After Outlaw King received a notably muted reception as the opening night film at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, director David Mackenzie decided to go back to the editing room for a few more changes. Indiewire's David Ehrlich wrote the definitive account of the Hell or High Water filmmaker's new cut, which became the central point of discussion surrounding the medieval epic's November Netflix release. Instead of a running time approaching 2.5 hours, Mackenzie condensed the story of Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) to a crisp two hours, reportedly improving on some of the issues of the original edit. By Ehrlich's description and by the reactions of many who saw both versions, Mackenzie ended up with the superior version of the film.
I wasn't at TIFF this year. I didn't see the original version of Outlaw King, so it naturally feels very odd for me to speculate on how the two cuts compare. The film I saw is extremely brisk and taut, breezing through its powerful historical chronicle with frightening speed. Told on the kind of massive scale that would make most major studios blush (way to spend that Netflix money, Mackenzie), it's one of those fierce and brutal dramas of injustice and rebellion meant to generate a complicated emotional mix of indignation and excitement. From the exceptional central turns of Chris Pine and Florence Pugh to Mackenzie's strong, blunt direction, there's no denying Outlaw King's effectiveness as a viscerally glorious throwback to the action dramas of yesteryear.
I can't possibly know what Mackenzie removed from the film, nor do I have any particular knowledge of the pace or feel of that version, beyond what I've read in behind-the-scenes reports. So I don't want to say in certain terms that Mackenzie's film should have been longer or needed a more measured pace or any of that. But there's one thing I do know for certain- Outlaw King moves a little too fast for its own good sometimes. In Ehrlich's report, Mackenzie reportedly realized that "the film wasn't working" for the festival audience, and the subsequent reviews backed him up. But maybe that's less a referendum on the film as it is on the audience? Patience is a virtue, but we're seeing a noticeable lack of it these days. Would Braveheart (basically a less historically accurate prequel to this film) and other classic action epics have been subjected to cuts thanks to restless audiences?
Economy and efficiency are also virtues for good storytellers, but Outlaw King left me wanting more. It's as simple as that. The movie works in a big way, yet I found myself slightly unsettled by the propulsive movement of the tale; there are a few missed opportunities for a deeper, more complex portrait. While my thoughts may have been colored by the knowledge of how Mackenzie shrunk his epic down, this remains the core problem of the entire endeavor.
But I shouldn't dwell on it. Because when you sit back and let the film play out in all of its speedy glory, there's so much to like in this wonderfully old-fashioned take on the medieval drama. After a long war between England and Scotland, Robert Bruce Senior (James Cosmo) has agreed to lay down his arms and submit to the will of King Edward (Stephen Dillane). Robert Bruce and his brothers go along with their father's plan, much to the dismay of many in Scotland (and maybe even Robert himself). As a show of unity with the earls and lords of England, Robert marries Elizabeth Burgh (Florence Pugh); however, neither party really has much initial interest in a real relationship.
When Robert Senior passes away, his son's resentment for the King begins to increase by the day. After William Wallace's brutal execution, his anger reaches a boiling point. Then, in a slightly impulsive manner, Robert kills his main Scottish rival (Callan Mulvey) and prepares to wage war against the temper tantrum-prone Prince Edward (Billy Howle) and his aging father. With help from Angus (Tony Curran) and James Douglas (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), the King of a united Scotland raises an army to fight England- and naturally, the biggest army known to mankind. In the process of seeking freedom, there will be many sacrifices. Death is around every corner for Robert's family, with his wife and young daughter (from a previous marriage; his first wife died in childbirth) quickly becoming prime targets for imprisonment and torture.
So yes, it's a lot like Braveheart- only with a much, much happier ending. But Mackenzie is a tremendously talented filmmaker, capable of delivering blunt force action set-pieces in the context of a film that is designed to provoke strong emotions from viewers. Visually, Outlaw King is an absolute stunner, equipped with the rare kind of grandeur that can offset an aesthetic of ugliness and violence. Mackenzie and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd are working with a minimal color wheel, but there's still an element of sweeping bravado that could have felt turgid and dull in the wrong hands. Sometimes the film's form isn't matched with an equally prominent sense of purpose; the much-touted opening tracking shot seems to be a purely technical exercise meant to catch the viewer's attention.
Still, Mackenzie's staging of action is impeccable. If you thought the big heists in Hell or High Water were good, just wait until Robert Bruce's crusade begins. Nonetheless, even with a healthy dose of super-sized carnage, the film rests on Pine and Pugh's dynamic performances. As Robert, Pine is introspective and focused; you can see the weight of the loss weighing on his soul, but the injustice of it all pains him even more. You believe Robert as a leader- hell, I'd follow him into battle. Of course, he's matched by Pugh, who feels genuinely sympathetic without ever approaching damsel-in-distress territory. She's gentle and kind, and her scenes with Robert's daughter are some of the best of the film. Every epic needs a great romance, and there's never a second where you don't believe the connection between Robert and Elizabeth.
The spectacle builds to a sensational conclusion, albeit one that feels too truncated and tidy. In a funny way, that's just Outlaw King. Everything it does, it does very, very well. I just wish it would slow down from time to time- let us savor the details, the characters, the minutia of this rebellion. Mackenzie's latest lacks the sheer perfection of his last outing, as well as the socio-economic pulse that made it a breakout success. But as an eye-popping example of Netflix's capacity for big-budget extravagance, Outlaw King is flat-out thrilling.
