A war-hardened Crusader and his Moorish commander mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown in a thrilling action-adventure packed with gritty battlefield exploits, mind-blowing fight choreography, and a timeless romance.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
With the news of a modern remake of the classic tale of Robin Hood came real excitement.
The inspiring tale of the war-hardened outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor feels like a comfortable fit for the times we’re living in.
With a stellar cast including Taron Egerton (Robin Hood), Jamie Foxx (Little John), and Jamie Dornan (Will Scarlett) the expectations were high for the release of this adventurous new flick.
But sadly, this re-envisioning of the hooded crusader fails – and rather spectacularly so.
What could have easily been a gripping and gritty tale of good versus evil becomes a big budget extravaganza that destroys the most important themes that sit at the heart of this inspiring literary tale.
Instead of being driven by the struggles of the poor and marginalised, Egerton’s Hood is pushed by his desire to win back the heart of Maid Marian (Eve Hewson). Instead of stealing from the rich, Hood attempts to steal a woman from another man.
Our once humble hero falls victim to his own lustful and greedy desires. Director Otto Bathurst had far more thrilling, interesting, and compelling avenues to explore rather than the trite tale of lover scorned.
Clean faced Egerton is a pretty boy Hood that fights in slow motion and sits perhaps too comfortably in the robes of a nobleman than the rags of a commoner. In fact, co-star Dornan with his brooding persona and rugged handsomeness would have made for a far more interesting protagonist.
All-in-all, when you finally walk out of the cinema you simply can’t help but feel like you got robbed by Hood.
Source: Channel24
