Hugh Jackman's Robin Hood is a spent force, a man awaiting judgement in 'The Death of Robin Hood'. The film, a revisionist spin on the legend, is dark and grim, and may struggle at the box office.
A Radical Anti-Hero
Robin Hood has been portrayed by Errol Flynn, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, and Cary Elwes, all younger swashbuckling heroes. This version is radically different: an all-out anti-hero. He is not the romantic hero who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Instead, he is aged, past his prime, and grappling with a history of unspeakable crimes. The film suggests Robin Hood had an insatiable lust for bloodshed, a story of reflection following relentless savagery.
Plot and Setting
Set in 1247, the medieval backdrop is brutish. The familiar tale from a centuries-old English ballad is subverted. Jackman, with a flowing grey mane and straggly beard, plays the outlaw living alone in exile, without his merry men or Maid Marian. According to him, the romantic myths are fake, and his viciousness has made him a target for vendetta-seekers across England. A spent force, he awaits judgement.
After a nightmarish attack, Robin is left for dead, but Little John (Bill Skarsgård) carries him to safety. He wakes in a priory run by Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) on a small island. His wounds heal, and he meets Little John's young daughter Margaret (Faith Delaney) and a leper (Murray Bartlett), who becomes an unlikely friend. Robin mentors Margaret and young Arthur (Noah Jupe), who lost an eye. His final act offers a chance at salvation.
Pacing and Tone
The narrative begins with extreme graphic violence, then settles into a quieter, calmer tone. There is little dialogue, only moments of lucidity that pass as philosophical ruminations. The film is un-enlivening and tedious. The pace is slow, the bleak narration drags, and the medieval setting lacks vibrancy. Not much happens. The color palette is pale and gloomy, sound design harsh, and background score exacerbates the gloom.
Jackman's performance is sincere and intense, but his character reveals nothing interesting. Writer-director Michael Sarnoski's attempt at intimacy fails to draw us in. The atmospherics are commendable, but nothing alleviates the bleakness, rendering the film futile and unsatisfactory. This revisionist take lacks profundity, fails to sustain interest, and leaves you exhausted over its indulgent 123-minute runtime.
