Robin Hood: Ghosts of Sherwood (2012) – Review

Where to watch Robin Hood: Ghosts of Sherwood

1/2 Star

I received a package from one of our far flung fans in Germany, it contained the Blu-Ray of this movie with a note attached; scribbled in English, “Watch this plead”. I took it that the plead was intended as a please, but after viewing the movie it may well have been a cry for mercy. Robin Hood: Ghosts of Sherwood is one of the most desperate horror/comedies I’ve ever seen, and no wonder. The movie’s premise doesn’t work — not even a little, not even sometimes — and that means all the actors in the movie look awkward and silly all the time. This plays less like a movie than like punishment for a willing audience. I’ve seen youtube videos staged with more proficiency and better production values. This film is not edited as much as roughly assembled. The lead actor’s voice slips in and out of accent so often it could be a stand-alone drinking game.

Robin Hood has been envisioned in many different cinematic forms from the laughable (Frank Sinatra’s Robin and the Seven Hoods) to an Americanized Hollywood product (Costner’s Prince of Thieves), but never has it been handled so poorly. After selling his soul to a sorceress Robin is killed in battle. Distraught over these horrific turn of events Marian and Little John attempt to resuscitate Robin and his Merry Men. In doing so they inadvertently have turned the one-time heroes into the living dead and worse, the ghostly reincarnations are now hunting down Marian and Little John. So the pair attempt to seek out a new potion that will free these tormented souls from their demonic possession.

Actually, if the movie were any good, the absurd plotting and amateurish acting wouldn’t matter. But this movie is dismally, painfully not entertaining.The ineptness of director Oliver Krekel is sort of stunning. Look at the way he stages one scene after another and then can’t find the tone, the jump gag, or even the end of the scene. Any interested enough to be reading this review could have directed at least one of these scenes better than Krekel.

Perhaps the most pathetic aspect of the movie is the way it tries to cross one genre with another in a shameless appeal to everybody. Robin Hood: Ghosts of Sherwood lacks originality, narrative momentum laughs or scares, it’s more likely to serve as a sleeping pill than a nights’ entertainment. I get no joy in my hostility towards this picture, but when I commit the hours to focus on a film and absolutely nothing is given in return, the filmmakers have not honored their part of the deal.

Director: Oliver Krekel
Stars: Martin Thon, Kane Hodder, Tom Savini