‘Robin Hood (2018)’| Film Review

Did anyone in the right mind want another Robin Hood movie? Well, of course not, but it’s here anyway because we can’t get what we want, duh. This really seemed like this re-telling of the classic tale was already doomed from the start since it had to be dumped on Thanksgiving weekend when there are two sequels that are worth your time and money.

What’s the Story: Robin of Loxley (Taron Egerton) gets trained by Moorish commander John (Jamie Foxx) to revolt against the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelsohn) in which he famously stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

The only question that should be answered is this, “Does anybody care about this coming out?” Absolutely not. The idea of having another movie about this character seems very tiresome when it was first announced. We just had one eight years ago with Russell Crowe, and it’s one of the rare times I couldn’t finish a new movie. With the trailers not making me have an inch of anticipation, it’s no wonder why 2018’s edition of Robin Hood is one of the year’s worst, in my opinion.

Let’s start with the positives: The score by Joseph Trapanese was pretty serviceable. That being said, it can be accompanied by any other movie than this. And… that’s really about it.

Everything else about Robin Hood has the right to be criticized. Director Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders) clearly didn’t have the capability to handle the story and most noticeably the action. The scenes just come and go without any remembrance. Trying to make it look slick and modern shouldn’t be the right case when it’s about Robin Hood in those time periods.

You know the movie’s off to a bad start when it opens with Friar Tuck (Tim Minchin) narrating at the beginning and appears nowhere else until the very end telling. “Forget what you’ve seen before; forget what you think you know.” Like this movie?

The performances aren’t anything to be excited about here as they are perfectly given little material to work with. Egerton is a fine young actor and has given solid performances before, but he felt miscast as Robin. Nothing about his personality made me care about him from the start. Foxx doesn’t give a strong supporting role as John and the chemistry between the two of them wasn’t right. Mendelssohn once again portrays the main villain because he seems to be typecast and it’s such an un-intimidation for our hero to fight against.

The story itself has no power for us to be invested in. Somehow it manages to never be captivating for what’s going on about for the characters or the plot that’s been played out so many times before.  There wasn’t any single point where I cared about the relationship between Robin and Marian (Eve Hewson), or anything that has to do with Jamie Doran’s bland role. The script by Ben Chandler and David James Kelly is Razzie-worthy for how they treated this source material. You can tell this was by first-time writers.

No, all of the action sequences weren’t good. Nothing about them came off as memorable or exciting. Shooting arrows into the bad guys are there just because. The only one that’s gonna be remembered is the horse chase that’s cringe-worthy. It’s even worse when most of it is in slow-motion, a troupe in action movies that are becoming unbearably annoying. Adding to the terrible CGI added on to them, it has no style whatsoever. Lack of excitement when it feels like a three out of ten.

All of the attempts at humor failed anytime it tries to be comical. Most of the people in my audience laughed, but I couldn’t help but knowing what was actually funny.

Talking about the costume design, that aspect of the film has never bothered me so much until now. There shouldn’t be a reason why Robin and the Sheriff are wearing leather in medieval times. And Marian always looks like she wearing a dress that came straight out of Macy’s every time she’s on screen.

Going into Robin Hood, I was thinking this was gonna end up becoming worse than dreadful King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and I was right. Both of them have the exact same style of direction and incoherence as each other. What are the odds? It’s just confusing why Lionsgate made this movie in the first place when we all know it’s gonna lose a lot of money pretty quickly.

So, it comes to no surprise that I loathe Robin Hood. Unpleasant to sit through, doesn’t offer anything new, this an origin story that’s a steal from the two hours spent through this mess. My advice, watch the other good versions to save you time and kick on that sweet Bryan Adams tune. Makin’ it on my worst list of the year? You know it’s true.

Robin Hood is a massive misfire on all cylinders by trying to retell this classic tale into an uninspired, dull and unnecessary modern take nobody asked for.

Grade: D-