Braveheart (Blu-ray)

When it comes to the issue of historical accuracy in cinema, not many a film has been quite so feverishly lambasted for bending the truth than Mel Gibson’s epic tale of Scor-tush resistance. Snarled at by history buffs, the controversy surrounding Braveheart’s abundant liberty-taking could have lead the odd potential viewer not to bother taking a look at the flick – despite picking up a heap of Oscars. However, those that threw caution to the wind and indulged in all the fake historical goodness were greeted with what is undoubtedly one of the greatest epics of the 90s.

Fusing a fantastic lead performance from Mel Gibson, a brilliantly-crafted story and a truly spellbinding score from James Horner, the misshapen tale of William Wallace’s Celtic backlash to English tyranny is still as fresh and jaw-dropping today as it was 15 years ago when we first heard Mel yell “Freedom”. Naturally then, it would be nice if it got the same opulent treatment on Blu-ray that it did on DVD. Well, thankfully it has. So much so, in fact, that it’s even worth ditching your old DVD copy if you’re packing HD heat.

Firstly the image is a testament to just what Blu-ray has to offer. A decade and a half after its initial release and the remastering of Braveheart is as sharp, crisp and bold as anything made this year. Doing a pretty flawless job with keeping everything clear while maintaining contrast during dark scenes, as well as bursting with colour during the bits where a kilted Mr Gibson frolics through the Highlands, it really is an incredible transfer that effortlessly covers the whole gamut of what should be demanded from Blu-ray.

Similarly, the audio is as encompassing and involving as the glorious visuals. Sending a host of ambient sound through your lounge and rendering each crash of metal-on-metal with dazzling clarity, it truly takes you to the heart of the film’s trademark battle sequences. It means that Braveheart on Blu-ray becomes so much more than a mere movie – it’s the experience that Gibson intended it to be.

Still, things don’t stop there as there’s a bevy of incredible bonus loot spread across the two Blu-ray discs. The first features an audio commentary from the actor/director himself. Delivered with the enthusiasm of a die-hard fan of the movie, it’s the voice of someone that’s deservedly proud of his work and as such his witty reminiscence doesn’t get boring for the almost three-hour runtime. Despite being the same yak-track from the DVD release, it still makes for a great listen.

Also on disc one is “William Wallace’s World” – a superb picture-in-picture interactive timeline that that allows you to compare the facts with the events as depicted in the film.  Taking you through every little historical titbit even remotely linked with the actual story, it should more than appease those who weren’t too chuffed with the film’s lack of accuracy, while simultaneously satisfying anyone that whittles away the hours ploughing through Wikipedia.

On the second disc, there’s a handful of featurettes that were originally on the old super-duper DVD edition, but there’s also a solid pile of BD-exclusive stuff including an interactive map of the battlefields, a superb high def making-of documentary, and a heap of interviews. As such, Braveheart on Blu-ray stands as a spuerlative example of how a classic movie should be treated in high def.

Overall Verdict: If you’ve gotten to this point and haven’t stopped reading to go out and buy it, do so now.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary by Mel Gibson
William Wallace’s World (Picture-in-Picture)
Battlefields of the Scottish Rebellion
Tales of William Wallace
A Writer’s Journey
Photo Montage
Alba Gu Brath! The Making of Braveheart: Reviving a Genre
Alba Gu Brath! The Making of Braveheart: The Heat of Battle
Alba Gu Brath! The Making of Braveheart: Worth the Fight
Archival Interviews
Best Movies on Blu-ray Trailer

Reviewer: Jordan Brown