Well, that was a bummer.

Living in a self-imposed exile, an aged Robin Hood struggles to reconcile with a bloody and cruel past.

The Death of Robin Hood is directed by Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One). It stars Hugh Jackman (Logan) Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders, 28 Years Later) and Bill Skarsgård (2024’s Nosferatu). If you are expecting high stakes action, medieval war, or people launched from catapults… Maybe temper your expectations all the way down.

So is it the literal death of Robin Hood? Does it succeed as a figurative death of a legend?

The film follows Robin Hood (Jackman) who has retreated to the mountainous wastes to avoid contact with those wanted him dead. The story opens with an example of this: he meets a young woman who he kills when she attempts to kill him. But his isolation is broken with the arrival of his old friend Little John, now going by the name Edward. Edward wants Robin’s help in righting a wrong done to him. Seeing this as a possibility to die in battle, Robin agrees. But his life is about to take an unusual turn.

There’s been a lot of movies about the legendary folklore figure of Robin Hood. The rogue who “stole from the rich to give to the poor.” Who fought the sherriff of Nottingham, Guy of Gisborne, loved The Maid Marian, and lived in Sherwood Forest. Swashbuckling action stories. We’ve seen Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Cary Elwes, Taron Egerton, and even a fox play the character. This adaptation’s opening act makes it very clear that it is not any of those tales.

It is hard to say if this is a real “deconstruction” of the character. It is a literal legend. No one rightly knows who this person was, or what they did. The interpretation we see here is truly rotten. A man who steals and robs for survival and for the fun of it. Leading a group of bandits he chose simply because they believed the lies he told them. We are told early on that his legend, even told during his lifetime, was fake.

To say the film is depressing is slightly too far, but it is very grim. Sarnoski has painted his movie with beautiful grey blues, muted greens and hard shadows. This movie has more Robert Eggers about it than it does Men in Tights. The character’s signature weapon, the bow and arrow, is first used… shooting a fleeing boy in the head.

This is a macabre, stark, bloody affair. The first act, at least. What follows is a more pensive, paranoia-driven moment of self-reflection. Hood, now under the name Randolph, finds himself in a peaceful chapel of healers. He meets Sister Brigid (Comer) here, and other characters. The way they interact with him, ignorant of his past, risks either his salvation or further damnation. The movie is lavish with visuals and quiet moments (don’t bring your popcorn). A moment of blurry visuals, envoking pain-driven delirium was especially fascinating. The music as well, by Jim Ghedi (a movie debut) is haunting and celtic.

Jackman himself looks like a knot of old wood. Strong with weathered age. He doesn’t disappear into the role (he is simply too identifiable) but an effort was made.

But, and there’s always a but, there are problems. It is very grim. If that wasn’t apparent already. If you want a darkly realistic interpretation of the medieval 1200s, fair enough. But if you were wanting some “Robin Hood” action eventually, you will not get it. This is an interesting interpretation of the character in their twilight years. Of a criminal wanting to find a way out from all the consequences they have earned. But it isn’t a fun movie. It isn’t even “entertaining” in the sense one might expect.

There are some oddities mixed in as well. Judie Comer’s Sister Brigid speaks to Robin about atoms. This comes out of nowhere, and is by-and-large restricted to that one scene. It doesn’t seem to influence anything. An analogy about balance (occurring earlier in the film) is more fitting; it is referred to with the balance of a bow. But the talk about atoms was lost on me.

Another issue lies in Little John’s character (played by Bill Skarsgård) who kicks off the whole adventure. He wills Robin to help him reclaim his family. A wife and daughter living on a farm who are beset by their family. That’s right, early on, Little John says the family are taking them away from him because he killed the original husband. Granted, the wife and child seem to genuinely like John… But the film uses this as an emotional chord later as a source of redemption. It doesn’t land, naturally.

It is an unusual movie. A stark and bleak affair about an otherwise colourful folklore character. Many will take umbridge with the interpretation and its odd moments. But the film looks incredible, and in making the character a brigand, this is probably the best way to do it.

If you are into grimdark, slow paced medieval stories, check it out. I mostly enjoyed it for the painted look that scenes took on.