Reviews

The one good thing about this film for me was Jean Reno and his DSGE gang. He is Mr Cool, and cracks about american coffee and a great Elvis accent make this film for me. Not that the rest of the film is all bad, it's an OK romp with a beer or two at hand and I thought Matthew Broderick and Hank Azaria did a reasonable job, Maria Pitillo didn't make much impression and no-one else had much of a role - but then isn't the sort of film where acting is required. I suppose that makes Jean Reno a sort of bonus feature.

Honestly, it's not that good. It's too long, too trite, too formulaic and too revisionist.

Wallace WAS seven feet tall (more or less), but as far as I can tell he was a racist thug - the film conveniently skips over the fact that he had an argument with an Englishman who he murdered, along with five or six others, and then ran away. So much for 'Freedom'. More like "I can't control my temper and the English are after me,so I'd better get some help". He was about as popular with the Scots nobles as he was with the English. Oh, and he wasn't a peasant either.

Anyone saying "it's only a movie"-well read how many comments are praising this film for its historical accuracy. I can take historical fantasy, most "Robin Hood" films for instance, but not when they're touted as 'accurate'.

Superb cast, more please!

If you can catch just about anything else written by Plater (or starring these wonderful actors). For anyone who doesn't know Plater has a real feeling for jazz, my recommendation is to see the 'Beiderbecke' trilogy whenever you can.

"There's three kinds of jazz - Hot, Cool and 'What time does the tune start?'"