Continuity mistake: In a major fight scene two soldiers on opposite sides are jumping and spinning and tapping each other on the head with their swords.
Continuity mistake: In another major battle scene William Wallace is running into battle with a bloody claymore in his hand. In the next shot of him it is back in its sheath. Then in another scene he has it in his grasp again, but this time it is clean.
Continuity mistake: In one of the major battles, Wallace is charging down a hill with a large sword in his hand. During the charging it changes to being a small pick axe type tool. Then around the middle of the charge there is a quick shot change and almost from the same angle the pick axe has disappeared. It then changes back to a large sword, a quick change back to the pick axe, then back to the large sword. (01:28:20)
Continuity mistake: At the end when Wallace is being led to be executed, he is pelted with food. Much of it sticks to his face and hair. A few moments later when they are standing him up he is completely clean. (02:37:50)
Continuity mistake: When Wallace first meets Princess Isabelle and is left alone with her in the tent, the wimple she is wearing appears to have a life of its own - first it's on her chin, then over her chin, and then under her chin. (01:47:10)
Continuity mistake: In the first large battle with England at Falkirk the same scenes are used when the English fire the arrows. The first time the arrows are fired, a blonde young man is hit in the foot, they then moon the English so they fire again and the same man is seen getting hit in the same foot. A man in the same battle is shot in the hip - when he grabs the wound you can see the shape of the cushioned bulb that the arrow is attached to. If you watch during all the battle scenes you can detect men who are supposed to be on opposite sides standing and talking, also you can see the choreographed moves being played out in almost slow motion - their swords aren't even striking.
Continuity mistake: At Stirling an English archer is hit by the nobles on horseback causing his helmet to fall off. He's then hit again and somehow his helmet falls off again. Then when he lands he is still wearing his helmet despite it having fallen off (twice).
Continuity mistake: When the English spy tries to kill Wallace, and you realize the crazy Irishman is a friend, you see the spy drop his sword, as soon as he is hit by the Irishman's weapon, but as soon as he hits the ground dead, the sword is back in his hand. (01:08:30)
Continuity mistake: When Wallace tries to escape from the English with his wife, not knowing that she has been captured and executed, he is seen running through the woods screaming her name... As he's running he has a sword in his right hand. During the course of three or four camera shots, the sword he is holding magically disappears and reappears as different cameras shoot him. Then it reappears and he digs it into the ground as he takes off the English soldier's uniform that he stole. (00:42:35)
Continuity mistake: When Wallace, Hamish and Stephen burn the hut with the English soldiers inside watch for a fourth man who appears for one shot only then disappears. He also has a torch despite Stephen only lighting three.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where the English spy is killed by the crazy Irishmen, the sword handle changes from being horizontal to vertical in consecutive shots.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where William Wallace charges after the king's brigade after the Battle of Falkirk, and Robert the Bruce (disguised) turns and charges at him with a lance, Robert is wearing two distinctly different silver helmets before he hits Wallace and after. These two helmets are seen interchangeably in the preceding scenes also. (02:02:00)
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.
Continuity mistake: During the scene in which William Wallace is being executed, the camera pans the crowd and shows the ragged peasants staring in silence. An extra, who is a young woman with light hair and a dirty face and is standing near the front of the shot, stares directly at the camera for a few seconds while all the other extras look in a different direction towards the execution. (02:44:00)
Suggested correction: That is purposely done. It is meant to show her locking eyes with Wallace.
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.
Continuity mistake: When Smythe and his two men watches Murron and Wallace as they walk away from each other, you can see Smythe sitting and both of his men are standing in front of him. When it cuts, both his men are standing behind him, and he is suddenly wiping his mouth. (00:39:35)
Continuity mistake: Just before Wallace picks up the archer to throw him over the ledge, you can the archer has a tin looking hat around his head with part of his suit covering his head below the hat. In the shot from in front of the ledge when Wallace is throwing him off the cap has now disappeared before he has been thrown. The following shot as he is falling its a bit hard to see his cap but you see it come off. (00:50:45)
Continuity mistake: When Hamish and Wallace are throwing stones, Hamish gets hit on the head. When he falls to the floor his head is bleeding, but in the next shot there is no blood and a very faint cut. (00:25:30)
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: When Wallace arrives at the home of Murron to invite her for a ride in the rain, the mother's head covering changes several times between shots. Sometimes it has the yellow fringe close to her face and other times it does not have the fringe at all. (00:29:40)
