The Huckleberries Vol. 24 - The Death of Robin Hood & Supergirl

     Obviously we want to have an area for reviewing new films here at The Film Encomium, but we want to send a message with our methodology. That message is a simple one: Don’t forget about the fun. 

Yes, film can be transformative, prophetic, and groundbreaking. It can also be none of those things and still be a damn good time, and we want to validate both of those experiences. If you want to study the Golden Age of Hollywood, we recommend the extensive catalogue of Michael Curtiz; but if you want to become well-rounded, you should also learn to appreciate the comedic stylings of Mel Brooks.

It is from the balance of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn that we draw inspiration for the title of this section. Tom is clever; Tom is great. If there were one of those boys we were going to try to get into Harvard, it would be young Mr. Sawyer…but he will always need his Huckleberry. 

We all need our Huckleberries. Art needs its Huckleberries. Sometimes beauty is in the little things and reasoned reflection. Other times beauty is loud, bright, and bold. In the interest of providing our readers with a comprehensive experience, we are not willing to skip The Huckleberries. 

So, with that in mind, here are two exceptional flicks that dropped in theaters recently. The first will let you see a broken down hero looking back on their past with regret. The second will let you see a broken down hero staring down their future with anxiety. Enjoy!

The Death of Robin Hood-

This loose adaptation of the 17th-century ballad Robin Hood’s Death takes a folk hero and twists his story into something a little bit more brutal. In truth, it echoes the grim fiction of that era much more faithfully than many of the modern takes on these sorts of epics do. It is a harsh and unforgiving interpretation that twists itself in a manner which emphasizes one eternally prudent lesson: Events become stories, stories turn into legends, and legends take on a life of their own; which is why they are not to be trusted. 

Just the third feature in director Michael Sarnoski’s filmography, he is well on his way to being one of the next great auteurs in modern cinema. His previous films–Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One–were both based on stories that he shared credit on (with Vanessa Block and John Krasinski contributing, respectively), so this vision of an aging outlaw seems even more tuned in to his unique and entrancing style. He has a grasp on conventional storytelling that is best evidenced by his ability to dance around the edges of those conventions. This piece, for example, basically plays as an action film shown in reverse–and while that may confuse some viewers, it is a beauty for cinephiles to behold. 

Now, it’s no secret that the main attraction here is the venerable Hugh Jackman, but the supporting cast deserves to be highly lauded in their own right. Jodie Comer puts forward one of the most award-worthy complimentary performances of the year as the prioress Sister Brigid. Bill Skarsgård sets the tone for the entire production with his haunting transformation into Little John. Murray Bartlett lends a distinct air of mystery to proceedings with his subtle touch as The Leper. Even considering all of that, Noah Jupe and Faith Delaney still managed to come in and steal as many scenes as any of their more seasoned counterparts. 

As for the star of the show himself, Jackman is operating at a level as high as any we have ever seen throughout his illustrious career. It would be difficult to even hear about the concept of this film without instinctively thinking about 2017’s Logan. Robin Hood is functionally a superhero, he was just written in a period of time before superheroes were aliens and mutants. To have the same actor portray aging and notably vulnerable versions of these two seemingly untouchable icons was to run the risk of redundancy, but in the end the opposite proved to be the case. 

What is truly special about Jackman’s performance is how little this movie ends up being reminiscent of Logan. To inhabit two characters with such similarities who are at near-identical points in their story, many very good performers would have a process which ended up taking them to a parallel mindset. From the very first moment that Robin shows up on our screen, it is clear that the pain behind those eyes is not the same as the pain we saw behind the Wolverine’s eyes. The ability to produce such profoundly distinct individuals with such nuance is a gift reserved for the most talented thespians on the planet, and this film is ironclad evidence that Hugh Jackman can count himself amongst their number. 

Supergirl -

The second film in the DCU’s Gods and Monsters Chapter is here, and the excitement for James Gunn’s long term vision continues to grow amongst DC diehards. This contribution from director Craig Gillespie may fall slightly short of the standalone blockbuster appeal that last year’s Superman had, but it is still everything the loyal nerds of the world have been yearning for. It builds beautifully off of the already existing universe they have laid the ground floor for, and simultaneously launches us into a slightly less gentle side of the overall storyline. 

Choosing to go with Kara Zor-El as the second character to get feature-length attention in this expanding universe is interesting for several reasons, but one of the ways in which it is a masterstroke is to showcase how much Superman stands out, even amongst the last of his own kind. The borderline naive way in which Clark Kent stumbles through his existence trying to constantly see the good in everyone he meets is already in stark contrast to the way we humans tend to live, and it helps add a lot of context to show the audience that the is every bit as much of an aberration amongst Kryptonians as he is amongst the rest of us. 

We can be sure that Gunn & Co. took many lessons to heart from their counterparts over at Marvel, but thank god they took the “start with perfect casting for your leads and work your way out from there” note, because they are knocking it out of the park. Milly Alcock is every bit as born to don the S on the Chest as her cinematic cousin Corenswet is, and watching their dynamic grow over the years is going to be a real treat for us all. Their strengths and vulnerabilities need to compliment one another, and that is a sentiment that seems just as likely to hold true for the actors as it is for their characters.

This movie was adapted from a comic book run that stretched from 2021-22 called Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow; written by Tom King and illustrated by Bilquis Evely. As comic runs go, it was pretty much universally beloved and widely acclaimed, which helps explain why the DCU chose to take it on as one of its earliest projects. Two major characters from the comic are Ruthye Marie Knoll and Krem of the Yellow Hills, and some of the negative reaction to this film has been based around viewers who found those characters too obscure or poorly established. In reality, they were both well framed within the plot, some people simply aren’t going to be happy without household names. 

What we have here is a wonderful next step forward into an exciting new world. It’s compelling, expertly crafted, raucous, and not particularly concerned with your opinion. Supergirl is a beautiful excuse to get out from under the hot summer sun and go have an absolute blast in a movie theater for a few hours.

Oh yeah, and just in case that doesn’t get you ready, Lobo is here to liven’ up the joint!

~The Film Encomium~