Outlaw King is a 2018 drama about a man who used cunning and bravery to defeat and repel a much larger and better equipped occupying army.
It’s sort of impossible to consider Scottish historical movies and not immediately seize upon Mel Gibson‘s multiple Academy Award-winning epic Braveheart, a highly-influential film that is still considered one of the greatest in the genre. Director David Mackenzie seems acutely aware of this and strives to keep his story out of that long shadow as best he can while still respecting the immense impact of Gibson’s efforts. That said, there’s no escaping the familiarity, even as the two might make for an entertaining double feature.
Set in the year 1304, with the famed William Wallace nowhere to be found, England sweeps into Scotland and takes rule over the embattled people. King Edward I (Stephen Dillane) arrives and demands the leaders of the rebellion fall in line and swear allegiance, with Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) one of the reluctant. As the English commit to high taxes and various acts of cruelty, Robert takes a wife in Elizabeth (Florence Pugh), hoping to find peace. However, when Wallace returns in hunks of torn flesh (you remember the end of Braveheart), Robert realizes that his dream cannot be and drives into the heartland to bring the clans back together, soon becoming their king in a new war to push the English from their home.
Beginning with a sensational opening long shot, Outlaw King soon falls into a rather standard experience with a story that falls into predictability. That’s not to say Mackenzie doesn’t give his film terrific authenticity, with great costuming and a genuine sense of scale that really helps sell the urgency quickly built from the opening salvo. There are some truly stirring moments of war and shots of breathtaking landscapes, keeping this at least right up the alley of those tuning in for such.
Unfortunately, the cast is an uneven mix of staggeringly good and hopelessly out of step. Dillane is gripping from the start, giving the English king a powerful presence that feels genuine, not contrived, chewing on his lines with robust purpose. Pugh is also effective, perfectly fitted to the role, easily drawing our sympathies. However, Pine is not so much, unweighted by both his delivery and his action. He’s not alone though, with a poorly-cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Scottish loyalist James Douglas who does little to inspire. Others too fill in the gaps along this spectrum, leaving Outlaw King spotty in places it shouldn’t be.
Mackenzie is the better in all this though, his action well paced and his fights gruesomely gritty. There’s blood and guts a plenty, making this at least feel like what it must have been like to get hacked to bits in sword fight. The squeamish have been warned. He knows how to tell a story, using the lush locations and period setting to solid effect. It’s never not interesting, even if it all feels rehashed. We’ve seen near countless large-scale battles over the years, so much so that it’s hard to really give any greater significance, yet there’s no denying fans of this will have plenty to tune in for.
Outlaw King is an earnest film and it’s hard not to recognize the filmmaker’s passion for the project. It’s a bit of history well worth exploring, even if the gore and repetition of some of it might force many to look away. It doesn’t reach the heights it aims for and because so, is probably better on Netflix than the big screen. If you’re a sucker for historical flicks, this will surely satisfy but most likely won’t be remembered.