The Death of Robin Hood (2026)
Over the last decade, cinema has been taken over by remakes and reboots that take classic characters and properties and reimagine them with a new angle or style. While some of these have been rather cheap attempts at gaining a reaction, such as the countless cheap horror films made out of children's characters who have fallen into the public domain, others have recontextualized characters to pursue meaningful stories and reflections. Michael Sarnoski's The Death of Robin Hood falls into this camp, following an older Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman) whose life is haunted by his history and lore. After so many violent adventures and deaths, Robin has to hide his identity, as nearly any stranger will have a negative connection to him, striving to kill him for revenge against Robin's killing of a family member. After a particularly brutal fight where Robin barely escapes death, he is taken to a remote convent on an island where a nurse named Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) cares for the ill. While he recovers, Robin considers his life up to this point while also helping those on the island.
Loosely adapting the classic ballad Robin Hood's Death, The Death of Robin Hood is a very different film than most would expect from a cinematic Robin Hood tale. Rather than being a bright or entertaining adventure, the film is a slow and methodical drama that struggles to chart a course. At first, the film starts with a boom with a gruesome action sequence that feels daring and engaging as Robin and Little John (Bill Skarsgård) are attacked. The Death of Robin Hood holds no punches in its violence, not afraid to bludgeon animals and children as Robin tears his way through whoever he must to survive. The action is bloody and gross, evoking quite a reaction. However, after about 20 minutes, the film abruptly stops and never finds this energy again.
In the aftermath of this initial action sequence, Robin is brought to the island where Sister Brigid tends to his wounds. No one on the island knows that he is Robin Hood, and Robin gets to taste a pleasant and domestic life. As he heals, he tends to small chores around the island, building a friendship with a Leper on the island (Murray Bartlett) and forming a connection with Sister Brigid as they stay up late and discuss life. During his time on the island, there is no set drama or arc for Robin, with the film meandering far too much as he goes through the motions of everyday life. Even when it seems like some dramatic spark is about to ignite, such as when a young boy named Arthur (Noah Jupe), who belongs to the family that attacked Robin in the film's opening act, appears on the island to heal his own wounds, the fire never actually is lit, with the film consistently cooling things off with dialogue and Jackman staring off into the distance longingly.
If the bulk of the film was supposed to land as a worthy character drama, the film gets in its own way as it is forced to drag the traditional expectations and understandings of Robin Hood along for the ride. In the film, Robin is someone who has become lost within his own lore, with even Little John not remembering what reality was and what was an exaggerated story. Both Robin and Little John are followed by these adventures and the consequences of their actions, but it is nearly impossible for the audience to understand these journeys. Outside of the spoken stories about their previous actions, the audience does not get to know who these aged characters are or understand the weight of their actions. A fundamental part of the character was his morality and fight for good, but as more and more is told about their actions, it is clear these characters have drastically changed. Horror stories such as Robin burning alive an entire family, including children, feel completely out of place for the character, with the audience not having the knowledge of how to view these characters and their guilt. The presence of these characters' identities is worthless for the film, constantly holding the audience back from being able to fully engage with what is being presented. Sadly, these moments of substance are few and far between, never taking enough control of the film's runtime.
Jackman's titular performance is fine, but it makes no sense why the film would cast someone so charismatic and personable, considering how reduced Jackman's performance is forced to be. Jackman's performance is often quiet or grunting, never revealing his inner emotions. In every dialogue scene he shares with another actor, whether that be Bartlett, Comer, Jupe, or Skarsgård, he is a shadow of what these performances are able to deliver, constantly being overshadowed.
However, nothing within the film feels as disastrous as the film's conclusion. Completely throwing out everything that has been built as far as message and morals, the film has one of the most baffling third-act conclusions seen in the last decade of film. Not only do the emotions of the moment fall pathetically flat, but every choice feels as illogical as one could get. It completely ruins the character of Robin Hood and the emotional arc he was on, killing any hope the film had of feeling rewarding or worthwhile at the end of such a sluggish viewing experience.
While the substance of the film is brutally shallow, the technical ability of the film does have some moments of success. Patrick Scola's cinematography embraces the coldness of the world well, bringing some of the unique framing and composition he has previously used in films such as Sing Sing and We Grown Now. Jim Ghedi's score is also a clear highlight, echoing some beautiful swells that take classic sounds and give them a new spin. The film is a success in both atmosphere and tone, making it an even bigger shame that the film's voice otherwise is so weak. The errors of the film are not because the paint was bad, but rather because the painter couldn't complete his vision.
