It feels like we’ve been waiting years for this film to arrive in cinemas, and I am happy to say that it was worth it. While it may be slightly amusing to hear the attempted Scottish accents of Hollywood heartthrobs Chris Pine and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, it is enough to feel patriotic, like Braveheart all over again. Outlaw King expertly brings to life the tale of Robert the Bruce, and his quest to gain Scottish freedom from oppressive English rule.
The stunning visuals really help to bring the film to life, with vast landscapes and clever transitions between inside and out. The panoramic shots of the Scottish hills and valleys only serve to add to the film, and the battle scenes can only be described as epic. You can never fully appreciate how beautiful a country we live in until you see shots like these, and I’m sure that was exactly as the director David Mackenzie planned.
Mackenzie is in his element when trying to coax every little detail from each scene. Simple scenes such as a wedding, funeral and the naming of Bruce as King of Scots are gripping to watch, and every word and movement is necessary and important. However, my one criticism of the film would be that Robert the Bruce does not have much depth as a character, and instead is seen to be shallow and only exists to prove his masculinity. The director even goes as far to show everything that Chris Pine has to offer while washing in a stream, for no apparent reason.
Steven Cree (Outlander) was thrilled at the opportunity to play Sir Christopher Seton in the film, the brother in law of Robert the Bruce. He was especially pleased to be a Scotsman involved in a movie dedicated to a Scottish hero:
“I’ve thought for years someone should make a film about Robert the Bruce as he’s such a fascinating character of Scottish history, the warrior king. And obviously it’s an incredibly pivotal part of Scottish history. So, to be involved at all was a great honour. Being involved in any great story is what most actors want, regardless of nationality. But of course, it’s nice to have played a real-life character who was part of such a rich slice of Scottish history.”
Steven starred alongside some of the biggest names in the movie industry in Outlaw King, which he says helped him immensely:
“It was a good learning experience working with everyone on the film. David Mackenzie is an Oscar nominated director, Chris Pine is one of the biggest leading men in Hollywood right now and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a golden globe winner. From the make-up team to costume, everyone is at the top of their game. You can only benefit from working in that sort of environment being surrounded by incredible talent everywhere you look.”
You can see Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Steven Cree in Outlaw King on Netflix now.
Feature image from collider.com
