I like sweeping dramas as much as the other guy, but when I see one I usually hope for as much sweep as I do drama. Recently I sat back to watch Sony / Columbia Tristar.'s "Battle of the Brave", which promised much… but didn’t quite deliver. And admittedly I was surprised. The cast, which boasts the likes of Gerard Depardieu, Tim Roth, Jason Isaacs and Irene Jacob delivered very good performances, but not good enough to overshadow the film's weaker points. "Battle of the Brave" takes place during the late 1750's and fleshes out its story of two lovers kept ceremoniously apart with the backdrop of the territorial wars between France and England. In this case, it is France's determination to keep Quebec under its control. We are introduced to Marie-Loup (Noemie Godin-Vigneau), a rebellious woman striving to teach her two daughters to be as independent as she is. Of course, in those times strong women were not as appreciated as they are today, so she finds herself constantly in trouble.

To make matters worse, she helps those who are sick by using old Indian medicines and herbs and is accused at one point of delaing with witchcraft.

She meets Francois (David La Haye), who immediately takes a liking to her defiant personality. But when he makes his interest known, is snubbed because of the fortune he has recently inherited… not too mention the fact that he is a man. But soon, Marie realizes his intentions are honest, and he helps her escape from the evil lord so badly wants her. Being that as it may, their relationship is soon to be doomed by those who want to keep them apart for reasons ranging from their own personal desires, to those whose desires are stronger and more political in nature.

Sony / Columbia Tristar is releasing "Battle of the Brave" this month on DVD, and in watching the film felt that even for its length, there was something missing. The story in and of itself was engrossing, but being a little bit of a history nut, I found that the filmmakers played fast and loose with the fact (as if that's not the norm), and that can be a bit of a distraction. If you’re not into history though you probably won’t notice some of the glaring errors and enjoy it a little more than I did. I do have to hand it to the cinematographer though for capturing the beauty of the Great White North. Unfortunately, this is really the strongest part of the film.

The DVD is devoid of any special features, so all you get is the movie.

Directed by: Jean Beaudin
Starring: Noemie Godin-Vigneau, David La Haye, Irene Jacob, Jason Isaacs, Colm Meaney, Tim Roth, Gerard Depardieu
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen (1.85:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Sony / Columbia Tristar
Release Date: 11/7/2006
Region: 1
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (For Violence and Sexual Content)
Website

We'll give Battle of the Brave a C-.