Factual error: In the opening scene of the film a caption at the bottom of the screen tells us it is Scotland 1280 AD and the voice-over tells us the King of Scotland had died without an heir etc. But Alexander III of Scotland did not die until 1286 AD.
Revealing mistake: When Wallace rides into the village after his wife is killed, he hits the foot soldier with the mace-like weapon. When his horse is lanced, note that the lance is actually attached to the leather girdle on the horse, so, in effect, the animal is merely being pushed over.
Continuity mistake: When William comes to take Murron on a horse ride in the rain, he talks to Murron's parents. The camera cuts to Murron a couple of times, ducking under the shelter, and her hair is completely dry. But when she rushes out and jumps onto William's horse, her hair is soaked. Obviously this scene took several takes, and they didn't take the time to dry the actress's hair between each take.
Factual error: In the night scene after Malcolm Wallace's funeral we see the silhouette of a man playing bag pipes. Argyle tells William that they are outlawed tunes played on outlawed pipes. However, the bagpipes have only ever been banned twice in Scotland: in 1560 after the Reformation and again in 1746 after the Battle of Culloden (evidence for bans on bagpipes in the 18th century is weak at best). In the late 13th Century the bagpipe enjoyed similar popularity in England, although Scottish bagpipes were particular to the region, and had an established cultural importance. Whether these early bagpipes were as strongly associated with highland culture as later forms of the instrument is unclear; lowland and border musical tradition is more closely linked with small pipes.
Continuity mistake: When heavy cavalry charge the Scots in the first major battle, the camera cuts to a quick shot of the Scots holding the long spears before Wallace actually gives the signal.
Plot hole: In the scene where William takes Murron for their initial ride, he shows up in pouring rain, yet all further shots show the two of them totally dry. The tone of her mother's voice when they get back suggests they did not spend the night together, and the whole sequence appeared in a couple hours. They could not have gone from soaking-wet to bone-dry that fast.
Factual error: At the battle of Falkirk, the Irish soldiers fighting for Edward change sides at the last moment and go over to fight with the Scots. In reality, there were no Irish troops present at the battle. The only troublemakers amongst the English army were the contingent of Welsh bowmen who showed a reluctance to fight Wallace but this was more out of fear rather than sympathy for the Scots.
Revealing mistake: As the funeral of young William's father and brother is over, a man lifts a shovelful of dirt and empties it onto the open grave of one of the men. As he does this you can see the fake body that is wrapped up bounce pretty hard, revealing that it is not in fact a real person but something made out of lightweight material.
Factual error: Scots did not wear the kilt until the 17th century. They wore the saffron shirt prior to that (in Braveheart's time).
Continuity mistake: At the end, when the main executioner bends down, his cloak shifts and you can see he is wearing brown shoes with red rubber soles. These rubber soled shoes are worn today and had not been invented yet.
Continuity mistake: At the very end of the movie, watch the man standing to the left of the Bruce at Banickburn. In a shot from behind, there is a man with very short and curly hair. In the very next shot, from the front this time, a different man with very long and straight hair is to Robert's left.
Continuity mistake: When William realizes that the Bruce has been bought by the King, he gives up and lies on the ground. Earlier, he had been hit with an arrow and if you look hard you can see the arrow move when he lies down. This shows the arrow to be attached to his clothing and not actually piercing his body.
Factual error: Prince Edward was not a mincing homosexual stereotype. His homosexuality did not become obvious until after he became king and started taking male 'favourites'. Before then he was regarded as the perfect prince.
Continuity mistake: After Murron's funeral, Wallace kneels before her father, who at first makes a fist, then places his hand flat on Wallace's head. His palm is down, fingers outstretched. But when it cuts to the wide shot, he's suddenly gripping Wallace's hair in his fist.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where the English on horseback charge the Scots, look at the lighting on the ground. One moment it appears to be sunny, and the next it is cloudy.
Revealing mistake: In the scene when William Wallace rides into Mornay's bedchamber to kill him, Mornay's body is replaced with a dummy several frames before the weapon strikes his face. The face is already disfigured.
Factual error: Throughout the film, Wallace is portrayed as a Highland clansman in traditional highland garb. This was done by Gibson to emphasise the Scottish/English conflict, but it is not historically accurate. In fact, Wallace was a Lowland knight from exactly the same ethnic background as the Anglo-Normans he was fighting and would have worn the same style of armour as they did.
Continuity mistake: When Wallace was first seen approaching the deer, he already had the bow and arrow ready, he would just need to draw back and shoot. But in a close up shot of Wallace, he was just taking out an arrow to get it ready.
Continuity mistake: During the first major battle scene, Wallace's sword has a leather looking binding around the blade at the hilt. As the battle progresses, the binding moves a third of the way down the blade and then back again.
Suggested correction: They're supposed to move. It's there so the sword can be held by the blade and the hilt in close-combat scenarios.
Continuity mistake: There are scenes edited out of sequence. It is just after the fight scene where Wallace and other Scots storm the fort and Wallace kills the old guy that killed his wife. Well, in that scene, Hamish's father was struck in the shoulder with an arrow, and everybody is dirty and bleeding from the fight. The very next scene we see everybody cleaned up and fine at Wallace's wife's funeral, even Hamish's father can be seen without the arrow in his shoulder. Now, the scene after that, everybody is bloody and dirty again and they are removing the arrow from Hamish's dad. The funeral was edited out of sequence.