Even if it's still just a bit too brief.
THE FINAL GRADE: B (7.4/10)
Image courtesy of Netflix
Poster: Netflix/IMDb
I wasn't at TIFF this year. I didn't see the original version of Outlaw King, so it naturally feels very odd for me to speculate on how the two cuts compare. The film I saw is extremely brisk and taut, breezing through its powerful historical chronicle with frightening speed. Told on the kind of massive scale that would make most major studios blush (way to spend that Netflix money, Mackenzie), it's one of those fierce and brutal dramas of injustice and rebellion meant to generate a complicated emotional mix of indignation and excitement. From the exceptional central turns of Chris Pine and Florence Pugh to Mackenzie's strong, blunt direction, there's no denying Outlaw King's effectiveness as a viscerally glorious throwback to the action dramas of yesteryear.
I can't possibly know what Mackenzie removed from the film, nor do I have any particular knowledge of the pace or feel of that version, beyond what I've read in behind-the-scenes reports. So I don't want to say in certain terms that Mackenzie's film should have been longer or needed a more measured pace or any of that. But there's one thing I do know for certain- Outlaw King moves a little too fast for its own good sometimes. In Ehrlich's report, Mackenzie reportedly realized that "the film wasn't working" for the festival audience, and the subsequent reviews backed him up. But maybe that's less a referendum on the film as it is on the audience? Patience is a virtue, but we're seeing a noticeable lack of it these days. Would Braveheart (basically a less historically accurate prequel to this film) and other classic action epics have been subjected to cuts thanks to restless audiences?
Economy and efficiency are also virtues for good storytellers, but Outlaw King left me wanting more. It's as simple as that. The movie works in a big way, yet I found myself slightly unsettled by the propulsive movement of the tale; there are a few missed opportunities for a deeper, more complex portrait. While my thoughts may have been colored by the knowledge of how Mackenzie shrunk his epic down, this remains the core problem of the entire endeavor.
But I shouldn't dwell on it. Because when you sit back and let the film play out in all of its speedy glory, there's so much to like in this wonderfully old-fashioned take on the medieval drama. After a long war between England and Scotland, Robert Bruce Senior (James Cosmo) has agreed to lay down his arms and submit to the will of King Edward (Stephen Dillane). Robert Bruce and his brothers go along with their father's plan, much to the dismay of many in Scotland (and maybe even Robert himself). As a show of unity with the earls and lords of England, Robert marries Elizabeth Burgh (Florence Pugh); however, neither party really has much initial interest in a real relationship.
When Robert Senior passes away, his son's resentment for the King begins to increase by the day. After William Wallace's brutal execution, his anger reaches a boiling point. Then, in a slightly impulsive manner, Robert kills his main Scottish rival (Callan Mulvey) and prepares to wage war against the temper tantrum-prone Prince Edward (Billy Howle) and his aging father. With help from Angus (Tony Curran) and James Douglas (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), the King of a united Scotland raises an army to fight England- and naturally, the biggest army known to mankind. In the process of seeking freedom, there will be many sacrifices. Death is around every corner for Robert's family, with his wife and young daughter (from a previous marriage; his first wife died in childbirth) quickly becoming prime targets for imprisonment and torture.
So yes, it's a lot like Braveheart- only with a much, much happier ending. But Mackenzie is a tremendously talented filmmaker, capable of delivering blunt force action set-pieces in the context of a film that is designed to provoke strong emotions from viewers. Visually, Outlaw King is an absolute stunner, equipped with the rare kind of grandeur that can offset an aesthetic of ugliness and violence. Mackenzie and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd are working with a minimal color wheel, but there's still an element of sweeping bravado that could have felt turgid and dull in the wrong hands. Sometimes the film's form isn't matched with an equally prominent sense of purpose; the much-touted opening tracking shot seems to be a purely technical exercise meant to catch the viewer's attention.
Still, Mackenzie's staging of action is impeccable. If you thought the big heists in Hell or High Water were good, just wait until Robert Bruce's crusade begins. Nonetheless, even with a healthy dose of super-sized carnage, the film rests on Pine and Pugh's dynamic performances. As Robert, Pine is introspective and focused; you can see the weight of the loss weighing on his soul, but the injustice of it all pains him even more. You believe Robert as a leader- hell, I'd follow him into battle. Of course, he's matched by Pugh, who feels genuinely sympathetic without ever approaching damsel-in-distress territory. She's gentle and kind, and her scenes with Robert's daughter are some of the best of the film. Every epic needs a great romance, and there's never a second where you don't believe the connection between Robert and Elizabeth.
The spectacle builds to a sensational conclusion, albeit one that feels too truncated and tidy. In a funny way, that's just Outlaw King. Everything it does, it does very, very well. I just wish it would slow down from time to time- let us savor the details, the characters, the minutia of this rebellion. Mackenzie's latest lacks the sheer perfection of his last outing, as well as the socio-economic pulse that made it a breakout success. But as an eye-popping example of Netflix's capacity for big-budget extravagance, Outlaw King is flat-out thrilling.
Even if it's still just a bit too brief.
THE FINAL GRADE: B (7.4/10)
Image courtesy of Netflix
Poster: Netflix/IMDb
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