Outlaw/King

Directed by David Mackenzie, Outlaw/King follows Chris Pine’s Robert the Bruce as he attempts to free his people from the tyranny of the England’s King Edward I (Stephen Dillane). Filmmaker Mackenzie, armed with his and Bash Doran and James MacInnes’ screenplay, does a superb job of immediately drawing the viewer into the deliberately-paced proceedings, as Outlaw/King kicks off with an impressive (and downright spellbinding) single-take shot that effective establishes the central character and the 14th century landscape he inhabits – with the movie, beyond that point, seguing into a watchable yet undeniably hit-and-miss midsection that never becomes quite as captivating or engaging as that promising opening. It’s clear, ultimately, that Outlaw/King suffers from a fairly generic sensibility that prevents the viewer from wholeheartedly connecting to its characters or story, and there’s little doubt, as well, that the arms-length atmosphere is exacerbated by a protagonist that’s unable to become the captivating figure one might’ve anticipated. (Indeed, Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s less-than-subtle and completely enthralling turn as a vicious warrior eclipses that of his high profile costar on a regular basis.) The movie does, then, benefit from its smattering of standout sequences and a closing stretch that packs an unexpectedly palpable punch, which ultimately cements Outlaw/King‘s place as a middle-of-the-road historical epic that fares better than some (but worse than others).

*** out of ****