Robin Hood (2018)

Robin Hood – When he returns from the his fight in the Crusades, Robin of Loxley discovers that he was declared dead 2 years prior, all his assets have been seized by the Sheriff of Nottingham and his beloved Marian is now in love with someone else. When an enemy from the past suddenly reappears, wanting to help him get everything back, Robin sets off on a new journey to take down the establishment from the inside and help those suffering under the Sheriff’s tyranny.

Robin Hood (2018) – Director: Otto Bathurst

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59040786

Rating: 12

Running Length: 116 mins

Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn

Genre: Period, Action

REVIEW: ‘ROBIN HOOD’

Robin Hood has seen countless retellings, many of which claim to be telling a story that’s never been seen before. 2018’s ‘Robin Hood’ is no exception and does a decent job initially of turning the story on its head. For instance, Robin isn’t captured in the holy land, instead it’s the English holding the Moorish prisoners. John is the English translation for the Moor’s name who helps Robin back in England and Will isn’t always his loyal friend. Perhaps the most glaring difference between this adaptation and others is that Topshop must have opened a store in Medieval Nottingham due to the cringeworthy costumes the characters wear.

Taron Egerton is engaging as the eponymous ‘Rob’ who isn’t nearly as good at archery as he should be until he gets intensive training from ‘John’. Eve Hewson is the Mabelline model-cum-feisty heroine, Marian and Ben Mendelsohn is the evil Sheriff who seems to have just reused his costumes from his time on the Star Wars movie ‘Rogue One’. Despite all the silliness (including a fight that looks like it was inspired by Banksy), ‘Robin Hood is undoubtedly good fun. There’s plenty of exciting action and it never takes itself too seriously.

Historically accurate this ain’t but ‘Robin Hood’ doesn’t fail to entertainment, however whether it’s your cup of tea of course is another matter.

CONTENT: IS ‘ROBIN HOOD’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN

Robin and Marion kiss passionately, leaning against an enclave. There is a knock at the door and Robin, irritated, shouts for the visitor to go away. It is clear that the two were about to become physically intimate.

There is a 10 minute intense scene showing Robin’s fight in the holy land. First, Robin and several men sneak around a ruined building. Suddenly, men begin to be shot by large bolts which pin them to wooden posts. A few minutes later, when trying to find a captured comrade, Robin and his group sneak around other ruined buildings, the camera shows enemy fighters running and hiding which the protagonists can’t initially see. The captured man is then seen strung up by his feet with several arrows in his leg, crying out for help. When his men go towards him, they are ambushed and many of them are killed by arrows. One is seen from behind as an enemy soldiers uses two knives to slit his throat. No blood is seen but the arrows are shown to hit the men.

A prison holds dozens of captured soldiers, many of whom are being interrogated, beaten and abused. A prisoner is brought out, forced to kneel and his head pushed against a rock. One of the soldiers looks horrified as the man is beheaded (the camera pans up as the axe goes down). Another man is brought out who is clearly terrified, begging for help. Another prisoner also becomes distressed, saying that the other man is his son. The soldier from before attempts to save the man but is ultimately unsuccessful. The soldier is shot non-fatally with an arrow as a punishment, he groans in pain but his suffering is minimal, little time is spent on the death of the prisoner so this moment should not be too upsetting.

A man who only has one arm forges a metal guard for the stump. While it is on the fire, he plunges his stump into it and shouts out in pain.

A man tells of abuse he and others received at the hands of powerful men when he was a child. He says how they would ‘send us to get the canes they’d beat us with’ and that the bruises would change colour until the welts went pink and hard. He also says that broomsticks were used to beat the little ones who would scream and then be forced to drink brandy as a ‘mercy’.

A character says that there will be ‘an orgy of excess’. This shows women (possibly prostitutes) wearing revealing clothing, kissing men and generally entertaining powerful men as well as gambling.

A man tells a friend that he can trust him before immediately betraying him. The friend is initially threatened with death but the man persuades the captors to keep him alive but give him a punishment that will truly hurt him.

A woman attacks a soldier but when she gets to another, he punches her so hard that she falls to the ground. As she lies prone, he says ‘I’m gonna have fun with you later!’

A protagonist is captured and put into a dungeon. His captor mocks him and ridicules the death of a loved one causing the man to become extremely angry. This character is Muslim and his captor threatens to ‘gorge (him) with pig’s blood’.

A character has a rope wrapped around their neck and begs not to be killed, however his attacker doesn’t listen and he is pulled high into the air. As two characters walk away, his lifeless body is seen hanging in the background.

A character receives a bad burn to his face the wound is shown graphically in close up several times.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘ROBIN HOOD’ FOR KIDS?

Silly but fun, ‘Robin Hood’ doesn’t even try to take itself too seriously. We feel this movie should be appropriate for kids aged 8 and over, however there is some violence and bad language so would recommend parental supervision for children sensitive to such things.

• Violence: 3/5
• Emotional Distress: 1/5
• Fear Factor: 2/5 (some suspenseful moments)
• Sexual Content: 1/5
• Bad Language: 3/5 (some moderate cursing)
• Dialogue: 3/5
• Other Notes: A man attempts to drown his sorrows with a bottle of alcohol. However he is reprimanded by a friend who takes the bottle off him and smashes it.
• Deals with themes of loss, conscription, returning from war, unlikely friendships, helping the weak and vulnerable, fighting a corrupt establishment and the dangers of ambition.

Words by Laura Record

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