War is an ever-present entity in the world of cinema. The films Braveheart and Full Metal Jacket show strikingly similar, yet different aspects of war. Braveheart is an epic tale of love lost and how the circumstances surrounding that loss contributed in sparking one man's emotions, eventually leading to a bloody rebellion and his country's emancipation for a dictatorial England. Set in 13th century England and Scotland, the film portrays the legend of a man named William Wallace, a commoner bent on unifying the Scots and leading them to their freedom. Throughout the film Wallace is identified as a demigod, with stories ranging from his height being seven feet to his presumed ability to shoot balls of fire from his eyes as seen in the dialogue at the battle of Falkirk.

"Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace," proclaimed Wallace in an attempt to rally the Scottish troops.

A young soldier contested, "William Wallace is 7 feet tall."

Wallace responded, "Yes, I've heard. He kills men by the hundreds, and if he were here he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse. I am William Wallace, and I see a whole army of my countrymen here in d

These movies portray very different, yet strikingly similar aspects of war. Granted, both have savage battle scenes with enough blood and gore to make even the strongest stomach turn, yet both lend a sort of subtlety and honor to the notion of war. Freedom is worth dying for, as William Wallace eventually finds out, but the same can't be said for the marines in Full Metal Jacket. Full Metal Jacket shows the true horror of war, complete with the details of Vietnam veterans' stories. Women and children were murdered with equal audacity as the men. Villages were destroyed and burnt to the ground. Soldiers were tortured and, when they were of no further use, executed. The movies portray two very real, very different aspects of war.

The nature of war is set very differently in these two movies, although they share some certain characteristics. In Braveheart, war is a result of years of English oppression on its Scottish subjects. In contrast, the Vietnam War is a result of the spread of Communism. Both wars are a result of some higher power's oppression, but the reasons for involvement of the main characters differ severely. The Scots in Braveheart are fighting for their personal freedom, whereas American troops in Full Metal Jacket are fighting under command of a government that feels it has to be the police officer of the world. The Scottish revolution is a direct cry for freedom by an oppressed people, while the Vietnam War is a civil war in which American troops fought and died for a cause they didn't share.

The battle scenes in Full Metal Jacket are equally compelling. They help to show the true horror of war, not only the physical effects but the psychological and emotional as well. Set in the wake of the Tet Offensive, most of the battle scenes are in urban centers, as opposed to the presumption that all combat took place in Vietnamese jungles. The Marines deal with snipers, landmines, and enemy patrols, most of which came in the form of Russian tanks. An interesting plot twist comes about upon the apprehension of an enemy sniper, who happens to be female. On the other hand, Braveheart never subjected women in the battle scenes, but times have indeed changed.

An interesting difference between the movies is dialogue. Granted, both movies are set far apart in time and take place on opposite ends of the Earth, but the dialogue in both movies

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