Review of Robin Hood (2010) by Tomas E — 21 Jul 2013

I'm not a Robin Hood purist, I love Disney's version, Oo De Lally. But there's one thing that all the versions I like (Disney's, Prince of Thieves, The Adventures of Robin Hood) have in common, and that is fun. Is this version fun?

Short answer, no! Choosing a revisionist approach to the story we find that Robin is an archer on the way back from the Crusades, and through a series of contrivances he delivers the crown of England to London before heading to Nottingham to deliver a sword. So for the first act or so Robin is 12th Century UPS, making sure things arrive safely from France. Though surprise, surprise those pesky French are up to something and have plan to divide England and take it for themselves.

There are attempts at comedy but this is no light hearted romp, and cynics are justified in thinking it could be Gladiator in tights, even kicking things off with a battle in a very familiar looking wood. Crow is no heroic figure and this seems intentional, we are looking at the man behind the myth, and this man seems to suffer from wandering accent syndrome(maybe Kevin Costner's performance wasn't so far off after all). Its hard to tell where he's from as he ranges from Midlands to Liverpool via Maximus. Cate Blanchett is a feisty Marion, very out of her time with her hethanistic crossdressing and wearing her hair down. The rest of the cast is able but indistinct, spending most of there time waiting for the final battle.

This film suffers from missing something else that the best 3 Robin films have, memorable Bad Guys. Whether it was Basil Rathbone's Guy of Gisbourne, Peter Ustinov's cowardly childlike king or the awesome Alan Rickman. Mark Strong is who you guess to be the nemesis of Robin but beyond his scar he's nothing of note and follows a path so predictable that it could have come from the BBC's woeful re-imagining.

Sorry but I've held it in long enough, but what's with the not using a bow. Robin Hood=ARCHER!!!! Crow spends more time on a horse and wielding a sword than firing arrows..phew its out.

So this is disappointing, so while not horrible, its not enjoyable and that is the one fundamental thing that makes Robin Hood a legend.

Oh and if you've ever wondered what would have happened if D Day had been mounted with wooden boats and archers... wonder no more.