Chris Pine in Outlaw King (Netflix)

David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King is one of those period epics that looks so crisp and beautiful, with its captivating landscape shots and grand and immersive set design, that one can almost ignore the numerous clichés and conventionalities so prevalent in this genre.

Set in the early 14th century, the film follows Sir Robert the Bruce, played by a steely-eyed Chris Pine, and his quest to free his homeland of Scotland from the despotic clutches of England’s King Edward I (Stephen Dillane). Alongside Robert are his numerous brothers, who hardly get enough screen time to become even remotely memorable; his young daughter, who suffers the same narrative deficiency; and his wife, Elizabeth de Burgh (Florence Pugh). On Edward’s side is his brash and entitled son, Edward, Prince of Wales (Billy Howle).

Narratively, the movie has nothing new to say or any surprises to give. At the start, there is a truce between the Scots and English, until the pact is broken and a war ensues. Honor, chivalry, legacy, and what it means to be “good” envelop everything. Within the first scene, we already know who the villain will be. The overly cocky Prince of Wales, with his unflattering bowl haircut and his predictable yearning for his father’s approval, already has sealed his fate.

All the female characters are relegated to the role of background handmaidens, cooks, and helpless victims of medieval patriarchy. Pugh does her best in spicing up her Elizabeth, but the character has nothing much to offer other than being captured and showing an occasional rebelliousness toward medieval gender roles (which is still refreshing given the complete absence of sentient women in the film).

Technically, the movie is absolutely stunning. The very first shot, a long-winded tracking shot that beautifully goes from inside a dimly lit royal tent to the widening chaos outside, is admirably ambitious. But Mackenzie might have put all his eggs in one basket. Every shot afterwards, while still impressive, pales in comparison. Nevertheless, no other recent movie has a scene that feels so immersive.

As such, the conventional Outlaw King is filmed and designed with immense technical prowess. For those looking for grand and brutal battle scenes complete with top-notch production values and an absorbing atmosphere, Mackenzie’s epic will not disappoint. For those looking for stories that transcend the gender and moral archetypes so typical in medieval epics, they may have to look elsewhere.