Director Otto Bathurst’s Robin Hood puts a new and exciting twist on a classic tale.
After being drafted by the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelsohn), Lord Robin of Loxley (Taron Egerton) is forced to leave his love Marian (Eve Hewson) to fight in the Third Crusade. After spending four years in Arabia, Robin becomes discouraged with the ongoings of the Crusade and is shipped home after attempting to free Saracen prisoners awaiting their death. After returning to Nottingham, Robin learns from Friar Tuck (Tim Minchin) he had been declared dead by the Sheriff in order to obtain Robin’s home and wealth to further fund the Crusade. While tailing Marian, Robin sees she has begun a relationship with WIll Tillman (Jamie Dornan). Before he can confront her, Robin is stopped by “John” (Jamie Foxx), a man whose son he tried to save from beheading, despite John attempting kill Robin in battle. John proposes to Robin they work together to steal the money funding the crusade and overthrow the Sheriff of Nottingham.
I’ve seen plenty of criticism of this film, with some critics calling it the worst film of 2018. Personally, I disagree and believe there’s a lot to like about Robin Hood. Do I think it’s award worthy or that it’s the best Robin Hood film created? No. However, I do believe you can’t compare this particular film to the others. It’s unlike the other “traditional” films that steer towards historical accuracy. This film revamps the character of Robin Hood, as well as the surrounding events and characters. I don’t like to give away too many details in my reviews to prevent spoilers, but there’s a scene in particular that I enjoyed. When watching a film set in this era, the viewer is used to seeing soldiers storm towns with their swords, shields, and spears while wearing armor. While respecting the Medieval setting, Robin Hood adds a modern flair with soldiers using bows and arrows entering a city while practicing stealth and tactics similar to modern military-based action films.
Because it is a Robin Hood film, it is going to follow a somewhat familiar path its predecessors have followed. This is where the film begins to create its own direction with how characters are introduced. While we don’t see much character tweaking to the Sheriff, Guy of Gisbourne, and Friar Tuck, Marian is introduced as a thief attempting to steal a horse from Robin, “Little John” is a former Saracen adversary that almost killed Robin during the Third Crusade, and Will Tillman/Scarlet is a romantic rival to Robin for Marian’s love. I really like this injection of new character backgrounds.
While the cast in general worked really well together, I particularly like the on-screen chemistry between Egerton and Foxx. Despite the rocky introduction, there’s an immediate respect between the two characters and its portrayed excellently by Egerton and Foxx. Even though John acts more as a mentor to Robin, the dialogue, arguments, and humor between the characters create a “buddy-like” relationship.
Visually, this is a beautiful film. From the action sequences to the Medieval setting, the crystal clear pictures makes for an enjoyable viewing experience. The 4K Ultra HD combo pack comes with 4K Ultra HD Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 2160p Ultra High Definition and Blu-ray 1080p High Definition.
Overall, I enjoyed this film and would recommend it to fans of the action genre. I’ve long been a fan Taron Egerton and found him to be a good Robin Hood. No, the film isn’t award worthy, nor is it the best Robin Hood film ever made, but I believe you shouldn’t compare it to the other films when viewing it, but if you are a traditional Robin Hood purist, you probably will dislike this film. Otherwise, keep an open-mind and enjoy the film for what it is, a classic tale with in-your-face action sequences.
Special Features:
- Outlaws and Auteurs: Reshaping Robin Hood (7-Part Documentary)
- Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
