Braveheart vs. Gladiator

**CTAClone** · 03-06-2008, 01:00 AM

I just watched Gladiator agian tonight. I've had this debate mulitiple times and I still don't get it. How can Gladiator be better than Braveheart? The ending is a hundred times better in Braveheart, it's better acted, and it's a true story. Would love to hear an argument for Gladiator. And please, don't comment if you haven't seen both movies.

Would love a poll if someone could set one up.

**hansen55** · 03-06-2008, 02:15 AM

The battles are awesome in Braveheart and the true-ish story line make the movie hard to beat. Plus, the accents are always entertaining. I quote lines for at least a couple days everytime I watch it.

Gladiator is another one of my favorite movies. I was captivated all way from the battle in the beginning to the moment they carried Maximus' body out of the Coliseum. The computer generated recreation of Rome and the Coliseum still impress me.

Both movies were tragedies...would have rather they lived in both. The ending of Gladiator would have been much better if Maximus had made it out of Rome to his troops.

My only problem with Braveheart was that Robert the Bruce was too little too late to correct his actions. I can't stand that part of the movie.

Six to one, half a dozen to the other. They are both great movies.

**Cyclonepride** · 03-06-2008, 06:00 AM

Braveheart is better. That's not a knock on Gladiator, as it is a good movie. Braveheart has a better combination of humor, romance and tragedy. Secondary characters are much more interesting and well developed. There are a ton of classic lines. The overall appeal of the struggle for freedom and for revenge is truly gripping. The betrayal just plain makes me mad. Whenever I see it on while flipping channels, I tend to get sucked in. I've seen Braveheart four or five times, if not more, and Gladiator just once.

**mike4cy** · 03-06-2008, 06:28 AM

Leiunitis from 300 is more of a bad*** than both of them

**bos** · 03-06-2008, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by mike4cy

Leiunitis from 300 is more of a bad*** than both of them

Leonidas was the man. Braveheart was a tough SOB, but the Spartans were tough as nails. Raised to fight from birth.

Braveheart has the true story aspect to it that makes it beat out gladiator, but in reality if a gladiator and braveheart were one on one my money is on the gladiator.

**Cutlass** · 03-06-2008, 07:38 AM

Braveheart is a good movie, and the kind of movie I should love. But, I've never actually loved it. Hell, I thougth Rob Roy with Liam Neeson- released the same year as Braveheart- was a better Scotish tale. I just don't think Gibson is that good of a director.

I much prefer Gladiator as a film. I think it's much better directed. As a director Mel Gibson can't hold a candle to Riddley Scott. I like the cinimatography better, and it just seems a more artistic film in general. How the scenes are cut and edited is more interesting. The directing in Braveheart is all pretty strait forward.

**jdoggivjc** · 03-06-2008, 10:55 AM

I think what ruins Braveheart for me is the historical inaccuracies - the big one being that Princess Isabelle did not have William Wallace's child in real life - at the time this film is set, Isabella was in her early teens and had not yet arrived in England (from imdb.com), and another being that the Scots didn't start wearing plaid tartans until the 16th century - the film was set in the 13th century. Besides that, one of the best guy movies ever.

However, I think I'll take Gladiator over Braveheart - I think it has to be the fact that I'm Italian and not Scottish.

My favorite "guy epic" movies:

1. Gladiator
2. Braveheart
3. 300
4. Kingdom of Heaven
5. King Arthur

**Angie** · 03-06-2008, 10:59 AM

Braveheart, hands down!!

Poll added.

**snowcraig2.0** · 03-06-2008, 11:01 AM

Gladiator. Better movie, and Mel Gibson is a nut.

That being said, I loved both movies.

**tejasclone** · 03-06-2008, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by bostinelosd

Leonidas was the man. Braveheart was a tough SOB, but the Spartans were tough as nails. Raised to fight from birth.

Braveheart has the true story aspect to it that makes it beat out gladiator, but in reality if a gladiator and braveheart were one on one my money is on the gladiator.

Plus, Russell Crowe might even be crazier than Mel Gibson.

**CTAClone** · 03-06-2008, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

Braveheart is a good movie, and the kind of movie I should love. But, I've never actually loved it. Hell, I thougth Rob Roy with Liam Neeson- released the same year as Braveheart- was a better Scotish tale. I just don't think Gibson is that good of a director.

I much prefer Gladiator as a film. I think it's much better directed. As a director Mel Gibson can't hold a candle to Riddley Scott. I like the cinimatography better, and it just seems a more artistic film in general. How the scenes are cut and edited is more interesting. The directing in Braveheart is all pretty strait forward.

I do agree with you that Gibson can't hold a candle to Scott. Ridley Scott has a ton of great movies he's done and a wide range. I love Blade Runner and Black Hawk Down, but Gladiator was good, I don't think it was great.

I don't know how you can say the Cinemotagrophy was better in Gladiator. A lot of it was computer generated and a lot of it was shot on a stage. Bravehearts cinematography was awesome this one shot will be etched in my mind forever.

Also, the score and soundtrack for Braveheart is probably the best I've ever heard in any film.

**CTAClone** · 03-06-2008, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

I think what ruins Braveheart for me is the historical inaccuracies - the big one being that Princess Isabelle did not have William Wallace's child in real life - at the time this film is set, Isabella was in her early teens and had not yet arrived in England (from imdb.com), and another being that the Scots didn't start wearing plaid tartans until the 16th century - the film was set in the 13th century. Besides that, one of the best guy movies ever.

However, I think I'll take Gladiator over Braveheart - I think it has to be the fact that I'm Italian and not Scottish.

My favorite "guy epic" movies:

1. Gladiator
2. Braveheart
3. 300
4. Kingdom of Heaven
5. King Arthur

I never knew that about the tartans, that's very interesting. What I like about the film is the historical accuracies.

William Wallace - Could speak many languages
His sword was 3 1/2 feet long (mainly because he was 7 feet tall)
Wallaces army was the first to ever defeat the heavy cavalry.
He was killed and torn to pieces like it said in the end of the movie.
The scottish were fighting over who should be their king.

I'm sure there are more but that's what I came up with off the top of my head.

**Dave19642006** · 03-06-2008, 11:40 AM

Chuck Norris would kick all there butts

**jdoggivjc** · 03-06-2008, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by CTAClone

I never knew that about the tartans, that's very interesting. What I like about the film is the historical accuracies.

William Wallace - Could speak many languages
His sword was 3 1/2 feet long (mainly because he was 7 feet tall)
Wallaces army was the first to ever defeat the heavy cavalry.
He was killed and torn to pieces like it said in the end of the movie.
The scottish were fighting over who should be their king.

I'm sure there are more but that's what I came up with off the top of my head.

Right, and like I said, I loved the movie. They obviously included several historical accuracies, but still in general they were very liberal with the accuracy, and hid behind their flaws by stating that this was a "historical fictitious film based on historical events." However, it doesn't change the fact that it's one of my favorite historic epics of all time.

That being said, I also liked The Patriot, which was basically just a remake of Braveheart, only set during the American Revolution...

Hmm... Braveheart and The Patriot - does Mel have something against the British?

**Dave19642006** · 03-06-2008, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by CTAClone

I never knew that about the tartans, that's very interesting. What I like about the film is the historical accuracies.

William Wallace - Could speak many languages
His sword was 3 1/2 feet long (mainly because he was 7 feet tall)
Wallaces army was the first to ever defeat the heavy cavalry.
He was killed and torn to pieces like it said in the end of the movie.
The scottish were fighting over who should be their king.

I'm sure there are more but that's what I came up with off the top of my head.

William Wallace The Truth