Bob Hoskins was fine, but I feel that the script did him dirty, in light of the execution scene.

Me the viewer found Valliant doing a funny slapstick vaudville performance to stop more executions felt sickening.

I wouldn’t be fixating on the word execution, if the antagonist didn’t drive home the existential point. To further enhance what I’m getting at, think of the specific actions committed by that shoe that cost it its life.