Angus Macfadyen Returns To 'Robert the Bruce'

Angus Macfadyen played Robert the Bruce in Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" 25 years ago. Now he has crafted a new film to allow him to reprise the role.

"Braveheart" was a big hit in 1995 grabbing a handful of Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director plus a sizable chunk of change at the box office. Macfadyen played Robert the Bruce to Mel Gibson's William Wallace. "Braveheart," in epic and violent terms, looked to the failed rebellion of Scottish Wallace against the English. Last year, the Netflix film "Outlaw King" followed the long journey of Robert the Bruce (played here by Chris Pine) in pushing the English out of Scotland. Now, "Robert the Bruce" squeezes some cinematic history in between the two films.

Robert the Bruce (1274-1329 and king of Scotland from 1306 till his death) fought in Wallace's revolt against the English and later took up arms against the English kings Edward I and Edward II and united Scotland in a fight for freedom.

Macfadyen wanted to return to this historical character almost immediately after completing "Braveheart" but it would take years to write a script and even longer to find financing, and then rewrites to make a film for the budget he had. So the story he tells in "Robert the Bruce" (he served as star, writer and producer) is a far quieter and more introspective film than "Braveheart." And Macfadyen has said in interviews that was also his point.

There is a famous story about Bruce, after being defeated by the English and living in exile, watching a spider repeatedly trying to spin a web. Supposedly, watching the spider try and fail but finally succeed inspired him to once more take up arms to push the English out and win freedom for Scotland. So Macfadyen looks to this period of time to explore Bruce's doubts and final decision to return to battle and reclaim his crown as king of Scotland.

This means don't go into this film expecting either "Braveheart" or "Outlaw King." The title cards at the end explain the amazing war he waged and won, and to his legacy as a king.

The film is well shot (some wintery scenes are truly impressive) and acted, but the script makes Bruce something of a supporting player in his own story as we focus on a poor family and their struggles.

Macfadyen brings proper gravitas to the role and gives us a soldier king that we believe has genuine compassion and thoughtfulness. But I would have liked to see more of him as a military strategist and later as a politician actually ruling over the land. The end titles allude to a far more interesting story than the one we get. But Macfadyen deserves credit for not turning the film into a vanity project. He lets others actors enjoy the spotlight and develop some depth.

"Robert the Bruce" (just made available on VOD) adds an interesting chapter and some new insights into its historic character.

I do wonder what kind of a film it might have been if Macfadyen had gotten the financing for the film as he originally conceived it. But it did have one lovely line from a blacksmith who fashions a fine sword for one of the men trying to track Bruce down. After handing the sword over he notes that he has given the sharpest of blades to the dullest of minds. Macfadyen's film lets us see that Bruce had both a sharp blade and a sharp mind.