Hugh Jackman refashions the English folk legend as a ruined killer struggling for redemption, in a luminously made epic that balances ruthless action with soulful character study. In 1247, an old man lives alone, fending off both tales of his outlaw heroism and the consequences of his many, actual, murders.

When Little John asks him for help with saving his family, a chance to better himself before the end appears – but an even crueller world, and more unexpected traces of his past, await him beforehand. Writer-director Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One) crafts a distinctly wintry, thoughtful, and small-scale addition to a particularly well-worn franchise. Vivid cinematography, character-based storytelling, and a fearlessly vulnerable and Logan-like Jackman all mark it out. It was shot in Northern Ireland: Nottinghamshire was, apparently, not bleakly picturesque enough.