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Braveheart
Movie

Braveheart

1995 • Biography, Drama, War

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

William Wallace is a Scottish rebel who leads an uprising against the cruel English ruler Edward the Longshanks, who wishes to inherit the crown of Scotland for himself. When he was a young boy, William Wallace's father and brother, along with many others, lost their lives trying to free Scotland. Once he loses another of his loved ones, William Wallace begins his long quest to make Scotland free once and for all, along with the assistance of Robert the Bruce.

Overall Series Review

Braveheart is an epic historical drama centered on a hyper-masculine hero fighting for national liberation. The narrative is driven by an intense sense of national pride and resistance against foreign tyranny. The film's primary conflict is one of culture and class—Scottish peasant/gentry patriots versus the corrupt English monarchy and collaborating Scottish nobility. The hero, William Wallace, embodies traditional masculine virtue and is primarily motivated by the defense of his family and country, leading to themes of profound self-sacrifice. Gender roles are traditional, although a key female character, Princess Isabelle, acts as a political operator and avenger. The movie explicitly ties the antagonist's moral and political decay to his non-normative sexuality, directly opposing modern progressive tropes. The core message is a celebration of national heritage, family, and freedom, placing it at the very low end of the 'woke' spectrum.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The conflict is based on national and cultural identity—Scottish patriots fighting English invaders—not modern intersectional hierarchies. The core story celebrates a working-class, white male hero's merit and sacrifice. There is no forced insertion of diversity, and the casting is historically authentic to the setting. The narrative centers on universal liberty and meritocratic leadership, with characters being judged by their courage and loyalty to Scotland, not their immutable characteristics.

Oikophobia2/10

The film strongly promotes Scottish national pride, honoring the cultural heritage and ancestors who fought for freedom. Institutions like family, clan, and nation are viewed as worth fighting and dying for. The hostility is directed outward at the tyranny of the English Crown and the corruption of the Scottish nobility, not toward the Scottish home culture itself. The primary theme is *gratitude* and the defense of one's own way of life.

Feminism3/10

The female characters are secondary to the male hero's journey, which is launched by the murder of his wife, Murron. This event serves primarily as a catalyst for the male hero’s vengeance and revolution. Wallace's character is a traditional, protective masculine figure. Princess Isabelle is intelligent and eventually aids the Scots' cause, but the overall message celebrates the traditional male-female pairing and the vitality of the bloodline, culminating in the birth of Wallace's implied son, which opposes anti-natalist messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The main antagonist’s son, Prince Edward, is portrayed with an implied non-normative sexuality and is depicted as weak, effeminate, politically incompetent, and morally degenerate. The narrative uses this sexuality as a clear marker of the enemy's corruption and his unsuitability for leadership, which actively serves to reinforce a normative structure by making the opposite a trait of the villain. The nuclear family is celebrated as the driving force behind the hero’s quest.

Anti-Theism1/10

Christianity is the normative religion of the setting, and it is not vilified. Wallace is presented as a moral figure whose cause is righteous, and priests are shown blessing his troops, affirming faith as a source of strength for the protagonists. The film acknowledges a higher moral law, with the hero choosing transcendent morality over self-preservation at his execution.