Braveheart (1995)

STUDIO:     Paramount
DIRECTOR: Mel Gibson
STARRING: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack
RATED:        R
OPINION STARS: 2 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Violent, Epic, Gritty
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DESCRIPTION: Set in 13th century Scotland, Braveheart follows the bold exploits of Scottish warrior William Wallace. When the woman he loves is slaughtered at the hands of English soldiers, Wallace - initially content to remain non-combative - wreaks vengence on her murderers and takes a stand against English tyranny in Scotland. Utilizing the steel of his sword and the fire of his intellect, he gathers an amateur but fiercely patriotic army and begins a long,
bitter struggle to free his country from England's rule. Winner of 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture 1995.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Having heard so many good things about it, and being an ardent Scottish history buff, I was really disappointed with Braveheart.  The history in this movie is incredibly bad. And I mean, incredibly.  I can tolerate a few historical inaccuracies in a film, but blatant rewriting of history is something I find very hard to stomach. And in Braveheart, such rewriting abounds. I won't go into details here: if you don't believe me, go read up on it and see for yourself. The real, honest-to-goodness story of William Wallace is far more interesting than anything made up in Hollywood.  
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Not Recommended

"Every man dies... not every man really lives."

Valkyrie (2009)

STUDIO:     United Artists
DIRECTOR: Bryan Singer
STARRING: Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branagh, Terence Stamp, Eddie Izzard
RATED:         PG-13
OPINION STARS: 4.5 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Intense, Gritty, Sad 
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DESCRIPTION: After being seriously wounded in Africa during World War II, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) returns to his native Germany. Outraged at Hitler's atrocities and mismanagment of the war, Stauffenberg joins a secret organization bent on killing the Führer. Soon a central player in the group, Stauffenberg proposes a unique plan: that of linking Hitler's death with an official policy to safeguard Berlin during a government crisis - a contingency plan known as "Valkyrie".
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Valkyrie is a factual, unpretentious, and straightforward tale of heroism and sacrifice, revolving around the last attempt to assasinate Adolph Hitler. History tells us the assaination plot failed, and that Hitler committed suicide months later - but that doesn't stop this movie from being as taut and suspenseful as any thriller. Highly recommended.
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Iffy for Age 15

"Look them in the eye. They'll remember you."

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

STUDIO:     United Artist
DIRECTOR: Richard Attenborough
STARRING: Sean Connery, James Caan, Michael Caine, Dirk Bogarde, Robert Redford
RATED:        PG
OPINION STARS: 4 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Intense, Epic, Gritty
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DESCRIPTION: Featuring an all-star cast and some of the most intense battle sequences ever filmed, this wartime epic recounts a crucial operation in 1944, in which Allied forces tried - and failed - to win World War II by seizing control of several key bridges in Holland.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Based on the novel by Cornelius Ryan, A Bridge Too Far is an intense, historically accurate depiction of the infamous "Operation: Market Garden". It has it's faults, but overall it's a good war movie, with some pretty impressive battle scenes. However, don't be fooled by the PG rating - this film is very gritty, and contains some strong language. Not for young audiences. 
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Iffy for Age 15

Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan (2007)

STUDIO:     New Line Cinema
DIRECTOR: Sergei Bodrov
STARRING: Tadonobu Ason, Khulan Chuluun, Ji Ri Mu Tu, Sun Honglei
RATED:        R
OPINION STARS: 3 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Violent, Dramatic, Intense
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DESCRIPTION: In 12th-century Asia, an orphaned young Mongol named Temudjin (Tadanobu Asano) begins a journey that will lead him to become one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known - Genghis Khan. First, however, he must face and overcome ruthless enemies, betrayal, and captivity. The first in a proposed trilogy of films about Genghis Khan, this film captures both the sweeping beauty and brutality of ancient Mongolia. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 2007.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: A decent flick, and worth a watch as long as you don't mind subtitles. For those interested, it certainly provides an interesting look at ancient Mongolian culture. The real plus of this film, though, is the cinematogrophy, which is vivid, breathtaking, and just plain amazing. That battle scenes are okay, but in my opinion, still not as inpressivec as they might have been. The historical accuracy is also a bit dodgy, and the story feels disjointed in places, leaving the viewer somewhat confused and dissatisfied. 
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Iffy for Age 16

"My touch would break you in half."

Gladiator (2000)

STUDIO:    Dreamworks
DIRECTOR: Ridley Scott
STARRING: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed, Connie Neilson
RATED:         R
OPINION STARS: 4.5 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Epic, Violent, Gritty 
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DESCRIPTION: Oscar winner Russel Crowe stars as Maximus, a skilled Roman general whom Emperor Marcus Aurelius chooses to succeed him, knowing that his own son - the perverse Commodus (Phoenix) - is unfit for the task of ruling an empire. But when Commodus realizes his father's plan, he seizes the throne, and orders Maximus to be slain. Maximus escapes death, but is enslaved and sold to be trained as a gladiator for the Roman games, where one must kill... or be killed. Winner of 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture 2000.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: A personal favorite. This is a real eye-opener to the brutality of the gladiatorial arena. To read about it in books is one thing; to actually see it is quite another. It's genuinely stomach-turning to hear the crowds roar in satisfaction as they watch men hack each other to pieces. As for Crowe... well, it's not hard to see why he earned an Academy Award for his role. He plays his character to absolute perfection: Maximus is a man of honor and unflinching resolve among a perverse and fickle multitude.  
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For Age 16+

"My name is Maximus Decimus Berideus. Loyal servant to the true emporer, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengence, in this life or the next."

My Boy Jack (2007)

STUDIO:      BBC
DIRECTOR:  Brian Kirk 
STARRING: David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe, Carey Mulligan, Kim Cattrall
RATED:    NR
OPINION STARS: 4 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Sad, Dramatic, Stirring
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DESCRIPTION: 17 year old Jack Kipling (Radcliffe) applies for service in World War I, but is rejected on account of his severe myopia. Still resolved to join the ranks, however, Jack, with the help and encouragement of his father (Haig), manages to get a position with the Irish Gaurd. Through hard work and gritty determination, Jack rewards his family by surmounting his disability and rising to the rank of Lieutenant. But when he goes missing in the bloody Battle of Loos, his family embarks on a long and untiring effort to find him.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE:  Based on Rudyard Kipling's poem of the same name. A stirring tale of one boy's determination to fight for his country. Be warned, however, that even though this film is not rated, is does contain some disturbing sequences of war violence and quite a bit of strong language. For mature audiences only.  
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Iffy for Age 16

Master and Commander (2003)

STUDIO:      20th Century Fox
DIRECTOR: Peter Weir
STARRING: Russel Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Billy Boyd, Edward Woodall
RATED:        PG-13
OPINION STARS: 5 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Epic, Intense, Exciting
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DESCRIPTION:  After a sneak attack by the French warship Acheron inflicts severe damage on his vessel, Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubry (Crowe) is torn between duty and friendhip as he embarks on a gripping, high-stakes chase across two oceans to capture or destroy the enemy at all costs. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture 2003.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Based on the novels by Patrick O'Brian. Sea adventures don't get any better than this. The cinematogrophy is amazing, the acting is superb, and the historical accuracy is spot-on. Really an amazing film, and a must see for anyone interested in naval history and warfare. Highly recommended. 
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For Ages 15+

"For England! For home! And for the prize!"