In 1304, the Scottish nobility, including Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine), surrender to the English king Edward I (Stephen Dillane)… but circumstances soon force them to rise up once again. It is impossible to watch this movie and not make comparisons with Braveheart (1995), as Robert the Bruce was a character in that story and this film has a similar look and feel, following that template right up to a climactic battle against the English. Still, engaging enough and handsomely produced, with a tracking shot that serves as a perfect introduction to the characters, milieu and conflicts.
2018-Britain-U.S. 121 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by David Mackenzie. Cast: Chris Pine (Robert the Bruce), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (James Douglas), Florence Pugh (Elizabeth de Burgh), Billy Howle, Tony Curran, Lorne MacFadyen… Stephen Dillane.
Trivia: First shown at the Toronto film festival, then released on Netflix. Ben Foster was allegedly first cast in the film.
