8.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.7 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.6 |
Braveheart chronicles the legendary tale of William Wallace, a Scottish rebel who leads an uprising against the cruel English ruler, Edward the Longshanks.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, Angus MacfadyenAction | 100% |
Adventure | 76% |
Epic | 75% |
History | 45% |
War | 42% |
Period | 41% |
Biography | 20% |
Drama | 14% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
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?
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 (480i, 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 (480i, 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.
1995
1995
Sapphire Series
1995
Paramount 100th Anniversary
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
Paramount Re-Issue
1995
Director's Cut
2005
Director's Cut
2004
The Ultimate Cut
2004
Director's Cut
2004
1999
2001
2000
2010
2003
2011
2010-2013
Red Cliff Part II / Chinese Theatrical Version
2009
2010
Extended Cut
2000
2011
2006
2006
2017
2014
2007