We’ve got a trio of unusual tales for you in the latest Clash Film column – a murderous Robin Hood; a sexually adventurous performance artist; and a meta horror thriller. Who could ask for more?
The Death of Robin Hood // In cinemas September 4th
Hugh Jackman puts a morose twist on a legend of folklore in the new film from director Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One). It tells the story of Robin Hood (Jackman), a murderous criminal who unwittingly had his legend twisted to make him into a hero. Old and tired, he waits in the mountains for the relatives of various people he’s killed to try and get their revenge, eventually killing them all as he longs for someone to give him a “good death”. He almost gets it when he is gravely injured fighting alongside Little John (Bill Skarsgård), but is instead taken to a priory where he is treated by a kindly prioress (Jodie Comer). As he heals, he grapples with the wrongs he has done, and contemplates the prospect of a noble end to his life.
Sarnoski doesn’t hold back in decimating the myth of Robin Hood, showing Jackman killing men, women, and children in a variety of ghoulish ways in the first 20 minutes. It’s an effective way of getting the point across, but makes for an awkward tonal shift when the latter 90 minutes is more of an introspective character piece. While uneven, it is bolstered by a towering performance from the Aussie star, with the always-excellent Skarsgård and Comer providing strong support. A little bit of levity might have made it an easier watch, but the film is still a striking new take on a centuries-old icon.
6/10
I Want Your Sex // In cinemas now
Gregg Araki, a pioneer of Queer cinema, obliterates all boundaries in this comedy thriller starring Cooper Hoffman as Elliot, a directionless young man in a sexless relationship who takes a job working for experimental artist Erika (Olivia Wilde). Quickly, he is willingly drawn into a BDSM affair where his sexual boundaries are pushed to their limits. As things get wildly out of hand, he must differentiate between desire and connection before it’s too late.
The importance of sex in our lives is at the centre of this provocative, rebellious film, meaning that however far things go there’s a point that’s worth making. Araki’s assertion that Gen Z’s avoidance of casual sex precludes them from emotional growth is an interesting argument, as Elliot’s stagnation in life seems to be motivated by his fear of disappointment. The script is hilarious, if occasionally cynical, inviting its audience to unclutch their pearls to have an honest discussion about our deepest wants. Wilde continues to prove she is a lot more complex a performer than Hollywood often allows, while Hoffman makes for a delightfully cringe-worthy lead who is building a solid CV early on in his career.
While definitely not one to see with the in-laws, I Want Your Sex is a film that never aims for empty shock value, instead focusing on issues that few other movies would have the balls to approach.
8/10
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma // In cinemas now
Director follow up to their breakthrough hit I Saw The TV Glow with this striking dissection of the horror genre. Hacks star Hannah Einbinder plays Kris, a Queer director brought in to remake Camp Miasma, a slasher franchise that has become stagnant due to its problematic storytelling. She has been fascinated with the franchise since childhood, and hopes to reinvent it by visiting the first movie’s “final girl”, Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson) who lives in seclusion on the original set. Kris becomes obsessed with Billy, and the film’s deeper meaning, with a strange new reality beginning to present itself to her.
An intentionally chaotic mix of Sunset Boulevard and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (both of which are name-checked in the script), the film is a wonderful meditation on ‘classic’ cinema that may have aged poorly, and how those movies still cling to us even if they no longer feel palatable. Schoenbrun, who is non-binary, uses the horror genre’s history of Trans people as monsters (Silence of the Lambs, Sleepaway Camp) in a way that doesn’t feel like a lecture, while also delivering a jaw-dropping Queer horror.
They are helped by tremendous performances from the two leads. Einbinder is neurotic, trivia-obsessed, and vulnerable in a way that drives the movie forward, while Anderson holds the camera like few others. With a lilting Southern accent and air of mystery, she sets the tone for the film and holds our hand through the surreal final act.
Schoenbrun continues to be one of the most surprising and inventive filmmakers in the independent scene, with their intersection of pop culture and identity exploration making for yet another work that seems destined for cult classic status.
10/10