In The Death of Robin Hood, grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.
Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, the movie stars Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, Noah Jupe, and Faith Delaney.
The review embargo has now lifted, and the first wave of verdicts is mostly positive. However, while The Death of Robin Hood offers a fresh take on its title character, the relentless grimness of this tale proved too much for some.
The title alone suggests this won't exactly be a fun take on the beloved adventurer. Despite that, it still sounds like Sarnoski's Logan-like approach makes this something of a "tedious" viewing experience.
As we first reported on SFFGazette.com, with the first wave of reviews counted, we have a Rotten Tomatoes score. As we write this, The Death of Robin Hood has a "Fresh" 68% rating on the review aggregator's Tomatometer.
Deadline focused its praise on Hugh Jackman, writing, "[He] has probably never had to completely disappear into a role quite like this one before and he is game to do it all the way, a performance we have not seen him give and one that’s hard to shake off."
According to Variety, "The Death of Robin Hood holds our attention for the sheer severity of its reinvention, the rooted, hessian-rough vividness of its ruined world, and its earnest, complex preoccupation with matters of the soul." However, The Hollywood Reporter was less enthused.
That trade pointed out, "Unfortunately, the filmmaker is so keen to make good on his premise that The Death of Robin Hood becomes a tedious slog. You spend most of the film’s overlong running time wishing that its main character would die a quicker death."
Mashable was similarly unimpressed, noting, "The Death of Robin Hood is an unpleasant and cynical slog, despite a promising cast." AV Club concurred. "Without a compelling narrative or affecting emotions at its core, this folklore subversion is often as shallow as the legend," the site wrote.
IGN, however, countered with, "Its heady mix of mournful drama and murderous action certainly distinguish it from the litany of other Robin Hood films in existence." The movie also got the thumbs up from Bloody Disgusting, which adds, "Sarnoski’s deconstruction of popularized myth comes forged in shocking violence and poignant introspection, yielding another deeply affecting story of meeting death on your own terms."
Finally, we hear from AwardsWatch. "What Sarnoski delivers is an overly austere trudge through solemn pretension, making for a gritty drama that’s both intentionally and unintentionally miserable," the site shares.
The odds are already stacked against the movie as it's opening against Toy Story 5, a movie expected to break box office records next weekend. While it will likely find an audience, it doesn't seem to have the makings of a huge hit for A24, despite the studio's recent hot streak.
The Death of Robin Hood arrives in theaters on June 19.