Robin Hood (2018), directed by Otto Bathurst

Did we really need yet another remake of Robin Hood? Probably not, although this version does attempt something different. It declares from the start that we should forget the actual history, despite keeping the names and ranks of the key players and maintaining the overall theme of challenging corrupt authorities that oppress the poor. Apart from the Crusades it avoids all reference to historical events and dates and both language and costumes are vaguely modern and vaguely Game of Thrones – in fact very odd. It is a pity therefore that the filmmakers didn’t depart from the traditional story in other ways – such as creating some leading female characters besides Marian instead of sticking to the usual sausage fest. Taron Egerton is surprisingly charming as Robin; Ben Mendelsohn upholds his villainous reputation as the Sheriff of Nottingham; Eve Hewson plays a suitably feisty Marian, although her Irish accent seems out of place - as does Jamie Dornan’s as Will Scarlett; Jamie Foxx seems to enjoy himself as a slightly different little John; and Tim Minchin is delightful as a skinny and revolutionary Friar Tuck. The action is packed in hard enough to mostly overcome the many plot improbabilities; the film is never dull, if often stupid.