Outlaw King is a brutal David versus Goliath tale set in 14th century Scotland.
There’s no holding back in this Netflix movie about Robert the Bruce, the Scottish King, fighting to gain his people’s independence from the English throne.
American actor Chris Pine puts on a decent Scottish accent as Robert who faces off against Stephen Dillane’s Edward I and Billy Howle’s Edward II.
The film was co-written, produced, and directed by Scottish film director David Mackenzie who likewise directed Pine in 2016’s highly-acclaimed Hell or High Water. Outlaw King is Mackenzie’s tenth feature film.
Along with those already mentioned Outlaw King also stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh and Callan Mulvey.
Outlaw King was released on Netflix Nov. 9, 2018, and it has received largely positive to middling reviews that admire its authenticity, but a few critics noted many of the film’s characters lack substance.
JUDGEMENT
“At least one of the likely several drafts of Outlaw King seems to be about the futility of rebellion. Someone tells Robert, ‘You wanted to be King, well this is the price you pay,’ after he learns that his brother was killed and his wife and daughter were taken by the enemy. This is the most interesting subtext in the film: how much one has to give up to be a leader of men. Outlaw King never quite commits to this interesting idea, almost resolute in its forward progression through the mud and grime from one battle scene to the next as if it’s ticking off boxes on a history test.” Brian Tallerico, rogerebert.com
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“There are nods to nuance, in the discussion of the gaping holes left in the code of chivalry, but aside from some complexity for Robert himself, we’re mostly looking at hissable baddies and loyal retainers. Like Mel Gibson before him, Mackenzie enjoys finding a new way to show Edward I as one of history’s worst fathers, and the eventual Edward II of England (Billy Howle) as a spectacular loser.” Helen O’Hara, empireonline.com
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“At slightly over two hours, the film goes by surprisingly quickly, and while the subject matter is Scottish overcast-sky gloomy, cold, beard-y, brutal, and bloody, the battle scenes might actually out-do Braveheart in terms of ferocity. They’re ever-so-slightly more raw and believable. Which is saying quite a bit. Primordial, medieval mud battles have actually evolved since Branagh put them on the cinematic map.” Mark Jackson, Epoch Times
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“You can’t beat battalions of brooding warriors who growl at each other about honour before charging into broadsword battles against a backdrop of moody grey skies. Scotland is shown off in all its crisp beauty: rippling grass, shimmering lakes and windswept hillsides, with Celtic song echoing across pastoral scenes. Robert and his mates parade around at rowdy banquets, dressed in sumptuous curtains and lit by amber candlelight, before coronations and battles fill the width of the screen with pageantry and warfare.” Richard Trenholm, CNET
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“Braveheart was credited with boosting Scottish tourism and Outlaw King may well do the same. Between battles, it includes spectacular aerial shots of lochs and mountainsides. It’s a thunderous piece of storytelling but not an especially subtle one. With so many testosterone-driven action scenes, Mackenzie leaves little room for characterisation.”Geoffrey Macnab, Independent
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“Pine is fully committed to Robert’s mission, but the film has a hard time making him a compelling character, even with a wife and daughter on hand to make him relatable. And it takes forever for his military campaign to get rolling. Robert takes massive losses early on, and at one point it seems he’ll just keep walking into ambushes.” John DeFore, The Hollywood Reporter