IR Film Review: THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD [A24]
The intention of a myth or at least its story is to either to soften the blow or provide a historical context of what something could be. With “The Death Of Robin Hood”, like a similar story of Odysseus starring Ralph Fiennes called "The Return" a couple years back, it is about deconstructing the idea of a myth. Hugh Jackman, covered in long hair, gristle and world weariness plays Robin Hood hiding himself from the world. He is not a good man. He is an outlaw. He kills women and children to get what he needs. The film sets that up upfront to just show the path he has is not redemption but acceptance. Bill Skarsgard again disappears (not as completely as Nosferatu) but it really shows what he is capable of in terms of acting (it brings to mind certain early Tom Hardy). Here as Little John (sans Edward), he provides the crux upon which Robin must lay his life. Randolph (aka Robin) wants to die.
The first initial big sequence which sets up the latter is grimy, blood-filled and set in the dark. Directed by Michael Sarnoski who did "Pig" and then "Quiet Place: Day One", it brings the best of both of those movies and bridges them in a dark R-rated parable that is as much a character piece as a genre setting. It doesn’t need gore though the battle in the dark is quite riveting. The second half involves blood revenge but it is interestingly done on an isle which has its own properties. Sarnoski who wrote as well keeps it the drama grounded. There is one scene with Jodie Comer as Bridget which is not necessary except to titillate the audience whereas her depth functions very well without it. Otherwise everyone including a leper very much understands their part, even an orphaned girl who goes under a lot of trauma.
Jackman plays Randolph with a knowing, a reluctance and a world-weariness which is different than the work he has done recently (though his monologue in the car in the last Deadpool movie is a masterclass that cannot be beat. Comer, who seems to like these period pieces against strong leading men, holds her own. Most of her and Jackman’s scenes are quiet hut intensely acted. There are different nuances within them that are hard to play but they navigate it deftly likely because of Sarnosky's precisesness. And unlike say "The Last Duel", even in certain cruelty, Comer is able to portray a tenderness which after the actions that preceded it is hard to make believable...yet she does. And some of the photography including a beautifully sunlight backlit shot (either artificial or real) shows Sarnoski will only get better with time. "The Death Of Robin Hood" may fall under the radar but it is an effective genre driven adult character piece that is both palpable, dark and yet impeccably acted with an effective jf finite story that deconstructs everything we know of this man…and that is sort of the point. A-
By Tim Wassberg
