The Death of Robin Hood review: Hugh Jackman anchors bleak thriller on iconic outlaw
The Death of Robin Hood review: Actor Hugh Jackman's wounded Robin Hood seeks refuge at a remote priory, where Sister Brigid and Margaret draw him into moments of care and reckoning. The film uses that encounter to probe guilt, legacy and violence. Does the film live up to expectations? Here is our review.
Writer-director Michael Sarnoski's The Death of Robin Hood (2026) is a dark thriller that reimagines the legendary outlaw as a grizzled, ageing man haunted by his violent past. Featuring actor Hugh Jackman in the titular role, the film strips away romantic folklore to show Robin living in self-imposed exile, confronting the brutal truths of his outlaw life in 13th-century England.
After sustaining grave wounds, he finds refuge in a remote island priory. There, interactions with a compassionate prioress named Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) and a young orphan Margaret (Faith Delaney) offer a fragile chance at redemption amid the lingering shadows of his history. The story explores guilt, legacy, and violence in a stark, atmospheric drama. Based on Robin Hood's Death by Anonymous, The Death of Robin Hood reimagines Robin Hood's darker side as an alternate narrative. Sarnoski pushes the narrative towards a morally grey zone of one of the most celebrated rebels of English folklore.
The film's period noir theme dives too deeply into gore to justify its gritty tone and morally ambiguous protagonist. Jackman's Robin leads a blood-smeared quest for glory alongside Bill Skarsgrd's Edward, but the narrative leans too heavily into the ruthless slaughter of vulnerable populations, including the young, the elderly, and women. In spite of realistically shot action sequences and convincing performances from the entire ensemble, the visceral violence quickly becomes gratuitous. Despite an ambitious attempt at a revisionist retelling of one of folklore's most iconic outlaws, the film ultimately deviates from conveying the emotional core of the story.
Jackman delivers an impressive turn as the rugged, battered, and conflicted Robin Hood, anchoring the character's internal crisis not through heavy-handed monologues, but through nuanced glances and expressions. Although the 57-year-old actor brings commendable depth to the role — adeptly balancing facets of compassion, remorse, rage, and ruthlessness — the disjointed narrative structure unfortunately renders it a redundant performance.
Comer, portraying Brigid, shares a palpable, slow-burning chemistry with Jackman that strikes a fine balance between a platonic bond and romantic tension. However, it is Delaney as Margaret who steals the show despite limited screen time; her brief, emotionally charged scenes with Jackman's Robin evokes the poignant, protective dynamic shared between Logan and Laura (Dafne Keen) in Logan (2018). Actors Murray Bartlett, Noah Dupe, Clive Russel and Jade Croot play their characters with the utmost sincerity.
Visually, the film's art direction by Owen Black and Hauke Richter offers a meticulous and immersive look at the time period. However, the pacing and editing falter, failing to marry a visually compelling spectacle with narrative substance. The screenplay bogs down in the second act; repetitive mentions of Robin's past atrocities and an excessive amount of screen time dedicated to Brigid nursing him back to health cause the film to lose sight of its central plot.
Ultimately, The Death of Robin Hood boasts grounded performances by an exceptional cast but fails to translate the soul of the script into effective cinematic execution. The two-hour, two-minute film captures the tragic fate of outlaws but falls short of delivering a truly grand, cohesive vision. A missed opportunity.
Writer-director Michael Sarnoski's The Death of Robin Hood (2026) is a dark thriller that reimagines the legendary outlaw as a grizzled, ageing man haunted by his violent past. Featuring actor Hugh Jackman in the titular role, the film strips away romantic folklore to show Robin living in self-imposed exile, confronting the brutal truths of his outlaw life in 13th-century England.
After sustaining grave wounds, he finds refuge in a remote island priory. There, interactions with a compassionate prioress named Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) and a young orphan Margaret (Faith Delaney) offer a fragile chance at redemption amid the lingering shadows of his history. The story explores guilt, legacy, and violence in a stark, atmospheric drama. Based on Robin Hood's Death by Anonymous, The Death of Robin Hood reimagines Robin Hood's darker side as an alternate narrative. Sarnoski pushes the narrative towards a morally grey zone of one of the most celebrated rebels of English folklore.
The film's period noir theme dives too deeply into gore to justify its gritty tone and morally ambiguous protagonist. Jackman's Robin leads a blood-smeared quest for glory alongside Bill Skarsgrd's Edward, but the narrative leans too heavily into the ruthless slaughter of vulnerable populations, including the young, the elderly, and women. In spite of realistically shot action sequences and convincing performances from the entire ensemble, the visceral violence quickly becomes gratuitous. Despite an ambitious attempt at a revisionist retelling of one of folklore's most iconic outlaws, the film ultimately deviates from conveying the emotional core of the story.
Jackman delivers an impressive turn as the rugged, battered, and conflicted Robin Hood, anchoring the character's internal crisis not through heavy-handed monologues, but through nuanced glances and expressions. Although the 57-year-old actor brings commendable depth to the role — adeptly balancing facets of compassion, remorse, rage, and ruthlessness — the disjointed narrative structure unfortunately renders it a redundant performance.
Comer, portraying Brigid, shares a palpable, slow-burning chemistry with Jackman that strikes a fine balance between a platonic bond and romantic tension. However, it is Delaney as Margaret who steals the show despite limited screen time; her brief, emotionally charged scenes with Jackman's Robin evokes the poignant, protective dynamic shared between Logan and Laura (Dafne Keen) in Logan (2018). Actors Murray Bartlett, Noah Dupe, Clive Russel and Jade Croot play their characters with the utmost sincerity.
Visually, the film's art direction by Owen Black and Hauke Richter offers a meticulous and immersive look at the time period. However, the pacing and editing falter, failing to marry a visually compelling spectacle with narrative substance. The screenplay bogs down in the second act; repetitive mentions of Robin's past atrocities and an excessive amount of screen time dedicated to Brigid nursing him back to health cause the film to lose sight of its central plot.
Ultimately, The Death of Robin Hood boasts grounded performances by an exceptional cast but fails to translate the soul of the script into effective cinematic execution. The two-hour, two-minute film captures the tragic fate of outlaws but falls short of delivering a truly grand, cohesive vision. A missed opportunity.
