Braveheart (Sapphire Series) [Blu-ray]
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Movie Reviews of Braveheart (Sapphire Series) [Blu-ray]
Movie Review: "...A Cun-Three Of Hour Owen!"
Summary: 5 Stars
** A REVIEW FOR THE "BLU RAY" VERSION **
Re-watching 1995's "Braveheart" on a 2009 BLU RAY - you're struck by several things...
The downsides - Mel Gibson's truly awful mime of a Scottish accent (title above)...his ludicrous hair and wigs...and it just goes on for too long.
Upsides - Mel was also the most handsome man on the planet at the time of filming, Patrick McGoohan was chillingly brilliant as Longshanks The King, it had loads of tremendous support actors throughout (Brian Cox as Wallace's Uncle, Brendan Gleeson as Hamish his friend, Angus MacFayden as the Scottish King in waiting, David O'Hara as a fighting clansman, Ian Bannen as the Leper and the mad-eyed James Cosmo). And to top it all off - you get both Catherine McCormack and Sophie Marceau in the same film - easily two of the most beautiful women in the world. And of course there's also James Horner's haunting musical score - a beautiful air played on the Pipes which kicks in at key moments in the story; it can still bring a tear to your eye and a quickening to the pulse...
But most of the time you are seriously impressed with the cleaned up PRINT - because on BLU RAY - "Braveheart" is BEAUTIFUL to look at - it really is. Apart from a few lines in the opening shots of the Highlands, the transfer is almost faultless throughout and really adds to your enjoyment of the scenery, the costumes and the fantsically well-staged battle scenes. In fact, I also now remember why I liked it so much at the time - it had passion and fire - like "Gladiator" did - and still does.
The original bonus material remains intact, there's two extra hours of added-on special features and the whole 2-Disc set now comes in a tasty outer card wrap (like the Bond titles).
On BLU RAY "Braveheart" is a very handsome thing indeed - a sweetheart. And it has never looked this good and that's for damn sure.
Recommended.
PS: for other superb restorations on BLU RAY see also my reviews for - "The Italian Job", "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning", "The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner", "Zulu", "North By Northwest", "Cool Hand Luke", "The Dambusters" and "The Prisoner - The Complete (TV) Series In High Definition", "Goldfinger", "Snatch", "The Ladykillers" and "The African Queen"
Movie Review: Braveheart
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to start by saying that historical inaccuracies aside, I love this film. It manages to give us nearly everything we could ask for in one film; honour, chivalry, betrayal, love, romance and more besides.
This tells the story of William Wallace, who was a Scottish commoner who fought the English for his countries freedom. The actual person existed, although the details of his life are sketchy and this film fills them in without being factually correct. But all that aside I tend not to care about the inaccuracies (although I dislike Hollwood rewriting history) and enjoy this film for what it offers; which is passion.
The battle scenes are gruesome (as battle scenes should be) and they are filled with tension. I tend to find them all the more exciting as this film was shot before the excessive use of CGI and you can tell the groups of fighters were actually there and choreographed very well to be filmed.
This has an evocative soundtrack, probably one of the best I own, and James Horner manages to compliment the scenes with his style and compositions very well. This is one of those soundtracks I happily enjoy listening to in it's own right.
This has excellent direction from Gibson (before he had his meltdown and became the pariah of Hollywood) and shows what a good eye he has for framing and capturing the emotion on screen. This has an excellent cast and Patrick McGoohan is especially good as the ruthless and menacing King of England, Edward the Longshanks.
There is plenty of intrigue, double crossing and betrayal to keep you second guessing and shows the mercenary aspects of medieval politics very well. All in all this is a very satisfying film and one I can happily watch again and again (and I do watch this at regular intervals) and whilst it has it's detractors, if you take it in the spirit it was made in, this makes for one exhilarating and spellbinding movie.
Movie Review: I shall tell you of William Wallace
Summary: 5 Stars
Screen favorite Mel Gibson triumphs in front and behind the camera in the award-winning 1995 historical epic "Braveheart". In 13th century Scotland, hardworking William Wallace (Gibson) is more concerned in being a farmer and starting a family than standing to the oppressive rule of King Edward I (Patrick McGoohan). When his childhood sweetheart (Catherine McCormack) is brutally murdered as a warning against further uprisings, Wallace leads his countrymen to liberation, marking the forefront of the first war of Scottish Independence. "Braveheart" is a thrilling movie spectacle that ranks along side such grand historical epics like "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Spartacus". The film superbly combines elements of rousing action and moving drama. The battle scenes are impressive. Mel Gibson delivers a first-rate performance. The cast also includes Angus Macfadyen, Brendan Gleesan, Brian Cox and Sophie Marceau. "Braveheart" won five Academy Awards including best cinematography, best director and best picture.
"Braveheart" Sapphire Edition will surely be one of your favorite titles in your Blu-Ray collection. The award-winning film is presented in a fine 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The picture quality isn't perfect bit it's certainly a noticeable upgrade over the DVD. The HD transfer boasts some pretty good detail in some key scenes. Its 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio offers great clarity and dynamic surround effects. Among special features, the Blu-Ray contains the same ones included in the 2-disc special edition DVD: an audio commentary track with director/actor Mel Gibson and two behind-the-scenes featurettes. The second disc has a 59-minute 3-part "Braveheart: A Look Back" documentary and an interactive map that allows the viewer to learn more about the famous battles depicted in the film. Overall, "Braveheart" Sapphire Edition scores an "A".
Movie Review: An Excellent Movie Made Even Better
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased Braveheart on Blu-Ray from Amazon during their Black Friday sale. When I watched the film, I was blown away by how beautiful the movie is in high definition. I usually cannot tell much of a difference on my television(37" Olevia with 1080i and hdmi cables) between up-scaled standard and high definition. However, while watching this movie, I was blown away at how wonderful this movie looks. While certainly no slouch on DVD, this movie in HD is a sight to behold. The colors are vibrant and the detail is extraordinary, especially in the outdoor scenes.
The movie itself is excellent. It practically swept the Academy Awards in 1995 and made millions and millions of dollars. Of course it isn't entirely historically accurate, but if I want historically accurate, I'll watch the History Channel. If you haven't seen this movie, you are in for a treat.
Another reason to get this would be the manufacturer's rebate for people who own the DVD version. If you send in the proof of purchase tab from both the DVD and Blu-Ray, as well as the form inside the case and your receipt, they will send you a ten dollar check. I think it expires around June of 2010. However, I'm not very keen on cutting up my cover insert, so I'll have to call Paramount and see if there is a way around this.
There is a second disc of extras, though most of it is rehashed from earlier releases. Overall, I would highly recommend this movie. No Blu-Ray collection is complete without it!
Movie Review: A Stunning Blu-Ray
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a stunning transfer, one of the better transitions to Blu-Ray I've seen and especially impressive since the film is 15 years old. Detail is sharp and the colors magnificent.. Anyone fortunate to grab this when Amazon was selling it for $10 got a steal. It's still a great bargain for under $20.
By the time you are done watching this, you are emotionally spent with the involving story and totally satsified with the beautiful photography you've witnessed over 177-minute epic film.
What makes this movie so intense is the passion of the main character: Scottish rebel leader William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, who put his heart and soul into this performance. Add to that a powerful story, great cinematography, excellent action scenes and even some humor....and you have a classic film that looks incredible on Blu-Ray.
Scrap your old edition and get this one: you won't be sorry.