The Death of Robin Hood Review: A Bleak and Ponderous Return to Form

Michael Sarnoski’s latest project is a much-needed return to form. His directorial debut, Pig, starring Nicolas Cage, was a one-of-a-kind meditative reflection that felt unique and intense while also being surprisingly brisk. It’s a shame that Sarnoski got pulled into the heavily filtered franchise machine with his sophomore feature, A Quiet Place: Day One. Because of that detour, I’m happy to see him get back to his independent roots. Unfortunately, despite singularly effective craftsmanship and brilliant performances, The Death of Robin Hood struggles to hold its weight.

The Death of Robin Hood Review

The Death of Robin Hood opens in the exact type of morose, brooding way we’ve come to expect from modern medieval adaptations. For whatever reason, this story is once again a dreary and gritty take on the famous folklore hero. We find an aged Robin at the very end of his life. Having done all the thieving he can manage, he’s now at a point where he kills the people who come after him, along with the children of the people who came after him.

The film tries its hardest to strip the legendary archer down to villainy, and it largely succeeds. This is a man so lost in his bloody conquest through life that shooting a child in the head with a bow and arrow or stabbing one to death is normal to him. It’s an interesting meditation on the character, but the metaphor and plot are so overwhelmingly heavy that they become overbearing. Instead of evoking shock, the constant misery eventually elicits consistent eye rolls.

Despite the narrative heaviness, the movie is brilliantly shot by cinematographer Pat Scola. Sarnoski isn’t afraid to lean into a 35mm visual style that’s both bleak and stupendously beautiful. Hugh Jackman delivers a legendary performance that ranks among the best of his filmography. He’s joined by a terrific performance from the always wonderful Jodie Comer, along with a great supporting cast featuring Bill Skarsgård and Faith Delaney as Little Margaret. The technical craftsmanship on display here is pitch-perfect across the board.

It seems that so many of these bleak, medieval films rely strongly on their technical prowess. However, they’re often so overbearing in their story presentation that it’s hard to get invested. If you’re a big fan of The Northman, The Witch, or any of those folksy A24 projects, then you will no doubt enjoy The Death of Robin Hood. Its point is hard to grasp. There are moments where it loses you, only to hook you back in, but by the end, it loses its grip. It turns into a film with little to say.

Some of the technical aspects clearly take precedence over decent storytelling. The gore is fantastic, and watching Robin slowly hunt and kill rabbits is technically well done. However, at certain points, it had me feeling squeamish in a frustrating way. Sarnoski is so strongly preoccupied with intense gore that you almost wonder if he’s trying out to direct the next Saw reboot. It’s one thing to make a film meditative and thought-provoking, and it’s another thing to be agonizingly slow in the editing room. A24 often makes the mistake of abandoning mainstream precision pacing, which predictably leads to a disappointing experience for the average moviegoer.

Is The Death of Robin Hood worth watching?

The movie is beautiful in pieces and so visually rich that it could probably take several watches to comprehend the overarching metaphor. For me, though, one viewing is more than enough. While it’s beautifully shot and filled with tantalizing performances, The Death of Robin Hood is let down by a surprisingly thin story and a dreadfully slow pace. I can’t help but think about an inverse Aaron Sorkin situation. If Sarnoski, the director, was divorced from Sarnoski, the writer, the final product could have been a perfect modern retelling of the dreary legend.

The Death of Robin Hood releases in theaters in the United States on June 19.

The Death of Robin Hood Review: A Bleak and Ponderous Return to Form