Out now in Irish cinemas is The Death of Robin Hood. Starring Hugh Jackman, this film follows Robin, the legendary bandit, as he tries to find the right death. The premise of The Death of Robin Hood is simple: a violent man wishes to find a violent end. Unfortunately, when old friend Little John (Bill Skarsgård) returns to Robin asking to help him with one last adventure, he can’t say no.
What makes The Death of Robin Hood work so well is the upending of expectations. Much like its titular character, I expected one thing and found myself pleasantly surprised when the film became something else entirely. From the start of the film, Robin is haunted by the ghosts of his past, the endless violence that has followed him throughout the course of his life. He is reckoning with this, and the film is earnest in its exploration of this character. Robin is challenged ethically with his past, his present and his future from old friends like Little John, who remind him of the old battles, to Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer), who shows him a possible future. When he finds himself on an island of peace, he tries to understand it all: can he have it, should he have it? It’s all enthralling to watch.
The acting on show is also brilliant. Jackman is fantastic, not resorting to old man Logan, though it could easily be done. He is instead far more restrained. He’s holding in something, something violent and primal, and it comes out from the way he moves to every line on his body. Robin looks back on a life that has been lionised in the eyes of the masses, and he hates it.
We were monsters
Along with Jackman is an intimate cast of characters; Comer’s Sister Brigid is someone who has seen the horrors of this world and holds fast against it. She is the other figure on the scale, trying to balance what people like Robin have done to the world. She brings even more emotional weight to this emotionally dense film. Skarsgård’s Little John is a steadfast friend, barely able to remember what was legend and what was life with Robin, but he looks to Robin with incredible loyalty. Another notch on this film’s belt is how it completely recontextualised the legend of Robin Hood and Little John for me, and I love it for that. Their dynamic is bittersweet, transcending the traditional norm that I’ve seen them have in previous iterations.
A highlight for me in The Death of Robin Hood was The Leper played by Murray Bartlett. He feels like a revenant, watching Robin throughout the course of the story. He always has the right barb to get at Robin, and this contentious relationship’s journey throughout the film is one I thoroughly enjoyed watching unfold.
Director/Writer Michael Sarnoski has crafted a brilliant new tale to add to the library of Robin Hood. Along with cinematographer Pat Scola, this film is an ethereal masterpiece. It straddles the realms of fantasy and reality thanks to the stunning visuals that Northern Ireland provides.
I could go on and on about how much I adored The Death of Robin Hood, but like this film, I know when to end. The Death of Robin Hood is a must-see film, and since this weekend’s films are €4.00, you’ve no reason not to see it in your local cinema.
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