Review of Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) by Jason W — 30 Jan 2010

"We're men, we're men in tights, tight tights..." So sing Robin Hood's Merry Men in Mel Brooks' comedic retelling of the classic steal from the rich and give to the poor big screen tale. After escaping from a Muslim prison during the Crusades, Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) returns home to England only to watch his family's home being taken (literally) by Prince John's (Richard Lewis) men for non-payment of taxes. As Robin Hood ventures around Sherwood he notices the oppression of the English people by Prince John and his lackey the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees), and vows to take down Prince John's rule and win the heart of the lovely Maid Marion (Amy Yasbeck). And, of course, we know he'll succeed, "Because," as Robin Hood says, "unlike other Robin Hoods I speak with an English accent!".

Mel Brooks has carved himself a niche in Hollywood by writing and directing movies that have essentially become unmakable (or unwatchable, you choose) these days: spoofs. Nowadays supposed "filmmakers" have no idea how to make a good spoof creating movies like [Insert Genre Here] Movie, which practically just feature a handful of really stupid jokes inserted in scenes stolen from other movies. But from the 60's on Mel Brooks helped to create spoof television shows and movies that weren't just good, but were classics. Movies like Young Frankenstein, The Producers, Get Smart, Silent Movie, History of the World: Part 1, Spaceballs, and of course Blazing Saddles. Robin Hood: Men In Tights easily stands up with the rest of these as another great movie in Brooks' portfolio of classic films.

Amongst a lot of Mel Brooks' later movies, there not a complete feeling of cohesion throughout the entire movie, typically feeling more like a series of skits rather than like a complete whole. For the most part Robin Hood: Men In Tights avoids this, mostly by having a built in plot in the material, but possibly also because the movie he made right before this wasn't a spoof movie. One of the great things about Brooks' movies is their timelessness. Unlike a lot of spoof movies these days, Brooks chooses to satirize timeless material, material that's still ever present in the media. Not only does he use Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves as the jumping off point, but he also runs spoofs on Errol Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood and Disney's Robin Hood as well The Godfather, Dirty Harry, Home Alone, Malcolm X, The Freshman, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Winston Churchill speeches, and even a sly joke on then President Bush and George W. Bush.

But while the movie has more of a feeling of cohesion than his other movies of the late 80's and 90's, it still feels more scatter shot than his earlier greatest works. And while most of the jokes are timeless a few of the jokes feel exceptionally dated (pump up Nike's anyone?). Also while better acted than say, Spaceballs (don't get your panties in a bunch, I still love the movie), the acting can be a little over the top at times. All of this is made up for by the casting of Dave Chappelle in his first big screen role, definitely inspired casting.

If you haven't seen this I highly suggest you check this movie out. Especially if you like other Mel Brooks movies or TV shows or wish that Hollywood could make more and better satirical spoofs than what they're doing in movies these days. Nobody knows how to do comedy quite like Brooks!

4/5.