TV Recommendation: Tonight, Catch the Best Historical Adventure of All Time – Its Epic Battles Are Unforgettable
Direction, cinematography, performances – everything simply clicks in the Oscar-winning battle epic “Braveheart.” Mel Gibson’s masterpiece is a must-see, and its brutal fights, as well as its quieter moments, will never be forgotten.
Historical films often rely on opulent costumes and an idealized view of the past, offering a welcome escape from reality in cinemas. Not so Mel Gibson’s Scottish epic “Braveheart”: here, hairy men dwell in squalid hovels; nothing is beautiful or romantic. Least of all, death: Gibson, serving as both director and star, portrays it brutally and bloodily in grim detail, whether in pitched battles, tied to a stake, or on the scaffold.
If you’ve never seen the spectacular action epic “Braveheart,” you should rectify that immediately. It airs on September 26, 2025, at 8:15 PM (in an edited version, as the original holds an FSK 16 rating), or uncut on September 28 at 10:55 PM, both on RTL ZWEI. Of course, you can also opt for the Blu-ray – where the now 30-year-old film is available in razor-sharp 4K:
Mel Gibson poured his heart and soul into adapting the story of Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace. And even if one can question the patriotism glorified to heroism, and the controversial figure of Mel Gibson himself, “Braveheart” remains a powerfully directed cinematic experience with incredibly masterful cinematography. The camera plunges right into the heart of the battles, much like the “Battle of the Bastards” in “Game of Thrones” achieved for television, making other “epic” fights pale in comparison. Simply holding the camera above the (large) fray doesn’t achieve the same effect as diving into the thick of the action.
https://www.amazon.com/Braveheart-4K-Ultra-HD-Blu-ray/dp/B07J3H1F4K
A Favorite Among Critics and Fans
Rightfully so, John Toll earned an Oscar for his cinematography. How skillfully Toll could capture wartime conflicts with his lens became even clearer a few years later when he was again nominated for the golden statuette for his work on the World War II drama “The Thin Red Line.”
In the FILMSTARTS review, we crowned “Braveheart” a masterpiece with 5 out of 5 possible stars. And it’s not just film critics who love the film; audiences also celebrate the action epic: with an average of 4.50 out of 5 stars in user ratings on FILMSTARTS, “Braveheart” is one of the highest-rated historical adventures of all time on our film site. Not to mention, it also received the Oscar for Best Picture (and more!)…
“Braveheart”: Best Picture Oscar
“Braveheart” received the Oscar for Best Picture of the year in 1996. Besides the award for cinematography, it also won Oscars for Best Director, Sound Editing (which just goes to show how important these “supporting categories” are – without the perfect sound editing by Lon Bender and Per Hallberg, “Braveheart’s” battle scenes would only half as powerfully imprint themselves upon your visceral memory), and Make-Up. Sadly, James Horner missed out in the “Best Original Score – Drama” category, which went to the soundtrack for Michael Radford’s “Il Postino,” but one can rightly claim that the main theme for “Braveheart” is considerably more famous today.
“Braveheart” grips you not only with its superb craftsmanship and the impressive battles between the Scots and the English, but also with its emotional story of a man who loses everything but never his freedom. William Wallace’s final moments, as he refuses to acknowledge King Edward’s (Patrick McGoohan) rule even under torture, play perfectly on the audience’s emotional heartstrings, evoking goosebumps and tears. No, it’s not all strictly historically accurate – but it is simply a fantastically made, gripping, and unforgettable film.
