Movie Review: Outlaw King

Outlaw King

Director: David Mackenzie

Starring: Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Tony Curran, Callan Mulvey, Stephen Dillane

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 Minutes

History shapes the ways we tell stories, providing blueprints for conflict and genre. Movies centered around true events intrigue me. They’re all about distilling down the bare bones of incredible tales we weren’t part of, making us witness to them. Now streaming on Netflix, Outlaw King is part of that canon, placing itself in medieval Scotland and following Robert the Bruce played by Chris Pine. This film dives right into one of the most influential characters in the First War for Scottish Independence.

We open with the Scots losing their rebellion against King Edward I of England. They’re now swearing fealty to him again to restore peace. Some time goes by and the King keeps acting horribly as history shows kings often do. After Sir William Wallace of Braveheart fame is executed, Robert sees Scots are enraged by Edward’s rule. Robert decides to take up arms once again against England, coming into conflict with almost everyone and their mother on his quest.  Historical accuracy is not of ultimate importance, with the story’s condensing of big events into a smaller time frame. I’m totally fine with how it played out, though I found myself checking the time every now and then. The pace is aggressively slow-moving. While I’m cool with it and enjoy how it makes the acts stand out, I believe I won’t be in the majority with that opinion.

There’s nothing special going on because the film wants us to pay attention to Robert’s struggle and its pretty straight-forward. Chris Pine does a good job of bringing weight to his character but he’s the only actor to get enough screen time or dialogue for that. Aaron Taylor Johnson’s Douglas is the character that needs more screentime since his motivations are interesting. Early in the film he requests his father’s land back and gets tossed aside by King Edward I. His path is rarely shown until its convenient in the plot to add a side quest.

Neither the acting nor the cinematography is breathtaking. There will be few moments in the movie that truly move you beyond a faintly whispered “well damn.” The truth is, the cast gives good performances but there’s nothing to really work with. Character drives center on territory and is thin in scope. The closest to complex motivations are Douglas’ desire for his father’s land or the Prince of Wales desire to prove his worth.

The film uses rather bland action shots with static wide angles to portray sweeping battle scenes. You can often catch shakey frames throughout and a few bad practical effects. You won’t find any groundbreaking camera techniques or fascinating twists in the plot. That’s not what this movie is about. Instead, it takes a look at interesting pieces of history, showing us some snapshots of how they might’ve played out. If you enjoy the medieval genre or a more grounded look at the olden days of royalty and knighthood, look to Outlaw King. The movie simply isn’t for everyone, but it has fabulous set pieces that transport you back to early 14th century Scotland and a well-crafted story ripped from history.