Oscar-winning epic praised for its 'incredible action sequence' is on TV tonight
Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, was released back in 1995 and tells the story of Scottish warrior William Wallace in the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England.
The film also stars Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Brendan Gleeson, Angus McFadyen, Brian Cox and James Cosmo.
READ MORE: Prisoner governor accused of relationship with drug dealing boss sobs as she says "I was incredibly stupid"
READ MORE: Forensics at scene after man found with stab wounds and rushed to hospital
The story is inspired by Blind Harry's 15th-century epic poem The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace.
The film tells the story of Wallace, who lead a rebellion against the King in the late 13th century. Despite early successes, Wallace faces betrayal and the brutal forces of the English army.
He is eventually captured, tortured and executed by the English and, in his final moments, shouts "freedom".
Directed and produced by Gibson, the film which had a budget of around $50m-$70m, was a huge box office and commercial success.
It was also lauded-over by the critics and was nominated for ten Oscars at the 68th Acaemdy Awards. The film picked up five awards, including for Best Picture and Best Director.
With a 76% rating on Rotton Tomatoes, the film also scored favourable reviews with a lot of critics - both at the time and more recently.
Awards Daily describes Braveheart as: "A huge film with incredible action sequences, an emotional love story, and a few technical wonders."
Jay Carr at the Boston Globe said of the film: "Braveheart is a big, strapping medieval sword-and-arrow movie with more fighting than romance, a surprising abundance of lush and sensuous imagery considering its brutal strife, and Gibson fiercely inciting it to stand up and march."
However, not all reviewers were glowing with some critics taking issue with the 178 minute runtime and historical inaccuracies. Alex von Tunzelmann of The Guardian wrote in 2008: "Seemingly intended as a piece of anti-English propaganda, Braveheart offers an even greater insult to Scotland by making a total pig's ear of its heritage."
Braveheart is on Film4 on Thursday, April 3, at 9pm.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Will the Oscars Leave ABC? Why the Hulu-Disney+ Merger Could Prevent a Split and Benefit Both Sides
Disney's planned 2026 integration of Hulu into Disney+ could represent more than streaming consolidation — it creates unprecedented opportunities for both Disney and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to reshape awards broadcasting for the streaming era. As the Academy's current ABC deal approaches its 2028 expiration, Disney's unified platform offers global reach while the Academy Awards provides Disney with a big launch platform and the prestige of hosting one of the year's biggest events in entertainment. More from Variety Rachel Bloom and Husband Dan Gregor Set Rom-Com Pilot 'Do You Want Kids?' at ABC Oscars Set Launch Date for First FYC Screeners: 'KPop Demon Hunters,' 'Becoming Led Zeppelin' and More (EXCLUSIVE) Czech Oscar Submission Controversy Heats Up as Abuse Drama 'Broken Voices' Accused of 'Fundamental Ethical Failure' and 'Misleading Claims' Disney's recent acquisition of Comcast's last remaining equity interest in Hulu paves the way for Disney and the Academy to come up with creative ways to showcase the Oscars via streaming. The last deal between the sides was set in 2016 — well before the launch of Disney+ and the rest of the streaming explosion. 'If the Oscars stay at ABC, it represents the best of both worlds,' a veteran awards strategist tells Variety. 'Disney aligns with cinema's most prestigious institution, while the Academy gains wider streaming reach.' The March 2025 dual-platform experiment — broadcast on ABC, streamed on Hulu — delivered promising results. The Oscars attracted 19.7 million viewers, a rare 1% increase that bucked years of audience decline. The experiment gave Disney valuable live-streaming data while the Academy reached expanded its reach beyond linear to streaming viewers who want more flexibility in options for watching even a live awards show event. The Academy's broader initiatives — education, philanthropy and the Academy Museum — align with Disney's content ecosystem spanning ABC Signature, 20th Television, FX and streaming services. This also opens doors to year-round Academy programming such as documentaries, behind-the-scenes features and Disney+ exclusive educational content. A long-term and wide-ranging agreement could create yield experimentation opportunities such as interactive Oscar experiences, international filmmaker showcases and member-exclusive content. However, the $100 million question remains: How are talks progressing between the two parties? Both sides have remained tight-lipped. Sources with direct knowledge tell Variety negotiations are 'going well and moving along.' Early speculation indicated that Disney chief Bob Iger wanted to wait on the deal until the Mouse House has set his successor as CEO, which is expected to come early next year. But Academy leaders don't want to wait that long. Both ABC and the Academy declined to comment. Industry insiders predict clarity on ABC and the Oscars' future by year's end. Newly appointed AMPAS President Lynette Howell Taylor, an Oscar-nominated producer for Bradley Cooper's directorial debut 'A Star is Born,' brings deep industry ties from producing the 92nd Academy Awards — the 'Parasite' year. Although she can only serve a one-year term due to board term limits, she would be allowed to return after a two-year hiatus. She would be a valuable asset to bring this over the finish line. Disney's technological infrastructure offers capabilities beyond traditional broadcasters — second-screen experiences, real-time engagement and global distribution. For the Academy, the priority remains reaching younger, more diverse audiences critical for long-term relevance. But sources caution that other media platforms have expressed strong interest to AMPAS in having discussions about Oscars. Despite its long relationship with AMPAS, Disney will have to make them a compelling offer or risk being out-bid by a rival. As negotiations advance, the potential for a continued partnership for the Oscars and Disney — or if a new player will jump into the mix — will be one of the most pressing questions for filmdom insiders in the coming months. Which partner will help define how global audiences engage with prestige movies while preserving the artistic excellence both institutions represent? Only time will tell. Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Denzel Washington Says ‘I'm Not Interested in Oscars' and ‘Don't Care' About Them: ‘They Won't Do Me a Bit of Good' When I Die
