
Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
Braveheart
By Charles Cassady Jr.,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mel Gibson's Oscared, bloody Scottish spectacle.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Braveheart
Community Reviews
Based on 19 parent reviews
As usual, a great movie with a nonsense official review.
Report this review
Great story, shines a light on Scottish culture
Report this review
What's the Story?
The setting is 14th-century Scotland, oppressed by the English King Edward I (Patrick McGoohan), alias Longshanks, who hangs a group of Highlanders trying to negotiate a peace treaty. One of the victim's sons is William Wallace (Mel Gibson). When Longshanks makes it legal for British nobles to sexually abuse Scottish women, Wallace's wife is killed by British soldiers. He rallies other angry Scots and an English-hating Irish brigade and stages a successful guerilla war on the British. Ironically, Wallace's goal of independence for Scotland is thwarted by the region's own aristocrats, a well-treated bunch with investments in England. Betrayed by his high-born countrymen, Wallace assassinates a number of them before he's captured and handed over to the English for public torture and execution. Wallace is unyielding to the end, and his example shames the Scottish prince Robert the Bruce (Angus McFayden) to lead a larger, more successful revolt later in Wallace's name.
Is It Any Good?
This is not for the faint of heart; parents should be aware of the high level of blood and gore and sexual elements. Edward I's son Edward II (Peter Hanly) is a pampered homosexual who so annoys Longshanks that the king throws his son's boyfriend out of a window. Edward II is married, for strictly diplomatic reasons, to a beautiful French princess (Sophie Marceau) who sleeps with William Wallace and gets pregnant by him, another way by which the hero triumphs from beyond the grave.
The spin that director/producer/star Gibson puts on this version of Wallace's story is that the true peoples' heroes -- warriors, freedom fighters, messiahs, (and filmmakers?) who don't back down or compromise their ethics -- often don't get their just reward in this life. That's a theme to ponder, but parents might emphasize to impressionable viewers that, while William Wallace apparently did exist, much of the script in BRAVEHEART has been shown to be false.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how some heroes often fail to get their just recognition and glory during their lifetimes, only painful death. Why do you think this is?
William Wallace apparently did exist, but much of this movie's script has been shown to be historically bogus. How can you find out what really happened?
This movie remains popular. Why do you think it holds so much appeal for so many?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 29, 1995
- On DVD or streaming: September 29, 2000
- Cast: Mel Gibson , Sean Lawlor , Sophie Marceau
- Director: Mel Gibson
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Character Strengths: Courage , Integrity
- Run time: 178 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: brutal medieval warfare
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate