Robin Hood

THE GIST: Robin of Loxley is a nobleman who gets drafted by the Sheriff of Nottingham to fight in the Crusades. Disillusioned by the effort, he's eventually sent back, only to find he had been declared dead by the Sheriff, in cahoots with a corrupt Cardinal, in order to seize his lands and wealth. The same pillaging, he realizes, goes on unabated across the land, forcing the population into poverty. Together with a Saracen who followed him home and is now a close friend and confidant, Robin decides to start stealing from those who've so unlawfully amassed their riches and return it to the people.

With so many classics getting the reboot treatment of late, it certainly makes sense to revisit a character like Robin Hood, a sort of superhero, with no superpowers, who takes from the rich to give to the poor, a very topical theme in 2020.

Unfortunately, Robin Hood isn't particularly of note, albeit entertaining enough.

A cast led by Taron Egerton that includes Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Jamie Dornan, and F. Murray Abraham certainly doesn't lack in talent.

Good choreography, visual effects, and production design satisfy the visual aspect.

Ultimately, then it's the script that feels like a rehash of stories heard before, without adding anything new.

I also wasn't a fan of the "updated" musical score, clearly geared at attracting younger viewers, but that actually feels anachronistic. After all, this is supposed to happen hundreds of years ago, so having the action move along to a hip-hop/rap sounding score is just weird.

THE BOTTOM LINE: An unfortunately missed opportunity to update a classic for modern audiences. Still works, but barely.

Grade: 6