament to the breathtaking power of
motion
pictures; Braveheart stuns in the power of its direction, cinematography, and editing.
Each shot appears perfectly framed, taking full advantage of the scope presentation that lends to
the
film an epic feel that never once sacrifices the integrity of the story in exchange for artistic merit.
Story and art become one in Braveheart, each fully complimenting the other and the
resultant picture is nothing short of a masterpiece of filmmaking that's sure to remain a
standard-bearer for the medium for decades to come.
Deeper thematic elements and technical prowess aside, Braveheart makes for a superb
Action picture that hits all the right notes. The battle scenes are framed against a meaningful
backdrop and populated by heroes and villains that make them all the more easily digested in the
classic good-versus-evil setup. In fact, Braveheart does a fantastic job of painting its
villains as absolutely deplorable individuals, making it all the more easy cheer on the bloodletting
in the first and second acts and physically and emotionally mourn during the devastating finale.
It's exactly the reaction Mel Gibson wishes to get out of his audiences, and while the movie's
thematic tone makes that possible, he reinforces it visually. Though killed on-screen, audiences
do not see the blood spilled when Murron's throat is cut. On the other hand, when Wallace
exacts revenge on her murderer by killing him in the same fashion, the camera makes sure to
capture the wound and the resultant spilled blood center-frame. Likewise, the film's finale
shies away from displaying its death scene; it doesn't obscure in the least that it actually
happens, but it withholds the visual evidence, thereby increasing the dramatic elements and
solidifying the idea behind the film's deliberate schism between murder and justified revenge and
want of freedom at any price.
Braveheart arrives on Blu-ray with a wonderful 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. First,
the
two minor complaints. Braveheart's transfer features some dirt and white speckles that
remain throughout, but never appear to such a degree so as to become a distraction. Second,
Braveheart occasionally looks a bit soft and colors sometimes appear a tad bit bland, but
far
more often than not it takes on a superb film-like appearance that captures the essence of what
Blu-ray is all about. As noted, Braveheart looks wonderful on the whole, and while it
might
not be the sharpest, most vibrant, eye-popping transfer out there, it looks wonderfully cinematic,
seemingly straight out of the theater and often brilliant in its ability to convey the look of film for
home viewing. The disc sports a subtle layer of grain that's visible throughout but never
dominates
the frame. Detail appears as appreciably high throughout; frayed garments look wonderful, and
several loose threads stand out nicely. Likewise, long, unkempt hair blows in the
wind with solid texture and it seems as if each strand is not only visible but able to be
differentiated one from another. Chain mail armor also impresses; every link and seam appears
exquisitely rendered, and the English soldiers' garb looks appropriately filthy and worn.
Background details in the lush Scottish landscape -- tall green grass and clumps of trees -- appear
as well-defined and nicely represented. Though the film features a fairly limited color palette,
with
many gray skies and plain-colored clothes, brighter hues stand out nicely but don't appear
overblown or unnatural even up against the barrage of listless hues. The green fields sparkle, the
red and orange English soldiers' uniforms stand out nicely, and Wallace's blue warpaint jumps
straight off the screen. Black levels are consistently good, as are flesh tones. Braveheart
makes for a handsome transfer, a real treasure that might not be the sharpest or most colorful
Blu-ray out there, but for what it is and what it needs to be, it looks marvelous.
This Blu-ray release of Braveheart frees the film from the captivity of compressed audio
and allows the soundtrack to shine with a stupendous Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack.
Perhaps the track's most defining attribute comes not from the action scenes but rather in the
film's quieter moments. There's nary a moment in the film that audiences are not drawn into to
story thanks to a fantastic sense of atmosphere. Subtle breezes blow throughout the
soundstage, birds chirp ever so slightly in every corner of the listening area, thunder rolls in the
distance, and horses gallop to and fro. Each of these -- and plenty more -- bring the track alive
throughout. Of course, the track positively booms during the action sequences. As armies
assemble, horses fall in line, and restless infantrymen clank about as they prepare to die on the
fields of Scotland, audiences become immersed in a full-fledged attack of sonic goodness. The
soundstage rumbles as horses charge the Scottish line, and the clanking of metal-on-metal, the
shouts of the victors, and the cries of the wounded all play together but at the same time
distinctly for a unique and enthralling listening experience. James Horner's (Glory) glorious score
comes alive as never before, with the highs of the bagpipes and the foreboding lows setting the
tone for the film. Rounded out by superb dialogue reproduction, Braveheart sounds just
as good as it looks on Blu-ray.
