The story of the nobleman-turned-outlaw hero who was crowned King of Scots in the 14th century.
“Braveheart” exists in the annals of cinema culture as an exemplary historical epic centered a previously-unknown character. Like many great movies, there’s a desire to follow up on their success with a direct sequel and it’s very hit-or-miss to see it succeed. “Robert the Bruce” is not only a direct sequel to “Braveheart” but it also strikes out as its own film by focusing directly on the individual struggles of one Scottish family. By narrowing the story down to a more specific tale, we eschew the grandiosity of historical epics and find the emotional core of a good war story. “Robert the Bruce” elicits strong reactions because it takes the story of a man’s fight for freedom and shows him who he’s fighting for.
Robert the Bruce fought in William Wallace’s army. Despite the setbacks in that war, he continued the fight after Wallace’s defeat. After years of losing battles against the English armies, Robert’s ready to give up. When his own men turn on him and he’s hunted through the Scottish countryside, Robert finds succor in a small family’s hovel. While he heals from his wounds the mother, Morag, helps her youngest son Scott understand why they are risking their lives for a man they do not know and explain why Robert’s fight is worth having.
Angus Macfadyen is back as Robert the Bruce. Having played him in “Braveheart,” he picks up the mantle of a Scottish freedom fighter with gravitas and nobility. Macfadyen’s vested interest in telling this story clearly propelled much of the production with his executive producer credit and story credit. As much as he loved “Braveheart,” the story wasn’t finished. Anna Hutchison takes up the majority of the screentime as Morag. She sinks into her role as a concerned single mother so thoroughly. She invests every scene with extra energy, making her the true anchor to this film and the lens by which we can judge almost everything. Supporting cast members Gabriel Bateman, Brandon Lessard, Zach McGowan, and Talitha Bateman round out this ensemble cast perfectly.
The film proudly displays a wintry Scotland as its main location. It takes us through the creeks and forests of Scotland past, winding up in the small property for this farming family. The movie boasts a wide range of color schemes as the forest can be dark and intimidating or bright and airy. A place of play or a place of danger. The movie saves its best shots for last: sweeping vistas of the Scottish mountains. It shows the land of Scotland proudly and beautifies everything within it.
Of course, this film isn’t all melodrama. There has to be some fights. Swordfights in this film don’t take an edge of brutality. It feels like a PG-13 fight but given that the film focuses on its emotional beats more significantly the fights feel weighty. I say fights, not battles because there are no battles fought. It’s about the future King of Scotland sure but it’s about him finding his conviction to take up the cause again. Instead of an epic assault, we are granted with a more intimate skirmish that has clear stakes and consequences.
“Robert the Bruce” veers away from high political drama and winds up being very specific about simple family melodrama. Angus Macfadyen certainly occupies the screen but the focus on the film falls heavily on the family. This might detract from its value to many “Braveheart” fans but I would argue that is what makes this sequel great. It separates itself from “Braveheart”’s grandeur and brings the whole conversation back to the reason for fighting. It reestablishes an emotional link to war (something often lost in historical war epics.) I enjoyed this heartily and I’m sure many others will too.
Available on Digital and VOD April 24th
