"“Based on real events” is a title card that trailers use to instantly draw an audience’s attention, reeling us in to go and see it."
There’s something about it that makes us want to see it more, though we never really stop to think about just how accurate the movie may be. Although some of these movies might be largely loved, when in reality characters are added and removed, dates might not even match, and events are more exaggerated than from what might have really happened. Here is a look at some of the most famously inaccurate movies in history.
1. Gladiator (2000), directed by Ridley Scott, is an Academy Award winning epic that follows the fictional Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is later betrayed and is demoted from a general to a slave. He gains extensive respect after he faces off in numerous battles against fellow gladiators and even against wild animals. In real life, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius died of chickenpox. In the film, he was killed by his son Commodus, a character who was also modified for the sake of the film. His ominous persona and incenstuous behavior is actually quite faulty, as historical records prove that though he was an unfit ruler, he was overall well-liked and was nothing like the character in the movie.
2. Apocalypto (2006) is an adventure epic set in the decline of the Mayan kingdom, where rulers have grown convinced that the way of survival is to construct more temples and to offer human sacrifice. Jaguar Paw, the protagonist of the movie, is one of the men captured for sacrifice who is able to escape in order to avoid death. One of the prime reasons we like to believe this film is accurate is the use of real Mayan language, though that doesn’t dismiss the rest of the inaccuracies. The movie depicts the Mayans as ruthless savages, when really the Mayans were reasonably peaceful people and avoided violence. And the largest fib of the entire movie is the ending, where the Spaniards arrive to Mexico. This didn’t actually happen for another 400 years after the Mayan civilizations collapsed.
3. Pocahontas (1995) is a classic Disney animated movie that is beloved by many. Though Disney is known to pick and choose certain details from original Brothers Grimm fairy tales, this one stands out more than others might. In the movie, John Smith and his fleet of British men arrive in Virginia to, you know, take the land from the existing settlers, the Powhatan tribe. A romance forms between John Smith and the village princess, Pocahontas. The climax of the film consists of Pocahontas throwing herself in front of Smith, in an attempt to save his life. However, although history can admit that she did in fact save his life, she did it at around the age of 10 or 11 years old. The true story of Pocahontas ends with her being kidnapped by the English at 17 years old, later marrying an Englishman named John Rolfe during her captivity. Very romantic.
4. Braveheart (1995) was an instant success and is considered by many, one of the greatest movies of our time. Mel Gibson’s portrayal as the 13th century Scottish hero had all audiences in awe. Though William Wallace was a real person and hero, his revolt against King Edward I was fabricated for the movie. In the film, a law known as Prima Nocta is inducted, that allowed any British officer to be the first to deflower a bride on the night of her wedding. Historians have stated that this idea was never pushed forward by King Edward.
3. Pocahontas (1995) is a classic Disney animated movie that is beloved by many. Though Disney is known to pick and choose certain details from original Brothers Grimm fairy tales, this one stands out more than others might. In the movie, John Smith and his fleet of British men arrive in Virginia to, you know, take the land from the existing settlers, the Powhatan tribe. A romance forms between John Smith and the village princess, Pocahontas. The climax of the film consists of Pocahontas throwing herself in front of Smith, in an attempt to save his life. However, although history can admit that she did in fact save his life, she did it at around the age of 10 or 11 years old. The true story of Pocahontas ends with her being kidnapped by the English at 17 years old, later marrying an Englishman named John Rolfe during her captivity. Very romantic.
4. Braveheart (1995) was an instant success and is considered by many, one of the greatest movies of our time. Mel Gibson’s portrayal as the 13th century Scottish hero had all audiences in awe. Though William Wallace was a real person and hero, his revolt against King Edward I was fabricated for the movie. In the film, a law known as Prima Nocta is inducted, that allowed any British officer to be the first to deflower a bride on the night of her wedding. Historians have stated that this idea was never pushed forward by King Edward.
5. Dunkirk (2017), one of the highest anticipated movies of the year, is the heroic story of the evacuation of British and Allied troops being trapped by German forces early in World War II, and it had audiences and critics raving. Many of the inaccuracies in this movie are minor and do not immediately appeal to the eye. You have to really know your facts and history to have been able to catch them. For example, many military aviation experts were of disgust when aerial battle scenes took place because the yellow markings on the Luftwaffe planes weren’t actually used until a few months following the events of Dunkirk. Another flaw to the film is the lack of explosions. Most of the action and explosion scenes took place on the beach, but the town of Dunkirk was hardly touched, making it seem somewhat unrealistic for a war film.