Next up, a list like this just wouldn't be complete without Braveheart. Before he was all allegedly racist, and allegedly misogynist and every other alleged -ist, Mel Gibson took his time out playing historical figures and telling people it was all correct. Despite being a terribly incorrect historical account, there's no denying that Mel Gibson knows how to get his army ready for a battle and who hasn't uttered the immortal words, "...but you'll never take our freedom" and especially said them in a terrible Scottish accent.
The final film that takes the crown is Gladiator. The story of Russell Crowe as an army commander, cast out and sold into slavery to become a Gladiator and work his way up to eventually face his cast outer. You can choose from a whole host of amazing speeches, the opening of the film starts with a battle against the Germanic hordes, Crowe tells his riders, "what we do in life, echoes in eternity" and then tells his archers, "on my mark, unleash hell". You can only reply, "okay Russell, I'll unleash all the hell". The second would be as Russell Crowe defeats another load of enemies thrown at him in the gladiatorial arena, when instructed to kill his downed opponent, he throws down his sword, turns around and yells, "are you not entertained?" That slave is sticking it to the man. It's with his final speech that he really gets you going. It shows a man who has lost everything, he's ready to make his revenge and he's ready to die. So, without further ado, here's our winning speech:
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. Commander of the Armies of the North. General of the Felix Legions. Loyal servant to the true Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife – and I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
FemaleFirst - James Butlin
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