by Anthony O'Connor
Worth: $15.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, Noah Jupe, Faith Delaney, Jade Croot
Intro:
… sterling performances, beautifully grimdark direction and a compelling, if harsh, narrative …
In total, there are over 70 cinematic and televisual adaptations of the legend of Robin Hood. The bold bandit who stole from the rich to give to the poor clearly resonates with people to this day. Whether it’s his jaunty attitude, skill with a bow or bold new means of wealth redistribution is hard to say, but one thing’s clear: ol’ mate Robin is here to stay.
Sometimes, the adaptations are pretty great – Errol Flynn’s The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Disney’s animated Robin Hood (1973), Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). Sometimes, they’re very much not – Ridley’s Scott’s Robin Hood (2010) was so forgettable, you only just now remembered that it existed, Taron Egerton’s Robin Hood (2018) was so listless even the presence of Mendo couldn’t save it, and the TV series Robyn Hood (2023) was axed after just one season and currently has a 1/10 score on IMDB. Yikes.
Still, despite all these adaptations of the narrative, you’ve never before seen one quite like The Death of Robin Hood from director Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One).
The Death of Robin Hood takes place some time in the later stages of the icon’s life. Robin (Hugh Jackman) is a gray haired, bearded and broken version of himself, beset by legions of younger people trying and failing to take revenge on him for the death of their family members or loved ones.
See, in this version, Robbo is no saint, more a vicious thug and homicidal bandit who was particularly adept at spreading bullshit tales about his own anecdotal heroism. Less “robs from the rich and gives to the poor” and more “robs from every bastard and likely kills them afterwards.” Honestly, Robin just pines for a good death, a brisk end to all the endless drudgery, mud and blood. When his old compatriot Little John (Bill Skarsgård) enlists him in a mission that’s almost sure to fail, Robin figures that he may have finally found his way out. However, in an ironic twist, Hood survives the altercation and finds himself in a priory being administered to by Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer), where he may have found a path to redemption.
The main thing to know about The Death of Robin Hood is that it’s bloody dark. Like, for real. At the screening your humble word janitor attended, several walkouts occurred during some of the grimmer scenes. This is an often brutal deconstruction of heroism, myths and the suffocating cage of legacy. The main arrow in its quiver is the tremendous performance from Hugh Jackman, here playing Robin as a man who makes Logan/Wolverine look like a saint. Bitter, grizzled and just so very tired, he wants a good death and some damn peace and quiet, and no one is letting him get it. Jodie Comer also does excellent work here, particularly in the final act, and props also go to an unrecognisable Bill Skarsgård and Murray Bartlett as John and a nameless Leper respectively.
Sarnoski’s direction is engaging and textured, really digging into the grotesquery of many of Robin’s acts and the sheer desperation of his world. The script, also by Sarnoski, isn’t quite as accomplished, and doesn’t exactly brim with surprises, but that’s not the kind of tale this is. The Death of Robin Hood is a slow motion tragedy that, at best, may wring just a speck of light out of its overwhelming darkness.
The Death of Robin Hood certainly won’t be for everyone. Expect violence, misery, a slow pace and then some more misery. However, thanks to sterling performances, beautifully grimdark direction and a compelling, if harsh, narrative, those who can get on the same page will find much to bleakly enjoy.
Just don’t expect a Bryan Adams song on the soundtrack of this one.
