Robert the Bruce

I feel 1 star is being generous for this movie. I cant believe I have wasted 2 hours of my life watching such rubbish. If this is the best Angus MacFadyan can come up with, he should give up now.

I had the privilege of seeing this in Edinburgh at a small screening, film was introduced by the main star and director. This is clearly a labour of love and small budget dealing with The Bruce on the run and giving up on himself. Being hunted by other Scots who are after some coin, he has to hide out through winter. Filmed mostly in Montana with a bit of Scotland at the end, seems a bit of a shame but this sort of thing happens a lot. The film itself is a slow burner and a bit of a come down on the back Brave Heart, this is a beaten King giving up and hiding out, wounded he is taken in by a family who've lost their Husband/father to the battles with the English army. Some mixed feelings towards him but they come to terms in the end he is a good King and wants what's best for Scotland. Bits of the film reminded me of old westerns like High Noon or 3:10 to Yuma, there's a showdown coming and the odds are against you but you have to fight regardless. It was good to see Angus back in the role of Bruce seems fitting and if they ever do a Bannockburn movie I'd want him back in the role.

Scottish history is vigorously disputed territory and the story of Robert the Bruce its most prominent narrative. The story of the spider is deeply embedded in the Scottish psyche and the Bruce's struggles to overcome English domination with the victory at Bannockburn are the stuff of legend. This film will disappoint those who crave battle scenes as much as those who demand historical accuracy; it depicts the complex psychology of the times with subtle dialogue and the close examination of intimate relationships between fictional characters, rather than chart the course of events. It is intense and engaging, and uses acting not action to tell the story, which concerns only that bit of the legend immediately after the spider and before banishment of the English, when the Bruce is struggling with demons and the rest of the characters dealing with issues of betrayal, resentment and loss. The release of this film comes at a crucial moment in Scottish history. It is already despised and written off by opponents of Scottish independence as propaganda, criticised for its alleged historical inaccuracy and sentimentality. The director is after all a prominent supporter of Scottish independence and felt that his film would help the cause. In this context, it has already strayed into Scotland's most disputed territory. Viewed with an open mind, it is nevertheless a fascinating portrayal of how actual people in an actual situation might behave and relate to each other. The acting is pretty good, although one or two accents did not quite make the grade, and there was some mumbling. Impressive work in the children's roles and very good camera work to bring horses deep inside the drama. Go see it!

I guess I was expecting brave heart 2 , this doesn't come anywhere near , even outlaw king was far better , guess they all can't be great but in 20 years no one will remember this unlike Mel Gibson classic , this is very poor.

This is not a sequel to Braveheart. A Long Overdue account(mostly accurate) of Robert the Bruces trials and tribulations after he is crowned King of Scots at Scone. Don't expect massive battle scenes however there are more than enough technical encounters to keep everyone happy. So Good I will probably watch it a few times more.

It is not what you might expect. It is a sensitive and moving portrayal of a real historical figure caught between fighting for a destiny they are driven by, and a sense that they have been blinded by egotism. The story is well known in Scotland but there has never been as powerful a rendering of it as this. It has the makings of a classic.