ROBIN HOOD: Right Time, Wrong Movie

There are figures in fiction that transcend one performance. They exist, not as people, but as ideas. Because of this, they allow any actor or actress to be the vessels that tell their story each time Hollywood decides to tell it.

Figures such as James Bond, King Arthur and Batman all exist under this blanket. We keep seeing these figures because we know what they stand for, and it’s exciting to see what a new generation will bring to the character. How will Affleck differ from Bale, and will they hold up to Keaton? Robin Hood exists under this umbrella of figures. From Errol Flynn to Russell Crowe, we’ve watch the story of Robin Hood be told and retold many times.

And now it’s been decided for us that we need to hear it again. This time, with Taron Egerton underneath the hood. Now, I might be biased because of my love for a certain cartoon fox that solidified who Robin Hood is to me, but I’m guessing that Hollywood will keep attempting this until they get it right, and they still haven’t.

The Perfect Time For The Hood

For those of you who might not be familiar with the story of Robin Hood, here’s what you need to know. Directed by Otto Bathurst, Robin Hood is the story of Robin of Locksley (Taron Egerton), who returns to his hometown of Nottingham after fighting in the crusades to find his home destroyed and looted, courtesy of the Sherriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelsohn). With the help of Little John, or just “John”, (Jamie Foxx) Robin decides to take down the Sheriff by stealing the money he’s been looting all these years.

The synopsis alone is where the film’s problem begins. Much like the 2010 Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe (fun fact, the final minute of this Robin Hood is nearly identical to a scene in the 2010 adaptation wherein Robin shoots an arrow through a warrant for his arrest), studios seem hell-bent on not showing us the Robin that lives in the woods with his Merry Men, but how he’s a lord who turns into the outlaw.

No one wants to see Bruce Wayne’s parents die again. We want to see him dawn the cape and cowl. We want to see him be Batman. Similarly, I find it difficult to care about how Robin Hood became the legend, because it’s not nearly as interesting as an outlaw living in the forest with a band of crooks and thieves that target the upper class.

As I sat down and the lights dimmed for the film to begin, it dawned on me that this is the perfect time in our world for Robin Hood. Robin Hood represents a voice for the people, someone who instigates a revolution against those who would oppress the poor. It’s the right time for Robin Hood, just not this one.

Thankfully, those themes are allowed to shine every once in awhile, when Robin Hood hushes its bloated action sequences to allow Robin to demonstrate why he is doing what he does. Rarely does the film linger on Taron Egerton long enough for us to let him verbalize why he is fighting against injustice.

Beginning with a shot of a dusty old book that looks as though it was pulled from England’s first library, an unseen narrator tells the viewer that there is much more to Robin Hood than we thought. It’s a “forget the story you thought you knew” introduction. But is this a good thing? The narration implores that we will get to know Robin the man instead of Robin the legend, but is that better? Does it matter how Robin Hood felt, or does it matter how he made others feel?

The film seems to struggle with this question. Because while it wants us to know how human Robin Hood is, we’re treated to many shots of villagers in Nottingham hanging up hoods all over town as a message to the Sheriff that they stand with their new vigilante. It might be a moving sequence if one hasn’t seen The Dark Knight Rises, which displays people all over Gotham chalking the iconic bat symbol into the side of buildings, but I have. The similarities between this film and The Dark Knight trilogy could be an entire piece on its own, but I’m not going to make any editor think longer than they have to about this film.

Just The People For The Job

One of the tragedies of this Robin Hood retelling is that, in theory, it should work. Taron Egerton, already proving himself an action star with the Kingsman duology, is as flat as the paper the script was printed on, leaving no room for the humanity of Robin Hood that the film so desperately wants to show us. Sure he has the obligatory moments of anguish that come with climactic moments in the film, but he doesn’t convince us that he cares about the poor and the outcast.

Jamie Foxx, who should by all rights be a perfect Little John with his sly grins and quick wit, is made into a domestic sidekick, though his Little John’s story is far more interesting than Robin’s. Foxx’s Little John travels to England after the war. He fought for the Arabians and watched his son get murdered by Robin’s fellow soldiers, and he lost his hand in the process. His story, which makes for a brilliant revenge tale, is overshadowed by Robin’s.

The bright spot of this film comes from Ben Mendelsohn’s sheriff of Nottingham. Mendelsohn once again proves himself to have the ability to portray suave, yet unhinged villains. His sheriff carries himself with elegance, but is also libel to shout the creative and torturous ways he will kill his prisoners at any moment.

The rest of the cast is simply…there. Robin’s love interest Marian, played by Eve Hewson, enters the film by attempting to steal a horse from Robin (awe, a meet-cute!) and is then left to do nothing more than support Robin through the rest of the film through dialogue that could have been looted from a Pinterest page, perhaps forgetting that she used to be a thief like him.

Robin Hood: Conclusion

Robin Hood seems to have a set of requirements to meet, and it gives the bare minimum when meeting them. There are bows and arrows, stealing from the rich, and a friar named Tuck. Other than that, the film adds nothing to the mythos of the character that sets it apart from its predecessors. In a few years, someone else will take another crack at Robin, and perhaps they’ll get it right, but until we receive a film that shows a likeable vigilante as much as Disney did, I’ll stick with my cartoon fox.

What did you think of the new Robin Hood? Do you have a favorite Robin Hood film? Sound off in the comments below!

Robin Hood is in theaters now.