Every decade or so filmmakers try to deliver a new version of the legendary outlaw, Robin Hood. There’s something about the character that keeps drawing us back. Everyone seems to know the basics, and each iteration seems to want to play with the characters, and story and try and do something new.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

And in this case, I think this one is just a little too stylized in terms of production design, costumes, makeup and sets to allow the characters to exist in a reality that engages the viewer.

This time out Robin of Loxley is played by Taron Egerton whose version of the hero tends to be a little bit more like Bruce Wayne/Batman. During the day he is an affluent playboy trying to get in good with the Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelsohn) and at night he begins his conquest of the rich, and serves justice for the people.

He’s mentored by the Moor, Yahya (Jamie Foxx) aka John, who has his own reasons for wanting to bring the Sheriff down. He chose Robin when he saw him try to save Yahya’s son from execution during the crusades by Gisbourne (Paul Anderson). The pair work together to achieve their goal.

But there’s a problem.

Robin is very much in love with Marian (Eve Hewson), they had a passionate relationship before Robin was drafted into military service. The Sheriff reported him dead, and Marian got married to Will (Jamie Dornan).

Speaking of the crusades, this sequence has the costumes and weaponry as close to desert camo and modern warfare as possible. Armor that looks like bulletproof vests, dusty clothes to match the environment, oh, and rapid-fire crossbows.

In fact, none of the clothes seem to be lived in. The look great, but are rarely dirty. I’m not going to say things are anachronistic, but a number of things don’t look quite right. The sets are a little too clean, and it sets action sequences in a mine, apparently, Nottingham is a mining town at this time of history (whenever it is), to allow for lots of fireballs and colorful lighting effects.

And the make-up.

Eve Hewson is absolutely lovely, but the fact that her costume and makeup are not only perfect, but incredibly modern really doesn’t help the film at all. In fact, there’s a sequence that involves a huge party where everyone is wearing things that just don’t work for the time, and some really high heels.

I get it. It’s stylized. But without grounding the film in a reality, even a fantastical one, alienates the viewers. It is more interested in looking slick than creating an engaging story. In fact, it’s opening and closing credits seems to suggest that the story is nothing more than a comic book.

I like the cast. Great cast. Poor execution.