Films have always affected viewers' emotions and motivations since their creation in the twentieth century.  These films have a variety of genres, ranging from horror to comedy, and from action to romance.  Two movies in particular, Braveheart and Gladiator, are very similar in not only the genre but also the moral and the purpose behind the movies.  The movie Braveheart is about a Scottish war hero who devotes his life to fighting a Welsh General who is attempting to take over Scotland.  The movie Gladiator involves an ex-military general who becomes a gladiator and eventually attempts to take down the king of Rome.  When comparing and contrasting these films, a greater understanding of themes such as heroism, pride, and motivation can be discovered.  

In order to comprehend the deeper meaning of these two films, one must know the basic plotlines of the movies.  Braveheart is about a Scottish landowner who is compelled to fight against an English ruler who has begun to take over Scotland.  He travels from town to town fighting the King's soldiers and gaining townspeople in his militia.  Eventually the Scottish nobility joins the side of the main character.  There are many battles throughout the movie but eventually the main character is captured and punished.  In Gladiator, the General of Rome's military named Maximus is said to become the next King instead of the King's son.  The King's son is angered at this, so he kills his father to become the King before Maximus is named King.  The new king then fires Maximus and sends him to be executed.  Maximus escaped the executors and ends up being captured by slave traders.  He is then sent to a smaller city where he begins fighting in gladiator tournaments.  After much success, Maximus begins to gain respects among other gladiators.  Later in the film, the King orders there to be a tournament across all of Rome to find the best gladiator.  Maximus ends up winning until he reaches the Coliseum, where he eventually confronts the King near the end of the movie.

To begin to understand a common theme, it is necessary to compare the specifics of the movies themselves.  Braveheart has a setting in Scotland at the end of the thirteenth century, while Gladiator is set in the second century in Rome.  In both these time periods, violence and war was very common.  In the case of Gladiator, violence was used as entertainment for the rich when people would fight to the death in arenas such as the famous Coliseum.  In Braveheart are many violent war and torture scenes.  In most cases, these uses of violence in the movie make the audience cheer for the main character in each movie.  Also, both of these movies are action-packed and filled with plot twists and suspense.  These movies also have the same audience, which is mainly the adult male, who typically favors violence and action more than the female.    These are only some of the many similarities between the two heroic themed movies Braveheart and Gladiator. 

Another important similarity is that both main characters die in the end, but are still able to prove a point to other surrounding people.  In Braveheart for example, the main character is captured by the Welsh and is about to be executed.  He is told that if he says begs for mercy, he will have a quick painless death.  Instead, the main character endures torture and eventual death to inspire others to resists the government and to motivate them.  This shows a main aspect of the heroism in Braveheart.  In the film Gladiator, the main character, who is a gladiator, works his way up to fighting in the Coliseum.  After defeating seemingly invincible opponents, the gladiator finally gets a chance to get revenge on the king who killed his family.  The gladiator, despite being stabbed before the fight, kills the king before his own death shortly after.  With both dead bodies on the Coliseum floor, the gladiator is carried off by royal guards and held high in the air out of respect, while the dead king is left alone with no one around him.  This also shows the heroism theme within the movie.

By putting these films together in comparison, a lot can be said about the audience of these films and the commons themes within movies.  Both movies are very inspirational and motivational.  By having the main character die for a good cause, audiences get a sense of selflessness and sacrifice.  The audience isn't by any means inspired to die for a just cause after watching these movies, but they certainly are inspired to rise up against something or someone who is unjust or wrong.  The emotions created by these movies shows that seeing other people being heroic motivates the audience. 

By analyzing some direct quotes from the movie Braveheart, one can see more clearly the themes of heroism, motivation, and pride within the film.  For example, in the end of Braveheart, William Wallace in a voiceover states, "In the Year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland - starving and outnumbered - charged the fields of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets; they fought like Scotsmen, and won their freedom" ("Quotes").  This quotes is very inspirational and shows how the main character in Braveheart was an inspirational hero.  The people of Scotland were so influenced and motivated by the actions of William Wallace that they successfully fought and won for their freedom without him.  This says a lot about the type of influence the main character had on his community.  Earlier in the movie, William Wallace states, "Every man dies, not every man lives" ("Quotes").  By saying this, Wallace motivates his fellow warriors to 'live'.  Wallace wants the people of Scotland to live for a purpose and accomplish things in the present rather than sitting back and letting things happen to them that they don't want.  He wants them to stand up against the corrupt government and fight for their freedom and for the freedom of the Scottish people to come.   Another quote from Braveheart comes right before a major battle when William Wallace is motivating his men to fight.  Wallace, in front of the whole army, states, "Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... our freedom!"  This is an extremely motivation moment in the movie.  Upon hearing the statement, the Scottish army is ready to fight and risk their lives for a greater cause.  This goes along with the motivational theme of the movie because viewers of the film also feel a sense of motivation upon seeing the scene.

In the movie Gladiator, similar themes can be found in a direct quote from the main character, Maximus.  One quote given by Maximus says, "What we do in life echoes in eternity" ("Quotes").  This quote reflects how Maximus lived his life in the duration of the film.  Maximum put his life on the line in order to bring justice to Rome.  By fighting in the Coliseum against the King, Maximus risked and gave up his life in order to make the lives of the Romans better.  The sacrifices made by Maximus during his time support his quote when he says his actions will echo in eternity.  It is also is shown in the last scene of the movie that Maximus is in heaven playing with his son and comforting his wife in eternity.  

In conclusion, Braveheart and Gladiator are very similar movies.  When they are put side by side in comparison, the themes within the films become more easily understood.  The films give the audience a sense of heroism and inspire them to carry out the themes into their everyday lives.  This aspect of films is important because it gives movie-watching a whole new purpose instead of only entertainment.

