Bruce (Chris Pine) is first seen, reluctantly, swearing fealty to Edward (Stephen Dillane), along with many other Scots noblemen, and sparring with the king's son (Billy Howle), later Edward II, who takes a childish delight in baiting the beaten Scot, an antagonism that runs through the film and will last beyond into the years that follow. Edward gives Bruce an English wife, Elizabeth (Florence Pugh), as a means of drawing him in further to his influence.
When Edward has the rebel leader Wallace executed and his body parts displayed at strategic points in Scotland the population is even more resentful of English rule and Bruce tries to build up an alliance of nobles to start another uprising. In doing so he murders John Comyn, his rival to the crown, and alienates many of those he needs to convince. An attempt to take on the English army in set battle is treacherously destroyed by Valence (Sam Spruell), Edward's general, and Bruce finds himself on the run with a small band of supporters. Using guerilla tactics he steadily builds an army which, although vastly outnumbered, defeats the English knights at Loudon Hill. Bruce is on his way.
It's a powerful story, but the script lets it down. Too often the dialogue rings false, and there's little depth to the characters. Pine's Bruce attracts loyalty and affection, but it's not always clear why. He's certainly human enough, but his real world cleverness, or deviousness, is not given a chance to show through. There are some comments about his effectiveness as a guerilla campaigner, and he's shown as an effective general in set battles, but the political skills he must have possessed aren't even hinted at, leaving us with a half formed character.
Pine does a good job with what he's been given and does enough to keep us rooting for him. Dillane's underplaying of Edward creates a more sinister character than a more overt performance could, and there's strong support form a host of Scottish stalwarts like James Cosmo, Tony Curran and Alastair Mackenzie. Pugh stands out despite being given little to do and gives her Elizabeth a complexity that belies how little screen time she has.
Then there's the other big star of the show - Scotland itself, both scenically and as the idea of a nation.
So is Outlaw King the new Braveheart? Thankfully the answer to that is No. Unlike it's predecessor it has a more than competent performance from the lead actor, with Pine able to hold up his accent (whether or not it's the 'right' accent is another matter...) and make us feel we're watching a real human being; the storyline hasn't played too fast and loose with historical fact; and I didn't find myself laughing out loud in ridicule at inappropriate moments (although there are a few good jokes which deserve more legitimate laughter, including a sneaking reference to the infamous spider of legend). Outlaw King is by far the better film - but that was never going to be difficult.
Is Outlaw King to be an inspiration for the Yes movement? Mibbes aye, mibbes naw. But there are already so many better reasons to pursue independence than can be provided by a
Is Outlaw King a great movie? No, and by some margin. The script is too flawed, the battle scenes overlong and it barely scratches the surface of it's subject. But it is, tedious minutes of slaughter aside, entertaining enough with a mix of drama, action, period authenticity (there is a LOT of mud!) and some romance that keeps the interest. And gives a sense of being a prequel to some future project that will culminate at Bannockburn. Maybe that's the one to reveal a deeper Bruce.
And make sure you watch to the end of the credits. Kathryn Joseph's closing vocals are worth staying for and will have done her profile no harm at ll.
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