Its hard to know sometimes where to start with a bad film. Do you blame it on the director? The screenwriter? The star of the film? The producers?
With Robin Hood, Im tempted to just lay it at all their doors and call it a day.
This upteenth reboot of the medieval English legend places Robin as a nobleman who is drafted to fight for England in the crusades, and just as hes found love with Marion, a thief he meets as she tries to steal from him. (Robin is so charming though, she gets his heart when really she just wanted the horse.)
In Western Asia, Robin is a fish out of water, more concerned with the English armys inability to seemingly win the war and the barbaric actions the commanders are taking, and hes soon shipped off back to Nottingham after disobeying orders and fighting to save a young boy who, to be fair, had done nothing wrong.
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But years have passed and Marion has moved on and married Will Tillman (a brooding Jamie Dornan given little to do), and the Sheriff of Nottingham has been forcing tolls and taxes on his people in the name of supporting the troops.
Spoiler, the money hasnt been going to the troops.
Robin wont stand for this injustice though – hes going to get back their money and his girl, who it turns out is more of an activist than Robin as shes been plotting to overthrow the sheriff for years.
(Now that would have been an interesting film.)
Heres the good:
Eve Hewson (Bonos daughter) as Marion is at once a badass woman who isnt going to wait for her man to return and save her and their people, and yet also able to convey a softer side, as she deals with her heartache and feelings of guilt at Robins return.
And if youre looking for an action-packed, gritty Guy Ritchie-lite film, then let the studio steal your money.
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The bad:
This is an action-packed Guy Ritchie-lite film.
As Robin, Taron Egerton is clearly having the time of his life but his Robin is one note and the twist at the end – that, surprising no one, allows for the potential of a sequel – can be seen coming a mile off.
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Directed by Otto Bathurst and written by Ben Chandler, this film desperately wants to bring Robin Hood into the 21st century but attempts to do so by simply turning our merry men into hooded outlaws with machine-stitched Barbour jackets and biker boots (but makes them fight with bows and arrows.)
Its a choice, and one that could potentially work, but costume alone is not enough to make a film contemporary – and as Taron Egerton told Metro.co.uk, theres no intention by the filmmakers to tell a relevant political story.
And thats the real shame because theres so much scope in this legend – rich vs poor, East vs West, religion vs state – that could easily relate and intrigue a 21st century audience.
Robin Hood is out in the UK on 21 November.
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MORE: Taron Egerton was left frustrated over your Robin Hood criticisms
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