Review of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) by Kai82 — 31 Jan 2021

A movie that nearly everyone likes but nearly no one puts on her/his favorite lists. It just misses the final push. Robin Hood is one of the greatest and well known legends. Rob the corrupted rich and give it to the poor with his merry man while always being proud rascals that trick the corrupted leaders and are always one step ahead of them.

He could be an or the archetype of a vigilante hero in fiction. Remark: It is still debated if Robin Hood is only fictional as there could be real life events that were decorated over all the years. The story follows the English noble Robin form Locksley who fought in the third Crusade (The one with Saladin and Richard the Lionheart).

He escapees captivity together with the Moor Azeem who owns him his life as he saved him there. They return to England were he finds out that it has become worse and quite lawless. Here the actual story starts.

It uses a lot of themes from the source material for the story. I think it does everything right that it needed and succeeds. However it does not reach the highest levels (= Satisfying but not awesome).

There is a great cast with Kevin Costner as Robin Hood / Robin of Locksley who delivers and Morgan Freeman as Azeem who is a great addition to the source material (There is no bad movie with Morgan Freeman;-).

Alan Rickman is an enjoyable villain as Sheriff of Nottingham. He is in the “Like to hate” category which is a good sign for villains. The merry man deliver with Christian Slater as Will Scarlett, Michael McShane as Friar Tuck and Nick Brimble as Little John.

I think I should praise Mary Elisabeth Mastrantonio as Lady Marian too as she did a really good performance. Same as the story the actors or characters deliver but are also not in the highest category.

The scenery is beautiful and enhances the experience. Most locations where in England with for example Castle Wiltshire, the Seven Sisters or Hulne Piory. The soundtrack is really good and Everything I do I do it for you became a hit in the charts.

There are some drawbacks. Like I already mentioned it does a good job but could not reach the excellent status. There are a lot of Robin Hood adaptations that every new movie will be compared to and some are better (but this could be just personal preferences).

Overall this is enjoyable but not remarkable enough to be remembered or put of top movie lists. Exception is the title song which is still played in the radio from time to time. Bonus: I recommend the Mel Brooks parody Men in Tights for humor, the Robin and Marian movie from 1976 for Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn, the 1952 classic The Story of Robin Hood and His Merry Men and the Hammer movies (Hammer is/was famous for horror classics).