Braveheart True Story: Everything Mel Gibson’s Movie Gets Right & Wrong

Braveheart is a thrilling film, but it’s one of the least historically accurate movies ever made. “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” The speech by William Wallace is one of the most famous in film history. To a generation of moviegoers, Mel Gibson’s Braveheart cemented William Wallace’s place as one of the greatest military leaders of all time. Gibson’s film portrays William Wallace as a reluctant hero who draws his sword in vengeance after his beloved wife is murdered. It then proceeds to tell the story of his life, exploring some of his key battles, and ultimately ends on a tragic note, as Wallace is betrayed and put to death by the English. Braveheart‘s conclusion is an optimistic one, however, presenting him as the inspiration for Robert the Bruce, who would ultimately lead Scotland to freedom.