The Death of Robin Hood, Practical Magic 2 and Resident Evil

 

The violent opening of The Death of Robin Hood is replaced by something far quieter and ruminative. Hugh Jackman plays the elderly outlaw who cannot outrun his past. Almost dead from his latest fight. He's taken to recover at a priory on a remote island, looking to me like a version of Lindisfarne (Holy Island), including the castle. It was actually filmed at The Rock of Cashel in the Republic of Ireland. "The mediaeval fortress complex rising from the Tiperary plain." (See moviewalks.com which has all the locations). Here it is a fictionalised retreat where Jody Comer is Sister Brigid, the prioress. She is the one who nurses him back to some sort of health. Jody Comer is absolutely brilliant and my favourite performance of the year so far. Also very good was Faith Delaney as Little Margaret. I loved her jumper; it looked so modern but old. The stitching around the slit and the neck.

Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, I was never bored, but unfortunately, quite a lot of the dialogue is inaudible, and this time the music is not to blame. I thought that Hugh Jackman was fine despite others having criticised his accent. He was hamstrung by being elderly and tired. Mark Kermode said it was "an easy movie to admire", and Simon Mayo thought Jodie Comer brought "a sense of peace". She was very good. Sophia Satchell-Baeza, in her review in Sight and Sound Magazine, talks about this "sombre mediaeval drama" and "the futility of revenge and the nature of legend". 

How disappointing was Practical Magic 2? It's almost thirty years since the original movie, and you would have thought they could have come up with a better story after all this time. I agreed with Mark Kermode that everything was there for the film to be a success. Three good writers, top director Sussane Bier (The Night Manager and lots of others), great locations (see below), a good soundtrack including Stevie Nicks, and the two big stars from the previous film. Sanbdra Bullock especially puts her heart and soul into the part, and Nicole Kidman compliments her perfectly. So what went wrong? The story and the script were pathetic. There were fine older actresses in Sockard Channing and Dianne Wiest and also the children of Sandra Bullock's character.  

The production felt cheap, and the UK setting seemed to be something straight out of Midsummer Murders. Hambledon stands in for Thornfield. The Royal Standard of England in Beaconsfield was the inn where they stayed (it has been popular for all sorts of movies; I don't know why), Langlebury Mansion in Hertfordshire, Black Park Country Park (my first parkrun), the Wormsley Estate, The Royal Chelsea Hospital, the Victorian flats of Cromwell Buildings and a finale at Old Wardour Castle near Salisbury. 

Now I know it might have been difficult to come up with something to match the earlier success, but this was not it. It has been called "a slapdash sequel", and "the script should not be this bad". I think I finally lost faith less than halfway through when arriving at the airport; Nicole struggles with two huge suitcases, and Sandra has a shoulder bag. A stupid joke that repeats time and again. "A real shame, as in this mess there is a positive female-driven narrative." 

A courier takes on one last job, but he has no idea what is in the case; he assumed maybe a heart or a kidney for a sick child? No! Austin Abrams as Bryan is perfect as the everyman hero stupidly ignoring the advice for snow chains for his car. The film plays out in real time as we follow his journey, one trial after another. So typical of the video game on which the franchise was originally based. I liked the fact that in the first half he tries so hard to do the right thing given the extraneous circumstances of injury and death. At times this is just a one-man show, almost a silent movie with added profanities. 

However, as a fifteen-rated movie, it avoids, just about, the realistic horrors of an eighteen. What we do see are obvious fantasy reconstructions of any gore that is on show. There are some lowly "jump scares", but I never had to look away once. It is not a zombie movie. There are constructions that are beyond belief. In fact, I almost felt embarrassed when on occasion I laughed out loud. When Bryan is struggling to fix a firearm and it goes off. He is pretty useless, but just like we would be in the circumstances. It's that sort of film. 

Writer and director Zach Credder (Weapons and Barbarian) has made a roller coaster of a movie; his creation of the monsters is something I have never seen before. It has that visual weirdness and humour that sets it apart. Mark Kermode, in his online review, outlined the series of Resident Evil movies starting with the original by Paul Thomas Anderson. Then all those sequels, re-boots and even one failed Netflix series. (See my reviews from 2010 and 2012). Mark says the film had "a gleeful attitude to body mutation", it was "an absolute romp" and "I really enjoyed it". Me too.

Bye, the way. I love the posters for these film reviews.