Every folktale is rooted in some kind of truth. A tale passed down through time serving as a warning for children or an inspiring tale of heroics to fill the guts of men with bravery before a fierce battle. What happens when that myth is peeled back, leaving exposed the scars of the truth? Michael Sarnoski seeks to do just that with his dark and brutal take on the tale of Robin Hood in ‘The Death of Robin Hood.’ Turning the story on it’s head by portraying Robin Hood, not as the hero of the people, but a truly irredeemable monster provides a fresh, introspective, and brooding look at the lives that people live and the impact of the actions that they take. ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ is one of this year’s absolute best films. The film is brilliant and beautiful, dark and violent, but so is the life that the film seeks to portray.
Randolph has a secret. A terrible secret that he must keep at all costs. Following an attack, a result of his past crimes, Randolph finds himself on an island, healing his body and his soul. ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ provides a deep, yet dark, look at the lives that people live, their intersections, and impacts of our actions, begging the question who is redeemable and who is not. As the summer movie season begins to cook, ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ is one of this summers best films.
A Dark Approach
Let’s take care of the elephant in the room and get right to it: Robin Hood was not a real person, or at least there is no evidence of him being a real person. He is the amalgamation of multiple stories, some of them darker than others. Everyone on the same page now?
Good. We can proceed.
Diverting from the classic folk hero, “steal from the rich, give to the power,’ Robin Hood that many are accustomed to, ‘The Death of Robin Hood,’ instead, chooses to go with a Robin Hood that is very much the villian. He’s violent and murderous, an outlaw and monster in the truest sense of the words. This allows the character to serve a new role in the lessons that he’s taught over the centuries: one of redemption and acceptance.
What makes the film work so beautifully is it’s change of pace. ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ starts out as an action movie. There are explosions and battles. Then, on a dime, the film turns and there is absolutely zero violence throughout the rest of the film, relying mostly on dialogue and cinematography. Robin is faced with the consequences of his life’s choices and the true monster that he was. Sarnoski’s choice to tell THIS story is a stroke of sheer brilliance. It’s new and different in a way that will take audiences off of their feet immediately, but it helps them slowly get back up, much like Robin, himself.
The Nuance of Performance
Tranisitoning from a pure action film to a period drama is no easy feat, relying heavily on the skill of the director as well as the cast. Sarnoski finds his Robin Hood in Hugh Jackman, who gives, and we all say this with every other Hugh Jackman film that comes out, a career performance. He is menacing and gentle, a gargantuan task given the first quarter of the film is dedicated to making sure the audience recognizes that Robin is the epitome of villain. It’s that transition where you get the best of Jackman. His ability to juggle a dark and brooding cynic is otherworldy.
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Jackman’s performance would be lost if not for the exemplary performances from those around him. Jodie Comer meets Jackman’s dark with a tender light. Even when her character is truly tested, the way in which Comer portrays the inner conflict and the tension that it creates is bold yet unnerving. Murray Bartlett as The Leper provides a voice of not only reflection, but guidance. His performance again is gentle, meeting the rough Jackman with gentle hands. It’s these characters that provide the most important lesson. When met with the individual who brought them to where they were, the choices they make reflect that beauty of humanity, forgiveness, and letting go for ourselves.
Final Thoughts:
‘The Death of Robin Hood’ is one of this year’s truly GREAT films. It provides a dark and brooding take on a familiar character providing a deeper look at the lives that we live and the people whos lives are affected along the way. This film was true brilliance.
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