Braveheart makes its eagerly-anticipated Blu-ray debut as a full-fledged two-disc special
edition. The bulk of the extras are to be found on the second disc, but the first offers up two
supplements, the first a commentary track with Actor/Director Mel Gibson. The Oscar winner
delivers a balanced commentary that's informative but tonally reserved. Gibson's delivery is
to-the-point and he doesn't try to fill in every second of the track with nonsensical observations.
What
he
has to say about the production -- even when recounting the mostly standard-fare sort of
comments -- are worthwhile and interesting. Fans should definitely give this one a listen. Also
on
disc one is Braveheart Timelines, a collection of three independent items that chronicle
the
factual history of William Wallace, the fictionalized account of his actions as seen in the film, and
the
Braveheart production timeline that examines the process of bringing the film to the big
screen. Users may scan through each timeline and read short blurbs about each segment and
learn
more information by choosing a section of the timeline and pressing "enter" on the remote
control.
This reveals a fuller written description of the event, allows viewers to jump directly to the next
piece of the timeline, and, on occasion, examine related topics from the other timelines.
Disc two begins with Battlefields of the Scottish Rebellion, an interactive map that
allows viewers to learn more about four major developments during the career of William
Wallace: the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, William Wallace's
capture in 1305, and the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Viewers may learn more about the
battles of Falkirk and Bannockburn via a computer-generated recreation that shows an animated
progression of the battles, accompanied by descriptive narration. Braveheart: A Look
Back (1080i, 1:00:23) is a three-part retrospective that aims to capture what it is that made
Braveheart a success. Part one, A Company of Equals (20:48) features
behind-the-scenes stills and clips from the film, all intertwined with interview pieces
with cast and crew that recount the construction of the story, the purpose behind telling it, the
scope of the production, the challenge of putting it all together, the difficulties of the shoot, and
much more. Part two, The Sound of Laughter (19:16) focuses primarily on Mel Gibson's
prowess as a director but also recounts some lighthearted moments from the set, looks at Mel
Gibson's makeup, and more. The third part, The Measure of a Film (20:18) examines
the process of editing the film together, shooting the battle scenes, the film's emotional core, its
staying power, and more.
Smithfield: Medieval Killing Fields (1080i, 25:19) recounts the history of the
then-infamous bloody town on the outskirts of London and takes a glimpse at what's there today.
Tales of William Wallace (480p, 29:59) is a piece presented in a History Channel style
that takes audiences behind the legend of the man and aims to sort out fact from fiction. Next
up is A Writer's Journey (480p, 21:30), a piece featuring writer Randall Wallace
recounting his
introduction to the story of William Wallace, his writing style and the process of penning the
script,
his collaboration with Mel Gibson, the film's themes, and more. Rounding out this rather
impressive collection of bonus materials is a pair of Braveheart theatrical trailers (1080p,
1:41 & 2:54).
The winner of five Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director and boasting an Oscar-nominated
score from
the legendary James Horner that's at once
traditional, bold, and tender,
Braveheart is a bona-fide
classic that may not be the most historically accurate picture but is certainly one of cinema's most
fundamentally sound from the top down. With pitch-perfect pacing, fabulous acting, well-written
characters, exciting action sequences, and an unwavering emotional core, Braveheart may
be found on a rather short list amongst the best of the best films in cinema history. Parmaount's
Blu-ray and flagship "Sapphire Series" release is, in a word, superb. Boasting a high quality
film-like 1080p transfer, a wondrous lossless soundtrack, and plenty of extras, Braveheart
is one of the year's must-own titles and earns my highest recommendation.
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