Braveheart: Movie Analysis

I saw Braveheart for the first time a couple years ago right before I turned seventeen. Since then, I have seen it three times, for a total of four. Although the movie may be a little less captivating just by the very nature of repeat viewings, I can still happily say I love Braveheart and consider it one of my favorite films of all time.
This picture tells a fictionalized story of William Wallace, a 13th century Scotsmen who would go on to make his mark on history. As Braveheart tells it, Wallace (played by Mel Gibson, who also directed) fell in love with his childhood sweetheart (Catherine McCormack) after returning to his hometown (Wallace lived with his uncle for about half his childhood because his father and brother died in battle).
Gibson is all but utterly convincing as Wallace (there are a few lines where he falters and appears too hammy). He pulls off the Scottish accent wonderfully, matching those in the film who actually hail from that part of the world. More importantly, he brings a mad, burning passion to the role that is essential to the character and absolutely believable. He also brings some much-needed vulnerability and humanity to this larger-than-life character, as seen in his scenes with Murron and his captains. In short, Gibson deserved at least an Oscar nomination for his turn as
This is partly the case because, even in the scenes that don’t work, James Horner’s fantastic score works perfectly. Horner’s work on Braveheart won him an Oscar nod, and I consider it his best work that I have heard and one of my favorite scores ever. His use of the bagpipes in his scores amps the Scottish atmosphere to another level, while simultaneously sounding absolutely beautiful. Horner’s music also gorgeously underlines the emotional moments, tugging at the audience’s heartstrings in just the right ways, whether to bring them to tears or give them