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The Death of Robin Hood Draws Mixed Reviews for Brutal Revision

The film’s stark violence and uneven tone raise questions about whether A24’s auteur-driven summer release will connect with mainstream audiences.

Overview

  • The Death of Robin Hood opens widely in U.S. theaters on Friday, June 19, is rated R for strong bloody violence, and runs 123 minutes.
  • Writer‑director Michael Sarnoski leans on the older ballad Robin Hood’s Death to recast the title character as a grizzled, violent outlaw rather than a heroic thief.
  • Reviewers have broadly given mixed to negative assessments, praising Hugh Jackman’s committed, weathered lead turn and Pat Scola’s cinematography while criticizing the film’s extremely graphic opening and its shift to a quieter, slower middle as tonally uneven.
  • Cast and crew described a compressed, mostly on‑location shoot in Northern Ireland that used practical gore effects and left Jackman physically taxed to the point he said he came close to quitting during a brutal winter fight sequence.
  • A24 is marketing the picture as auteur counterprogramming for the summer and its reception over the weekend will be a test of whether audiences accept another grim, revisionist take on a familiar legend.