THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD

'The Death of Robin Hood' feels like a grander part of a story we didn't get to witness. While the tale of Robin Hood has been told time and time again, his story isn't depicted as "dark and gritty". The film, especially with the casting of Hugh Jackman, just feels like a lesser 'Logan', a classic character now older and on their deathbed - even having a side plot where Robin Hood bonds with a young girl.

The film's association with 'Robin Hood' also weighs it down. While the film is based on the 17th-century ballad, as a stand-alone entry, it offers a different view of Robin Hood from other mainstream depictions, and it doesn't have time to establish this story's version of him. Here, Robin Hood is a murderer; he is not the "take from the rich, give to the poor" hero we know. It is fine to have a different take on this character, but without the setup, it's hard to jump on board with this film's take on him; instead, it's focused on being gory and violent.

The film's cinematography is absolutely stunning; visually, it's a flawless film. Jackman's performance is also stellar, and when the film has more emotional beats, he really gets to shine. Another aspect I enjoyed was the more emotional scenes between Robin and the little girl character, or just when he gets to reflect on his life.

'The Death of Robin Hood' is a lot: a gory, bloody, violent film, a 'Logan' copy-cat, a visual treat, and also a revisionist look at a classic character. While it doesn't fail at any, it never quite sticks the landing on any of these ideas either.