勇敢的心英文影评

勇敢的心英文影评

A movie review by James Berardinelli

The crown jewel of 1995's summer blockbusters appears to ha ve arrived early. It's hard to imagine any motion picture releas ed between now and August matching Mel Gibson's Braveheart for spectacle. With its clashing armies, heartstopping action, a nd grand sense of romance, this is the sort of film it's a pleas ure to see and review

Let me state my preferences up front. I'm a big fan of the ep ic adventure, a category in which Braveheart, like cream, rises to the top. There's a lot in this film that's praiseworthy -- not the least of which is its ambition. Those viewing this picture may be easily reminded of Gettysburg, The Last of the Mohica ns, Glory, and such classics as Lawrence of Arabia, El Cid, and Spartacus. The grandeur is certainly present; nevertheless, Gib son gives us not only memorable battles, but characters of rea l substance.

Borrowing from masters like Sam Peckinpah and David Lean, t he actor/director has crafted an exceptional cinematic tapestry in only his sophomore effort. Most of the time, three hour mo

vies have a few flat spots, but Braveheart is constantly on the move -- riveting from start to finish. When the end credits be gan to roll, I was hard pressed to accept that nearly 170 min utes had elapsed.

The title character is William Wallace (Gibson), a hero of Scotti sh history whose legend has surely outstripped fact (in its own unique way, the film acknowledges this). Wallace fought for S cotland's freedom in the late 13th century, wielding his broads word and influence to defeat the forces of King Edward I (Patr ick McGoohan), the British monarch who had declared himself king of Scotland upon the former ruler's demise. Braveheart builds slowly to its first gritty climax. Much of the early film concentrates on Wallace's love for Murron (Catherine McCormack). Their courtship is unhurried, yet this is all prepa ration. The real meat of the story, which includes political mec hanations, betrayal, and dramatic battles, is yet to come. Patri ck Henry once said, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" That might well be Wallace's motto. "It's all for nothing if you don' t have freedom!" The nobles of Scotland fight for land and ric hes, but Wallace stands for the individual, and earns respect w ith words and deeds.

Bulked up and wearing a long-haired wig, Gibson brings his us ual wealth of charisma to the title role. Patrick McGoohan, bes t known from TV's Secret Agent Man and The Prisoner, is alm ost unrecognizable beneath a snowy beard. His Edward the Lo ngshanks exudes an aura of cold menace. He's a worthy foe f or Wallace because his intelligence matches his ruthlessness. S ophie Marceau, the French actress who plays Princess Isabelle, and Catherine McCormack are both immensely appealing. Braveheart is a brutal, bloody motion picture, but the violence is not gratuitous. The maimings, decapitations, and other assor ted gruesome details make Wallace's world seem real and imm ediate. In addition, few theatrical moments make a more eloqu ent statement against war than when Gibson shows women an d children weeping over the dead on a body-littered battlefield. War is a two-headed beast, and both faces -- the glorious an d the tragic -- are depicted.

Lately, certain films have come in pairs: two Robin Hoods, two Columbuses, two Earps, and now two Highlander epics. Rob Roy, the first, is a fine motion picture. Braveheart, however, is better, offering an exhilarating, and occasionally touching, exp erience that has viewers leaving the theater caught up in an a