Sarnoski's faults here are realizations of minor issues present in the conclusions of both Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One. In both of his previous films, Sarnoski has masked his lackluster ability to find a conclusion or follow through on a thesis by filling his runtime with dynamic worldbuilding. With The Death of Robin Hood, the filmmaker doesn't have this luxury, with the emptiness becoming a defining trait of the project, which ultimately wallows in it
Loosely adapting the classic ballad Robin Hood's Death, The Death of Robin Hood is a very different film than most would expect from a cinematic Robin Hood tale. Rather than being a bright or entertaining adventure, the film is a slow and methodical drama that struggles to chart a course. At first, the film starts with a boom with a gruesome action sequence that feels daring and engaging as Robin and Little John (Bill Skarsgård) are attacked. The Death of Robin Hood holds no punches in its violence, not afraid to bludgeon animals and children as Robin tears his way through whoever he must to survive. The action is bloody and gross, evoking quite a reaction. However, after about 20 minutes, the film abruptly stops and never finds this energy again.
In the aftermath of this initial action sequence, Robin is brought to the island where Sister Brigid tends to his wounds. No one on the island knows that he is Robin Hood, and Robin gets to taste a pleasant and domestic life. As he heals, he tends to small chores around the island, building a friendship with a Leper on the island (Murray Bartlett) and forming a connection with Sister Brigid as they stay up late and discuss life. During his time on the island, there is no set drama or arc for Robin, with the film meandering far too much as he goes through the motions of everyday life. Even when it seems like some dramatic spark is about to ignite, such as when a young boy named Arthur (Noah Jupe), who belongs to the family that attacked Robin in the film's opening act, appears on the island to heal his own wounds, the fire never actually is lit, with the film consistently cooling things off with dialogue and Jackman staring off into the distance longingly.
If the bulk of the film was supposed to land as a worthy character drama, the film gets in its own way as it is forced to drag the traditional expectations and understandings of Robin Hood along for the ride. In the film, Robin is someone who has become lost within his own lore, with even Little John not remembering what reality was and what was an exaggerated story. Both Robin and Little John are followed by these adventures and the consequences of their actions, but it is nearly impossible for the audience to understand these journeys. Outside of the spoken stories about their previous actions, the audience does not get to know who these aged characters are or understand the weight of their actions. A fundamental part of the character was his morality and fight for good, but as more and more is told about their actions, it is clear these characters have drastically changed. Horror stories such as Robin burning alive an entire family, including children, feel completely out of place for the character, with the audience not having the knowledge of how to view these characters and their guilt. The presence of these characters' identities is worthless for the film, constantly holding the audience back from being able to fully engage with what is being presented. Sadly, these moments of substance are few and far between, never taking enough control of the film's runtime.
Jackman's titular performance is fine, but it makes no sense why the film would cast someone so charismatic and personable, considering how reduced Jackman's performance is forced to be. Jackman's performance is often quiet or grunting, never revealing his inner emotions. In every dialogue scene he shares with another actor, whether that be Bartlett, Comer, Jupe, or Skarsgård, he is a shadow of what these performances are able to deliver, constantly being overshadowed.
However, nothing within the film feels as disastrous as the film's conclusion. Completely throwing out everything that has been built as far as message and morals, the film has one of the most baffling third-act conclusions seen in the last decade of film. Not only do the emotions of the moment fall pathetically flat, but every choice feels as illogical as one could get. It completely ruins the character of Robin Hood and the emotional arc he was on, killing any hope the film had of feeling rewarding or worthwhile at the end of such a sluggish viewing experience.
While the substance of the film is brutally shallow, the technical ability of the film does have some moments of success. Patrick Scola's cinematography embraces the coldness of the world well, bringing some of the unique framing and composition he has previously used in films such as Sing Sing and We Grown Now. Jim Ghedi's score is also a clear highlight, echoing some beautiful swells that take classic sounds and give them a new spin. The film is a success in both atmosphere and tone, making it an even bigger shame that the film's voice otherwise is so weak. The errors of the film are not because the paint was bad, but rather because the painter couldn't complete his vision.
Sarnoski's faults here are realizations of minor issues present in the conclusions of both Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One. In both of his previous films, Sarnoski has masked his lackluster ability to find a conclusion or follow through on a thesis by filling his runtime with dynamic worldbuilding. With The Death of Robin Hood, the filmmaker doesn't have this luxury, with the emptiness becoming a defining trait of the project, which ultimately wallows in it