Writer Jimmy McGovern (Cracker, Priest) and director Gillies MacKinnon (Pure, Small Faces) speed-flick through the history books, from Mary Queen Of Scots arrival at Leith, to James Is discovery of the Catholic conspiracy to blow up Parliament.
The first half throws us headfirst into political upheaval, as passion and murder are fired by religious rivalry. The second half with Robert Carlyle as the tormented king doesnt have the same forward motion, but its contention that one mans religious terrorist is another mans freedom fighter is interesting in this day and age. If school had been this sexy, wed all be academics.