Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Patience Watson One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

sarah-dickens Beautifully set in the Scottish landscape and with solid performances all round, for me this film lacked a credible story line. It's hard to relate to Rob Roy's sense of honour, on which the entire plot hinges, because the film fails to establish it sufficiently in the early stages. Likewise, Roy's foppish enemy's motivations are not fully explored, and so he comes across as a bit of a pantomime villain. But with stunning landscapes, charming music and some cracking sword- fighting, this is a reasonable way to spend 2 and a bit hours if you've already watched your top 100.

nymeria-meliae Reading some of the negative reviews for this film... one has to wonder whether IMDb need to regulate some of the reviewers... pointing to the homophobic reviewers... albeit, I am at a bit of a loss on that one with regards to this film.Scottish sentimental rubbish? Clan costumes? Do these people know who Sir Walter Scott was and what he did to promote Scotland? Of course it is Scottish sentimentalism... it is a Georgian Highland Romance story written to appease King George the whatever's fascination with all things Scottish. Scott all but invented Scottish cultural nationalism that we accept today.Did Rob Roy exist? Well if he didn't someone needs to rewrite the Battle of Glen Shiel (1719) because Robert Roy McGregor and 40 of his men were there.This film would normally be a 6.7... the acting is fine, the villain parts are perfectly executed... never been a big Neeson fan but he is fine in this film. The story is fair enough with predictable ending. What makes this a great film though is the final sword fighting scene. One of the best film sword fights in cinematic history. Worth just fast forwarding to that fight scene. Plus being of clan Gregor... I can't really give it less than 9.

TxMike Liam Neeson is Robert Roy MacGregor, a Scot, and a natural leader who has had some shady dealings in the past but now wants to work for legitimate improvement in his lot, for him, his family, his friends. To do this he chooses to borrow 1,000 pounds from a British nobleman, for 3 months, at 1/5th interest. He will repay 1200 pounds.With this he will buy cattle and double his money with his plan. He doesn't actually want the money per se, he wants the line of credit. However his friend is fooled, convinced Rob Roy wants the money, he is given the money and set up to be robbed and killed, his body dumped in a lake, and Rob Roy left to wonder if he stole the money and took off.Meanwhile the natural tension between the Scots and the British take over, the English nobleman wants Rob Roy's land and have him imprisoned. But Rob Roy takes off, and threatens the nobleman's man, Tim Roth as Archibald Cunningham, a man with NO honor and only cares about himself. He actually is the one who stole the money. In turn Cunningham and his men show up at Rob Roy's home and not finding him, rape his wife, Jessica Lange as Mary MacGregor, and burn his home. This sets up the rest of the story, with Rob Roy vowing to see Cunningham dead.The nobleman is John Hurt as Montrose. His other key associate is Brian Cox as Killearn. All this sets up the final duel, with swords, between Rob Roy and Cunningham, a superior swordsman. But, guess who comes out the victor?

Spikeopath Rob Roy is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and written by Alan Sharp. It stars Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, Andrew Keir and Brian Cox. Music is by Carter Burwell and cinematography by Karl Walter Lindenlaub.Neeson is Rob Roy MacGregor, an 18th Century Scottish historical figure who borrows £1,000 from the Marquis of Montrose (Hurt) with the plan to improve his clan's way of life. But the money is stolen in transit by the dastardly Archibald Cunnigham (Roth), so unable to repay the loan, Roy is forced to live as an outlaw. From such seeds are legends born.Beautifully shot on location in parts of the Scottish Highlands, Rob Roy somewhat got lost in the slip stream of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. A shame, for although not as epic or as rousing as Gibson's Oscar grabber, Caton-Jones' film is a different, more reflective, type of historical piece. Thematically the film is a play on virtues, in fact it's a trumpet playing fanfare for such. Honesty, honour, loyalty, fidelity and love nestle in nicely with the wonderful landscapes, born out by Sharp's intelligent script. But that's not to say that the director hasn't got the requisite thrust of stirring adventure within, he has, and Rob Roy rewards in that department also. The films crowning glory is a climatic sword fight, no tricks or hard to believe heroics, just an expertly shot long sequence that's choreographed sublimely by William Hobbs and Robert G. Goodwin. While Carter Burwell's score sits nice with the visual treats; even if the Gaelic strains within the orchestration sound more Irish than Scottish.Cast work well. Although Neeson looks the part as the robust Roy, there's no need for dashing here, character calls for strength of mind and body, as well as emotional fortitude with the love of his family, Neeson plays it with ease. Lange, an interesting casting choice as the missus, shorn of make up, yet still naturally sexy, she gives Mary MacGregor believable strength. But it's undeniably Tim Roth's movie, part effeminate fop, part calculating bastard, his villainous turn as Archibald Cunningham has to be seen to be believed. He was rightly nominated for an Academy Award for his efforts. The rest impact well, Cox and Hurt, great pros as always, and Stoltz too, isn't found wanting. There's some iffy accents at times, so what's new? And if I'm to be churlish, then it often feels wrong in period. But they are small complaints in what is otherwise a smart and lovely splinter from the swashbuckling tree. 8/10