Review Detail
9.6 4 10
Overall rating
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
9.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Braveheart: The Elerslie Edition by CBB
Review by Captain Khajiit
*Warning! This review contains spoilers!*
In some ways Braveheart was a great film. I enjoyed it well enough when I first saw it, but I have rarely felt the urge to see it again it. I liked CBB's first attempt, but it suffered from some technical issues. I am pleased to report that the faneditor has resolved *all* the issues with the previous version.
Video Quality
I watched the DVD. Sourced from the BD, the image quality is absolutely excellent. The color correction is very good indeed. There were only a few shots that stood out as having been recolor-timed, but this is always the case with fan color correction, even Adywan's. I have seen professional studios perform *far* worse color work. Rotoscoping and cropping was done in a masterly fashion and would be invisible to anyone who did not know the film and was not looking for it. 10 out of 10
Audio Quality
Now with true 5.1, this edit sounds terrific. The audio was great. 10 out of 10
Presentation and Extras
The cover art was very nice. The menus were particularly well designed with thoughtful animated images that did not irritate me by showing me half the film before I watched it. The music was nice and did not make me mute the menu after a minute or so — a rare achievement. I do not care for extras, but I did appreciate the faneditor’s explanation of his ideas for the edit — a nice touch! 10 out of 10
Editing and Entertainment
The new cooler look helps CBB achieve its vision for the edit and create a new mood. As usual with CBB, the editing is seamless. I generally liked the re-ordering of events. The feel of the execution is slightly off towards the end because of the way the original material is composed. (Perhaps it is the music.) Apart from that, I really liked the way the edit flowed.
I do not agree with CBB's interpretation of some of the scenes that were deleted — notably Wallace's dream — but the edit works without them, so that is of no consequence. There is certainly something to be said for getting much of the nastiness out of the way in the first half and ending on a more positive note. The ending really comes off and does not feel forced at all, which is hard to pull off in a fanedit.
I liked the Elerslie Edition introductory title very much indeed. All the subtitling and credits were well produced, but I did not like the edit list at the end: it is not what I want to see after a film and belongs in the extras, in my opinion.
Braveheart will never be one of my favorite films, but when I watch it, I will watch the Elerslie Edition. (fanedit — 9 out of 10; theatrical — 8 out of 10)
Overall: 10 out of 10 CBB's second version is a triumph of fanediting.
Review by Captain Khajiit
*Warning! This review contains spoilers!*
In some ways Braveheart was a great film. I enjoyed it well enough when I first saw it, but I have rarely felt the urge to see it again it. I liked CBB's first attempt, but it suffered from some technical issues. I am pleased to report that the faneditor has resolved *all* the issues with the previous version.
Video Quality
I watched the DVD. Sourced from the BD, the image quality is absolutely excellent. The color correction is very good indeed. There were only a few shots that stood out as having been recolor-timed, but this is always the case with fan color correction, even Adywan's. I have seen professional studios perform *far* worse color work. Rotoscoping and cropping was done in a masterly fashion and would be invisible to anyone who did not know the film and was not looking for it. 10 out of 10
Audio Quality
Now with true 5.1, this edit sounds terrific. The audio was great. 10 out of 10
Presentation and Extras
The cover art was very nice. The menus were particularly well designed with thoughtful animated images that did not irritate me by showing me half the film before I watched it. The music was nice and did not make me mute the menu after a minute or so — a rare achievement. I do not care for extras, but I did appreciate the faneditor’s explanation of his ideas for the edit — a nice touch! 10 out of 10
Editing and Entertainment
The new cooler look helps CBB achieve its vision for the edit and create a new mood. As usual with CBB, the editing is seamless. I generally liked the re-ordering of events. The feel of the execution is slightly off towards the end because of the way the original material is composed. (Perhaps it is the music.) Apart from that, I really liked the way the edit flowed.
I do not agree with CBB's interpretation of some of the scenes that were deleted — notably Wallace's dream — but the edit works without them, so that is of no consequence. There is certainly something to be said for getting much of the nastiness out of the way in the first half and ending on a more positive note. The ending really comes off and does not feel forced at all, which is hard to pull off in a fanedit.
I liked the Elerslie Edition introductory title very much indeed. All the subtitling and credits were well produced, but I did not like the edit list at the end: it is not what I want to see after a film and belongs in the extras, in my opinion.
Braveheart will never be one of my favorite films, but when I watch it, I will watch the Elerslie Edition. (fanedit — 9 out of 10; theatrical — 8 out of 10)
Overall: 10 out of 10 CBB's second version is a triumph of fanediting.
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