Many Netflix viewers have been tirelessly waiting for the release of the new movie ‘Outlaw King’. Set as the retelling of one of the biggest events in Scottish history, director David Mackenzie creates a Game of Thrones aesthetic to bring the story of Robert the Bruce to centre stage. But whilst there was no shortage of action and drama, the lack of historical context (minus a few PowerPoint style text boxes to save them an extra couple of hours) leaves many wondering the full timeline and story behind this Scottish hero.

Family Ties

Robert was born July 11^th, 1274. A descendant of the Scottish King David I, his family believed that Scotland should be independent from England, with his grandfather Robert de Brus pursuing this during disputes following the death of Alexander III. These disputes took Scotland into a civil war, leading to English King, Edward I, using his power to crown John Bailliol in 1292.

After relations took a nose dive, King Edward launched an invasion of Scotland in 1296. After a swift victory, Robert’s family swore their loyalty to the English king. However, Robert did not follow his family entirely. He backed rebel William Wallace during an uprising against the English king but did not join Wallace during his victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Calm Before the Storm

With all seeming to calm down, trouble was already right around the corner. In 1301, Edward I began another campaign with Robert seemingly swearing loyalty towards the English monarch after his rival claimant to the throne, John Comyn, was rumoured to be planning to seize power. After another invasion in 1304, the English took control over Scotland. Although Robert seemed to be on the side of the king, he had plans to retake what he believed was rightfully Scottish.

In Cold Blood

In 1306, he met with his rival, John, which ended in Robert stabbing Comyn at the altar of the Chapel of Greyfriars Monastery after a fight broke out between the two. Leading to his excommunication and his newly found determination for the crown.  Six weeks later, his supporter, Bishop Robert Wishart, gave him absolution. This allowed him to be crowned King Robert I that same year.

This taste of rebellion led to a renewed conflict with the English and disastrous civil war against those who swore their loyalty to England. Members of his family were tortured by association, with Robert’s brother famously being hung, drawn and quartered, as shown in the film.

Robert faced even more problems as he and his relatively small army were defeated in 1306, leaving to his retreat with a few supporters in tow. He stayed in hiding until Edward I’s death in the summer of 1307, things began looking up for Robert and his followers.

It’s Always Sunny in Bannockburn

Robert began a new campaign against the new English King, Edward II, with a series of small victories leading to his establishment of a kingdom in the north of Scotland in 1308. He continued defeated Scottish rivals and English troops, allowing him to also seize the Isle of Man in 1313.

Famously, in 1314 as they began to strike northern, troops were sent by King Edward II to meet Robert’s army for battle at Bannockburn. This proved to be a highly victorious and legendary battle for the Scottish King, with Edward II avoiding death by being pulled from the battlefield, which is shown much in the style of a temper tantrum during the film. After this and many more years a political power plays and success, he finally became the overall King of Scotland and freed the country from English rule in 1324, which was also recognised by Pope John XXII.

He sadly died a few years later in June 1329, with his body buried in Dunfermline Abbey.

Netflix’s Outlaw King is now available online for streaming.

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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.

What did you think of Outlaw King? Tell us in the comments below!

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I wear this crown as a symbol of my duty to serve the Scottish people.

The latest Netflix Original movie, Outlaw King, explores Scottish historical figure Robert the Bruce, who is played by Chris Pine, and promises plenty of action, violence, and speeches in its 1300’s Scottish setting.

The untold, true story of Robert The Bruce who transformed from defeated nobleman, to reluctant King, to outlaw hero over the course of an extraordinary year. Forced into battle in order to save his family, his people and his country from the oppressive English occupation of medieval Scotland, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies a ragtag group of men to face off against the wrath of the world’s strongest army led by the ferocious King Edward 1 and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.

The film has already premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and there, the movie gained plenty of attention with Chris Pine’s full frontal nudity scene. It also had many mixed reactions at the festival and resulted in critically acclaimed Hell or High Water director David Mackenzie cutting 20 minutes from the film. Mackenzie adds that trimming the film from 137 minutes to approximately 117 was “was entirely my decision” and that “three days (after the festival) later I was back editing.” However, those minutes won’t include Pine’s nudity scene.

“I can’t understand why people get worked about that,” Mackenzie says of the scene in question. “I made ten films and most of them had male frontal nudity; it’s a bathing scene and people do tend to get out of the bath without clothes.”

As for if the cuts make a difference, Mackenzie urges previous viewers to give it another go.

“It’s worth another look, and I encourage critics who saw it and didn’t connect with it to see it again,” the Scottish writer/director adds. “It has a different sense since it’s under two hours, but it’s still very much an epic.”

Starring Chris Pine (Wonder Woman) as Robert the Bruce, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick Ass) as James Douglas, Lord of Douglas, a Scotsman in arms with Robert, Florence Pugh (The Falling) as Robert’s second wife Elizabeth de Burgh, Billy Howle (On Chesil Beach) as Edward, Prince of Wales, Tony Curran (Defiance) as Angus Macdonald, Callan Mulvey (Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice) as John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) as Edward I of England, Lorne MacFadyen (Grantchester) as Neil Bruce, Robert’s younger brother, Alastair Mackenzie as prominent Scotsman Lord Atholl, James Cosmo as Robert de Brus, Steven Cree (Outlander) as Christopher Seton, Sam Spruell (Snow White and the Huntsman) as Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, and Rebecca Robin as Margaret of France.

Outlaw King hits Netflix on November 9th.

Will you be watching Outlaw King? Tell us in the comments below!

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