Denzel Washington has nine Academy Award nominations under his belt and two Oscar wins (best supporting actor for 'Glory' and best actor for 'Training Day'), but he places no value on such career milestones. Speaking to 'Jake's Takes' on his 'Highest 2 Lowest' press tour, Washington said no acting decision he makes in his career has to do with winning awards. 'I don't do it for Oscars. I don't care about that kind of stuff,' Washington said. 'I've been at this a long time, and there's time when I won and shouldn't have won and then didn't win and should've won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward.' More from Variety 'Late Shift,' Starring Leonie Benesch, Sells to Music Box for North America as Film Is Selected as Swiss Oscar Entry International Oscar Submissions: Czech Republic Selects 'I'm Not Everything I Want to Be' After Controversial Contest Will the Oscars Leave ABC? Why the Hulu-Disney+ Merger Could Prevent a Split and Benefit Both Sides Washington continued, 'I'm not that interested in Oscars. People ask me, 'Where do I keep it?' Well, next to the other one. I'm not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, [Oscars] aren't going to do me a bit of good.' Just earlier this year, Washington was considered a major Oscar snub after he failed to land a best supporting actor nomination for 'Gladiator II.' Not that Washington cared. As he sarcastically told The New York Times when asked about the snub: 'Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I'm so upset. I'm happy for all that did, and I'm happy with what I'm doing.' Not getting caught up in awards has long been Washington's mantra. His 'Training Day' co-star Ethan Hawke appeared on Max's 'Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?' last year and remembered how Washington leaned over to him when Hawke lost best supporting actor on Oscar night to tell him, 'It's better that you didn't win. Losing was better.' 'You don't want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award's status. That's the way he thinks,' Hawke said about Washington's advice in the moment. 'That's what I'm talking about playing with Babe Ruth. The Academy Award has more power, because Denzel has a couple. It didn't elevate who he was.' 'Highest 2 Lowest' opens in select theaters Aug. 15 from A24 and Apple Studios. The movie will be available to stream on Apple TV+ starting Sept. 5. Watch Washington's full interview on 'Jake's Takes' in the video below. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce show off power couple status on 'New Heights' podcast
As far as celebrity romances go, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have got that special alchemy. The Grammy-winning pop superstar and NFL player, who've generated headlines and fan fervor with their high-profile romance, peeled back the curtain on their relationship during Swift's appearance on Kelce's "New Heights" podcast, which dropped on Wednesday, Aug. 13, after the couple teased the interview earlier this week. "This podcast got me a boyfriend, ever since Travis decided to use it as his personal dating app about two years ago," said Swift, referring to Kelce's comments about not meeting the singer after her Eras Tour show at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The sentimental collaboration comes after Kelce gushed about his "Love Story" with Swift in a September cover story for GQ magazine, in which he affectionately compared Swift to his mother, Donna Kelce, and described the emotional dynamics of their celebrity relationship. "When there is not a camera on us, we're just two people that are in love," Kelce told the magazine. "It can be perceived as something else because of how much it is talked about and how much we are tracked whenever we do go out, but I would say that it's as normal of. … It happened very organically, even though from a media standpoint it was being tracked." 'Just two people that are in love': Travis Kelce gushes over Taylor Swift in GQ story However, Swift and Kelce's podcast PDA wasn't all play. The couple's joint interview is part of the rollout for Swift's upcoming 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl." A release date has not been announced, but eager Swifties can preorder the album on Swift's official website. Swift started teasing the new project in April 2024 when she debuted "The Tortured Poets Department" at her Paris concert. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that her show countdown turned orange before the opening sequence, and her "Karma" door at the close of the show was orange. She also debuted a fiery bodysuit seen on the first page of her official Eras Tour book next to a letter that read: "See you next era..." Taylor Swift announces new album: What to know about 'The Life of a Showgirl' Orange appears to be a significant color for the next Swift era. Ahead of the "New Heights" interview, the podcast shared a teaser photo of Kelce and brother Jason Kelce, against a glittery orange background, next to a silhouette of Swift. The color is the same background seen in a letter Swift addressed to fans in May, announcing the ownership of her masters. Contributing: Bryan West, USA TODAY Network
