re: So I am watching Braveheart tonight for the first time

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I am not watching movies for historical accuracy. that is what books and first hand sources are for. I am a fricking HISTORY MAJOR.

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In the end, the value of a movie is lies almost entirely in your enjoyment of it. The exception is propaganda films that can have real-world consequences (Riefenstahl, obviously, or any number of examples from current war-torn countries.) While "Braveheart" is very overtly and clumsily propaganda-ish, it's not going to matter one whit to current circumstances, ergo the "real world" as we know it, so it's relatively useless to get worked up about the inaccuracies. Even the recent Scottish independence vote failed, and had it succeeded, I doubt Mel could have taken the credit.

Obviously there's no actual virtue in disseminating information that leaves the general population more ignorant or misguided, so I would much prefer if every viewer of "Braveheart" at least researched the realities of what the film purports to exhibit. But that's their choice, so it comes back to the entertainment factor.