Stone of Destiny

Stone of Destiny tells the true story of four Scottish students, Charlie Cox’s Ian Hamilton, Kate Mara’s Kay Matheson, Ciaron Kelly’s Alan Stuart, and Stephen McCole’s Gavin Vernon, who conspire to steal back their country’s so-called “Stone of Destiny” from London’s Westminster Abbey, with the myriad obstacles that ensue forcing the foursome to make several last-minute changes to their poorly-conceived plans. Filmmaker Charles Martin Smith has infused Stone of Destiny with an unapologetically old-fashioned atmosphere that proves instrumental in initially drawing the viewer into the proceedings, as the admittedly irresistible premise is executed with as shamelessly manipulative a hand as one could envision (which is, given the nature of the material, not necessarily a bad thing). The effortlessly affable vibe is perpetuated by an almost uniformly appealing cast, with Cox’s likeable work as the movie’s hero supported by an impressive roster of periphery players (including Robert Carlyle, Peter Mullan, and Brenda Fricker). It’s only as the film reaches its comparatively uneventful midsection that one’s interest begins to dwindle, as Smith bogs the storyline down with a whole host of complications that seem to have been included merely to pad out the running time. The lack of momentum that follows ultimately ensures that the finale isn’t quite as rousing as one imagines it’s meant to be, with the end result a family-friendly endeavor that just might hold more appeal for those viewers possessing an inherent interest in the subject matter.

**1/2 out of ****