Outlaw King

So I had no idea what this was going to be about, but the movie works even without any previous knowledge. Actually even if you haven't seen Braveheart, you will get thrown into circumstances that you will get very quickly. Maybe not have seen Braveheart works better for some, because they won't compare the two movies, no matter when they play time wise in History.

Having said all that, Chris Pine is really relishing in a role that is quite difficult to pull off. He has to be tough yet show a "softer" side too. Especially when it comes to his wife. Now how much of this is accurate, I can't tell, because I'm not read up on the details of what actually happened. I'm guessing that the bigger events/fights are more or less accurate. There is blood, there is a bit of nudity and there is a lot of fighting with swords ... if that sounds like "fun" to you, the movie will be entertaining. And you will also learn a little bit of actual history

As a Scot I can say that I found this film superb, great acting, scenery as expected stunning and the filmography amazing. Even the accent of Chris Pine was spot on and the storyline fantastic. The negative Joe's will do their usual and look for the faults as they do in every film rather than having watched someone they like but still feel the need to pick a fault, so ignore these as the film is brilliant in every way (and no I don't work on it, or was an extra)

Saw this at TIFF and it was definitely a fun and interesting movie. As a history buff the costumes and overall historical accuracy was great. However the scenes moved incredibly quickly, and the writing didn't have a lot of heart. Bruce is all the good guy and the king and prince of wales pure evil. The characters are so much more complex in real life and adding that to the script could have made it fall a little less flat. Again it was fun, but not exactly an Oscar film.

This was a legitimately moving and entertaining movie. The acting is absolutely fantastic, the cinematography is impeccable and the practical effects are undeniably realistic.

Outlaw King is one of the most visually breathtaking films of 2018, the cinematography, the set pieces, costume designs, are absolutely perfect. The story, based of a true event, is very engaging, and the film does a great job at making you route for Robert Bruce. However, the film feels like it should have been longer, which makes me believe that it should have been a mini series instead. The period in which this film takes place, was a major event in Scottish history, and they crammed it all within a 2 hour movie. Some of it works, and some of it doesn't.

The actors are all fantastic, Chris Pine was great as the Bruce, although I would have preferred Gerard Butler in the role, Pine gave a very convincing performance. Most of the other characters are very bland, and you don't get much time to spend with them, as they just stand in the background and do some cool stuff. Aaron Taylor Johnson however was the highlight of the film, and I wish we got to see more of him. He was insanely entertaining here, as a savage lunatic eager to avenge his family.

Some reviews I have read have pointed out that the English are portrayed in a very negative manner, which is true. They are made to be evil in this film, burning castles, and slaughtering innocent people, but this film is as historically accurate as possible, and these events most likely took place. But like I said before, everything is crammed together quickly, if they had made a mini series they could have showed more of the story.

The action scenes are brilliant in the Outlaw King, and you can tell that most of it was inspired by Braveheart, from the gore, to the realism. However I feel the movie put style over story and characters. I would watch it just for its visuals alone.

The Outlaw King will disappoint fans wanting a new Braveheart, but history buffs, or hardcore movie goers will love this film for what it is, a good piece of entertaining visuals and action.

7.7/10