Robin Hood - A turkey just in time for Christmas

A week after this disappointing Fantastic Beasts sequel, I was faced with the prospect of another potential howler in the form of yet another Robin Hood feature at Tralee Omniplex this week.
Whereas the effort to modernise or put a unique spin on a well worn tale is to be admired, the opening box office figures which saw the movie take in just €22m worldwide for a production with a €100m budget as well as some scathing initial reviews meant this may just be another big screen washout after a few consistent weeks of real quality over the last month.
For those who don't already know Robin Hood tells the tale of Robin of Loxley (played by Taron Egerton) a war-hardened Crusader and his Moorish commander (Jamie Foxx) who mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown in a big budget action-adventure aimed to wow it's audience with gritty battlefield exploits, mind-blowing fight choreography, and a timeless romance.
Unfortunately, whereas some of the action sequences may look well, the truth is at that point, the viewer doesn't really care such is the shambles that is playing out in front of their very eyes.
Semi-automatic cross bows, dire dialogue and a movie wardrobe that contains more leather than a production of Grease are just some of the many problems I had with this car crash of a film.
Taron Egerton, as fine an actor as he can be, just can't carry the intense weight of this tiresome film , with Jamie Foxx the only cast member surviving with his reputation intact.
Portraying Robin Hood as a medieval Batman is a tactic that clearly doesn't work but is flogged to death throughout the film and his lack of chemistry with Eve Hewson (who does her career untold damage in her timber like Maid Marian performance) is painfully evident and the trudging to yet another inevitable sequel was probably the most disappointing part of the movie.
To have a cast that included Ben Mendelsohn, Jamie Foxx and F. Murray Abraham and to waste them on such a ridiculous plot and a weary script is simply unforgivable.
Overall, aside from a few visually impressive set pieces and the fact that this film comes in less than two hours there isn't a lot to praise about Robin Hood but thankfully with the Christmas period on our doorstep and a few appealing blockbusters on the way there is much to look forward to at Tralee Omniplex in the coming weeks!
✸✸1/2