Directed by:
David MackenzieCinematography:
Barry AckroydComposer:
Grey DogsCast:
Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Billy Howle, Florence Pugh, Tony Curran, Stephen Dillane, Sam Spruell, Callan Mulvey, Matt Stokoe, Duncan Lacroix (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Chris Pine stars as Scotland's legendary Robert the Bruce. More warrior than statesman, he is fiercely loyal to his men and country, and an equally fierce adversary in battle. He and his fellow Scots bristle at England's attempts to rule them. When Robert seizes the opportunity to ascend the Scottish throne, England unleashes its fury, forcing the proud king into exile. Now known far-and-wide as an outlaw, Robert must use both strategy and his warrior skills to win back his nation for his people. (Toronto International Film Festival)
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Reviews (15)
More than an unofficial sequel to Braveheart, Robert the Bruce and his journey resemble a half-hearted remake. There are betrayals, loves, and magnificent battles here too, but while Mel Gibson unnecessarily deviated from historical realities, he was forgiven because with every twist he tore the viewer's heart apart. David Mackenzie holds onto history more firmly and adds more gritty combat, but I can't shake the feeling that it's all too superficial. The opening interaction doesn't work for me as an introduction to the plot, but rather as a teaser taking the form of a scene without cuts. The exposed intestines don't make a point about the horrors of war, but just come out of a person in all their nakedness; warm feelings arise between newlyweds in just a single cut. And Chris Pine, an eternal charmer and rascal at first sight, is only just maturing into the role of thoughtful ruler. In this case, the king is a brave and pleasantly uncompromising figure, but his battle songs desperately lack heart.
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Everyone whose mouth waters over Game of Thrones should have a look at the final bloodbath in the marshes to see how it’s done properly. Pine is excellent with effortless acting and the romantic storyline with Florence Pough works well. A brutally realistic view of Scottish history in which every shot of London opens with William Wallace’s rotting head impaled on a stake. Fantastic camerawork and nice Scottish songs. P.S: Probably the first role in which I thought Aaron Taylor-Johnson was any good. DOUGLAAAS!!!!
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In 2008, Netflix proved that it is also able of producing high-budget period blockbusters with good actors and a skilled director. One such proof is Outlaw King, which more or less picks up where Braveheart left off. Even though I had some trouble to understand who is who in the beginning, it wasn’t that difficult after all. The Scots were fighting for their independence, and Chris Pine proved that the older he gets, the better the performances he delivers. A great movie! Outlaw King might be the best period movie of 2018. Some scenes are borderline genius.
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Outlaw King offers nice set decorations and a praiseworthy introduction to a historical personality who was remarkable for his achievements (though overshadowed by his political predecessor, William Wallace), yet remains less well-known in the world of film. Containing all necessary mainstream attributes, it is satisfactory as a genre movie, but what prevented me from fully enjoying it was its predictability and lack of narrative originality, particularly without any personal contribution from the director. What I mean are scenes and moments that would distinguish this movie from a large number of similar films. I would appreciate such moments even more than the carnage of war. And something better than the very average soundtrack wouldn’t hurt anything.
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I've been missing this genre quite a bit, so I ended up enjoying the historical drama Outlaw King quite a bit (despite a few things that weren't quite right). Chris Pine could have been maybe a bit more... active, on the other hand his lack of emotion here is pretty much compensated by Aaron Taylor-Johnson's surprisingly interesting character and a very good Florence Pugh. However, nobody will probably watch it for them anyway, so more importantly, David Mackenzie has done a great job of creating the atmosphere of that nasty medieval era you really don't want to live in. It's muddy, it's cold, it's raining all the time, everybody's dirty and you die on the fly. It also plays on reality (or near-reality), so the battles are appropriately gritty but not overly explicit, and I never felt like the violence was an end in itself. Moreover, the final clash between the two armies is a real treat and it's a shame we can't enjoy it in the cinema. Unfortunately, however, the result shows that a lot of editing had to be done, and perhaps the entire middle third or the "Robin Hood" passage would have deserved a little more space. Overall, it's a good historical drama that's fun to watch, and there have been remarkably few of those in recent years. So for me, I'm satisfied.
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