Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, is a "reluctant hero" from 13th century Scotland in the classic
mythological mold described by Joseph Campbell in his Hero With a Thousand faces.All Wallace wants to do is marry, become a farmer like his father and carry on in peace. He is a reluctant hero. But things change after his wife is slaughtered by the local men of King of England Edward the 1st -- Edward the Longshanks.His fate forces Wallace to take on both the King of England and the Scottish landed nobility who flip sides at the drop of a hat. His desire to take his wife's revenge and set Scotland free sets him on a war path that leads to his eventual capture and public death under torture. (For trivia fans -- the COMPASSION OF CHRIST is NOT the first movie in which Gibson is stretched across a crucifix.) Yet Wallace's legacy survives his beheading and sets Scotland free in the 14th century.Fantastic musical score with irresistible bagpipes, married to equally fantastic scenery and battle scenes jarring in their ferocity and realism, make it a good watch indeed. Wallace's last word under torture is a long scream -- "Freeeedom!" Who can remain impartial to that?The gravel-voiced Patrick MacGoohan who plays Edward 1st is as good as Gibson since he makes a very credible foe to whip the dramatic tension nonstop throughout the film. Without a nemesis as amoral, tricky and dangerous as Edward Longshanks, Wallace's goodness and integrity would not stand out in such high relief.A hot solid tragic hero story that would've made Joseph Campbell proud.Gary Karbon is a movie critic and movie-idea generator. For the latest collection of his best copyright-free movie ideas visit
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