Anyone who knows war films will know the movie Braveheart, a 3-hour historical epic about the life and sacrifice of a man named William Wallace. The film is based around the overthrow of King Edward in the 13th century and features a lot of fighting, politics and screaming. Classic war stuff, right?

But in his interview with Jordan B. Peterson, the producer of Braveheart Randall Wallace said something surprising.

I’ve been asked why I make war movies and I say, “I don’t. I make love stories. I want to know what you love enough to sacrifice your life for.”

When we think of war stories, we usually imagine what’s on the surface; the fighting, blood and the politics. We rarely think that behind all this violence is one of the purest of all emotions: love.

But if you think about it, all conflict is really about love. It’s about what you care enough to stand up for.

A child might love his sweets and yell for it. A teenager might love a cat and sacrifice money for it. A businessman might love power and neglect their health for it. And in perhaps the greatest sacrifice, a soldier might love his country enough to sacrifice their life for it.

War is love: what a strange but beautiful oxymoron.