OUTLAW KING: Unfocused, Repetitive, But Not Without Ambition

“This film is based on historical events,” reads the onscreen text in the opening scene of Outlaw King, directed and co-written by David Mackenzie. The text subsequently details the preceding events: Scottish lords, without an heir, appointed King Edward I of England to choose a successor. Edward I seized power, leading to a revolt led by Sir William Wallace, which was defeated. (William Wallace will later be killed off-screen.) This is when our story begins, in Scotland, in 1304, with the defeated Scottish, including Chris Pine’s Robert the Bruce pledging allegiance to England, gaining a new position as tax collector for Edward I (Stephen Dillane) and a wife, Elizabeth de Burgh (Florence Pugh), Edward’s goddaughter, in one fell swoop.

This speedy progression, including the quick recounting of recent history in the opening text, is indicative of the choices to come, as we jump through Robert’s life from his wedding to his father’s funeral, getting out of the way what feel like historical necessities rather than meaningful scenes. This leads to strange pacing, in which seemingly impactful moments that could possibly ground Robert’s motivations are sped through, and in place of any estimation of Robert’s interior life, Outlaw King embarks on a whistle-stop tour of moments, events, and people that Robert encountered. There is very little time dedicated to exploring the significance any of these moments and people had on Robert as a human being.

Outlaw King is most frustrating because of the impression of its potential. Outlaw King provides us a surface-level knowledge of Robert the Bruce that commits to historicity at the cost of crafting a speculative interiority, one that Chris Pine is seemingly grasping at in his performance. The weight of his family legacy and his underestimation of the sacrifices necessary to be a king are themes briefly touched upon that give him some sorely needed depth, but overall he seems to act not as a fully-realized character but by virtue of what history demands. Robert’s discovery that Elizabeth has been captured by the English is one of the few exceptions, where we see Pine’s performance shine as he reacts in devastation to the news, which then effects his methods of warfare going forward. While Pine does the best with that he’s given, there could have been much more to invest the viewer in the film’s subject.

There are successes throughout, however. Performances are overall strong, and Robert and Elizabeth’s relationship creates something moving and well-explored to which the audience can connect. Gorgeous Scottish locations are used to their picturesque potential, and ambitious choices are made in cinematography and depictions of violence. The bare bones of the film, however, namely the narrative, pacing, and writing, are not successful in elevating Outlaw King above the typical period biopic.

“That murderer is no king of mine.”

Frustratingly enough, there is a nearly sufficient emotional and narrative through-line buried within this film in the relationship between Robert and Elizabeth. This is greatly aided by Florence Pugh, who is capable of electrifying any scene for which she is present. Their relationship begins with a touching refusal on Robert’s part to consummate their marriage on their wedding night after he senses Elizabeth’s discomfort with their arranged marriage.

Robert’s devotion to and protection of Elizabeth remains a consistent, charming characteristic of their relationship. Elizabeth herself is outspoken, endearingly supportive and defensive concerning her husband, and their relationship has a twinge of modern-feeling flirtation in its early stages. The film seems aware that their relationship is the strongest narrative arc of the film, seeming to (wisely) devote as much time to their relationship as it can. Their reunion ends Outlaw King, serving as an intimate, moving moment and possibly the most successfully triumphant of the film.

This story and others (Aaron Taylor-Johnson‘s James Douglas feels unfairly sidelined) are often buried by the amount of events and people that this film has ambitiously tasked itself with touching upon. Many almost-poignant scenes are undercut by the need to rush to the subsequent one, which leads to a frustrating refusal to allow many moments to have any emotional impact on its characters. (Every scene that engages with anyone’s emotions, it feels, must be cut short by the English soldiers’ approach.) There are too many pledges of allegiances, too many large banquets, too many scenes of pillaging, and too many meetings of various officials, lords, and bishops, that can easily leave a viewer confused as to which of these scenes are important narratively and which are set dressing.

The monotony is largely alleviated by quality performances from the core cast. Pine, Pugh, Dillane, and Taylor-Johnson carry the film admirably, and a smaller role as Robert’s father by veteran actor James Cosmo also shines. Billy Howle does the best he can with the strangely cartoonish characterization and weak writing of the angry, insecure Edward, Prince of Wales (future Edward II of England). 

“You are my blood.”

The success of the aesthetic elements of Outlaw King varies. Costuming, hair, and makeup styling add a convincing level of grime, while both interior and exterior settings are beautifully shot. Every church, castle, mountain and stream add to the overall sense of authenticity of setting. Sparse practical light in many interior scenes also adds visual interest and drama. Color-grading, as well, is gorgeous, without the neglect of color that is often neglected in depictions of medieval Europe. Mackenzie and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd also can’t be blamed for the possibly excessive number of sweeping overhead shots of the landscape peppered throughout; Scotland is indeed breathtaking. 

Cinematography is a more mixed bag. Static shots are used sparingly, close-ups even more so, contributing to the lack of contemplation present throughout, somewhat poetically reflecting the refusal of the film to stand still narratively for any meaningful period of time. The camera often wanders near or above eye level, sweeping and swaying above characters and events, giving many scenes a kinetic energy and sense of drama, but also highlighting a visual commitment to technical prowess over actors’ performances.

The opening scene, an eight-plus minute unbroken tracking shot, is an example of this. It is undoubtedly technically impressive, but is strangely paced and draws attention to a sense of theatricality and choreography that contradicts the commitment to authenticity that the film otherwise seems to value so highly. This scene seemingly exists for its own sake, a technical showcase meant to prove originality rather than serving a purpose beyond the aesthetic.

Much has been said about the commitment to authenticity in this film, generally referring to the realistic depictions of violence, and there is something to be said about the value of not sanitizing the brutality of medieval warfare. But even this novelty can grow repetitive with no underlying purpose. Every scene of English soldiers battering Scottish civilians grows more and more bland, despite the overwhelming blood and gore of these interactions, and as the final battle scene closes in on the 10 minute mark, it becomes clearer that despite the 121 minute runtime, there is simply not enough to stick the landing of what should be a meaningful scene. Unfortunately, historical authenticity is not a sufficient condition for a successful biopic, and despite Outlaw King‘s best effort, it doesn’t feel like enough to elicit an authentic emotional response.

Outlaw King: Conclusion

Outlaw King is ambitious, striving for originality and historical accuracy, but overall fails to bring much to the table in terms of grounding its characters. While well-shot, aesthetic choices can do little for an an emotionally vacant film, where scenes seem to proceed arbitrarily and technical prowess is without meaning. Without a suitable foundation for much of the characters, this film, the second half in particular, falls flat. Elizabeth and Robert’s relationship offers the closest thing to successful setup and emotional payoff, providing the film with effective scenes that make this film far more watchable, yet that much more frustrating.

How important for you is historical accuracy when watching a narrative film based on real figures or events?

Outlaw King premiered in the US on Netflix on November 9, 2018.

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