Ok ok, this entire topic reminded me of something my grandmother once said while watching Serenity (she loves action flicks)
"I don't like Science Fiction Movies because they're not real"
Well, of course they're not real, it's a movie! My point is, these movies, wether or not they are historically accurate, are to entertain us. More importantly, they are meant to entertain the masses, not individuals. If these films we're ultra historically accurate, they would either be a) Independent Film that 5 people have seen
b) History Channel Show
Now, myself, I am a big history fan, and when a movie comes out, for example Alexander, I usually watch the "History Channel tell all" of Alexander 2 weeks before the movie comes out. But when I watch the movie, I don't hiss and snarle when it's not accurate. I'd have to be an idiot to expect such. If you want to learn about history, watching a Hollywood movie is surely the wrong place to do it.
Just like with the Harry Potter films, I get so annoyed when kids start saying "That's not the way it was in the book!". Well Yes, the movie is based off of the book, but we're not reading a book we're watching a movie!
This applies the same with the comic book movies. They have to produce the movie so everyone can understand it and they change things so that it can be easily followed and entertaining. If the movie takes a good effect, then afterwards the viewer would later research more of the subject manner.
Can you imagine people criticizing Star Wars because certain things are physically or technologically impossible? It's a movie people.
Now back to Braveheart. I give it 2 grades...
Hollywood Grade - Great Movie, entertaining, great story, made tons in the box office, many awards and nominations.
History Channel Grade - Credibility of a late night Info Commercial
Now to what Sir Kohran posted...
The changes made promoted a very anti-English theme, which is what I hated most about it.
Yes, I remember this whole thing when Mel Gibson released "The Patriot" another Anti-British History movie. I think there was an outcry to boycott all of Mel Gibson or something along those lines.
Well, isn't History (or in this case Movies) based off the views of the person writing the records? In that case is History even Historically accurate? Of course this movie is bias against England, it's from the view of the Scotts (or Mel Gibson). Star Wars is based off of the Rebels right? I am pretty sure from the Empire's view they would look like the bad guys instead.
All movies are guilty of this, because this is how you tell a story. My German friends brought this up to me one time, when talking about WW2 movies. They claimed that American WW2 movies we're bias in some things. I couldn't believe it until compared with German WW2 films. They were right, though German WW2 films are also bias in certain areas. They weren't bias in the historical accuracy of the movie but instead of how each side was depicted in the movie.
My point is... if you want to go out with your friends or your special squeeze, get a couple hours of entertainment and spend 4.00 on a coke, go to the movies. If you want to watch a film that is neutral, historically accurate, and make some home made nachos, go watch the History Channel.