If there is one hilariously bad yet somehow invigorating cinematic trend we can count on continuing into perpetuity, it is the way in which historical settings are ‘amped up’ to appeal to modern sensibilities. Usually it’s an action movie really, really exaggerating how cool combat was in Ancient Rome, or maybe Dirty Dancing looking like the most 80s movie ever despite ostensibly being set in 1963.
But nothing seems to come close to what we’re seeing in the upcoming Robin Hood film. Yes, in case you weren’t across that: there is indeed yet another Robin Hood movie coming, making this approximately 1 billion cinematic representations of Robin Hood since the dawn of time. Here’s the stylish trailer, which looks like a stock-standard Guy Ritchie imitation:
Forget all the ultra-slick slo-mo action, where Robin Hood tears through bad dudes like Hawkeye in the MCU. What everyone’s particularly enjoying is the absolutely insane production design, which has suddenly decided that nobility in the 12th century wore Superdry jackets and slick-as-hell blazers.
Like so:
Basically, we’re all insanely impressed at where clothes manufacturing and synthetic materials were at in the Middle Ages. Had no idea they were experimenting with machine stitching and radical designs back in the day when the simple act of walking outside offered you at best about a 50% chance of survival.
See, this is the kind of unnecessary hyper-modernisation of the Robin Hood story I’m talking about – @TaronEgerton wearing a jacket that looks like something you’d buy from @Superdry. pic.twitter.com/mI1d8wYIGc
— Obi-Wan Gregobi (@Gregobi89) May 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/daydream_bowie/status/992076855174983680
https://twitter.com/catherinechisna/status/992075877759537152
This movie is going to kick so much ass based just on this. Obviously it’s totally fine to inject some life into tired storylines by experimenting with modern aesthetics, even if it’s not historically accurate. My problem is that they didn’t go all out with it. What I’m saying is it’s high time we gave Robin Hood a sniper rifle like God intended.
Robin Hood is directed by Otto Bathurst and stars Taren Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Evie Hewson and Jamie Dornan. It’s scheduled to drop in November.
