Outlaw King tells a straightforward historical story rooted in the Scottish struggle for independence. Casting choices generally prioritize historical plausibility and character depth over identity politics. There's little sign of forced representation or characters inserted primarily for modern diversity quotas. The narrative remains focused on traditional heroism and conflict.

The film is grounded in themes of family, heritage, faith, and masculine duty. It doesn't attempt to undermine or modernize these cultural values. There's little revisionism or subversion; instead, it leans into tradition, sometimes to a fault for modern sensibilities.

The story doesn't villainize traditional perspectives. Both virtue and vice are distributed among a variety of characters, and the motivations for war are handled with tangible nuance rather than as simplistic good-vs-evil moralizing.