On November 9th, Netflix released Outlaw King worldwide. Starring Chris Pine in the lead role, the historical movie tells the story of Robert I, better known as Robert the Bruce.
In 1306 AD, the Scots had to surrender to Edward I of England. The English King left and assigned Robert to collect taxes from the people and he was wed to Elizabeth de Burgh. Married against their wills, they does not consummate the marriage in their marriage night, but respect one another and care for each other deeply.
Robert, who was more of a warrior as a king, loyal to his people, wanted to be independent again. One day, when Robert brings in the collected taxes he learns that William Wallace, a Scottish knight, was brutally executed by Edward’s will. This is the moment in which he decides to free Scotland from England. He let himself crown King of Scots and leads his man into a war of liberation against England.
When Edward hears of it, he sends his son to Scotland to capture Robert. What follows, is a desperate fight for freedom.
Netflix is my source of discovering movies I otherwise would probably never see. I had to give this movie a chance, especially, because it shows a bit of Scottish history I never heard before. My tip is, to read about the story first somewhere, before you start watching, or else you could get lost in all the brutality and the who-is-who.
To choose a cast which originally comes from the place where the movie is playing is always a good choice. To cast an American actor, Chris Pine, to portray the lead role was a risky decision. To my ears, his Scottish accent was not that bad.
The nude scene people have been talking about, we have mentioned it as well, was a scene of two seconds tops, and was natural in every way. We live in a time, where we should not get into discussions about such scenes. Almost every movie has at least one naked person walking in front of a camera and people are dealing with it fine.
“I know you have no need for my counsel. It’s true, I have seen very little of the world. However, a young lady of my standing is afforded a great deal of time to read, to form distinct opinions, and to draw her own conclusions about the nature of power. Power is making decisions. Power is not allowing yourself to be buffeted on the tides of history. Instead, it is choosing a boat, climbing aboard, and hoisting the sail.”
However, for me the most outstanding performance was Florence Pugh who plays Robert’s wife, Elizabeth de Burgh. She is the daughter of one of the most powerful Irish nobles of that period, Richard Og de Burgh, who was a close friend and ally of Edward.
Being trapped in a forced marriage, she dealt with the situation in a graceful way. She took care of her husband daughter from his previous marriage and was not afraid to tell him her honest opinion. Back in the day, this was not a common thing. Even after she was captured and should sign some kind of divorce papers under force, she refused even though she knew that it could end badly for her. She chose to stand with her husband. In the end, there was a happy ending and the rest is history.
If you enjoy historical movies, we recommend you watch this one. Be warned of some very bloody and brutal scenes that may not be for sensitive people to watch.
