Robin Hood

[nightwing06]

The legend of Robin Hood hits the big screen for the 6th time,and Russell Crowe and Director Ridley Scott team up for the 5th time,in this big sweeping edition of Robin Hood
Ths is Robin Hood on a grand scale with lush landscape shots,(some of the best Cinematography i have ever seen)and of armies converging for battle it's a standout among other RH films.
This edition sticks to most of the main ingredients that make up the legend of RH.
Robin(Russell Crowe) weathered and weary from the Crusades longs for home his weariness is made known to Richard the Lionheart(Danny Huston)particularly of the treatment of the people they have battled.Such talk gets him and his companions Little John(Kevin Durand ), Will Scarlet(Scott Grimes), Robin's nephew,and Allan A'Dayle(Alan Doyle) end up in the stockades.
They soon make their way back to England under the guise of Knights to return the crown of their fallen king only to crown the immature and uncaring Prince John(Oscar Isaac)
Robin also accepts the role of Sir Robert Loxley thus making him and heir to Baron Walter (Max Von Sydow) and husband to Loxley's widow, Lady Marion (Cate Blanchett)
The chemistry between Crowe and Blanchett is terrific.
Mark Strong as Sir Godfrey is improving as a big screen villain playing 2 sides against the middle in the film.
This edition with its own nice touches and tweaks,goes into what previous RH films only touched on and this works for the film for the most part but also draws the film out a bit.Also the English accents noticeably drop in and out.
But how can one deny a film with high romance action,and also visually stuns.
I hope somewhere somehow this version of Robin Hood continues.
Scale of 1-10 an 8 1/2

 

[That-Guy]

I thought I'd just drop by to say that I really enjoyed it.

Gripes:

- The pacing was a bit strange; I don't think it is a spoiler to say that the whole film is effectively "Robin Hood Begins", though to the extent that you don't exactly get to see Robin being Robin Hood as he is commonly imagined. That only really comes in the last moments of the movie, which really turn the preceding hour on its head without much storytelling.

- The final battle scene is faintly ante climatic.

Spoiler

The French never really establish themselves as a threat, and the cliche of a masked warrior being unmasked as a woman pops up yet again.

- There are a few niggling historical miss steps. An important character is cremated rather than being given a Christian burial as he would have been in c.1200, and the longbow was not then used in the advanced military fashion that the movie suggests.

Greatness-

- It is a surprisingly fresh take on the mythos, that reinvents characters while still keeping their spirit intact. The story builds nicely, and it was hard to pick my moment to go for a piss!

- Crowe and Blanchett work really well together. It is a very believable, slow-building relationship.

- 98% of the social/military history, and 80% of the political history, is pretty accurate. It's probably the best portrayal of medieval England I have seen on screen, and worth seeing for that alone. All of the major historical figures- like Richard I, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and William the Marshall- come across really well.

- King John is a really nuanced, complex character, brilliantly played by Oscar Isaac.

- Lea Seydoux is heartbreakingly gorgeous.

Go see it!

Interesting. I know that you're pretty tough on English period pieces, so for you to say the movie gets most of it's facts straight is encouraging. I still need to see it. I was supposed to go weeks ago but all of sudden, every single one of my friends decided they hate Russell Crowe. Guess I'll have to just bite the bullet and see it by myself.

 

[dark_b]

the directors cut is supposed to be 15 minutes longer.

interesting.

 

[The Executioner]

Is their gonna be a sequel to this film?

 

[echostation]

no, given how bad it did at the box office

 

[DarkKnight88]

no, given how bad it did at the box office

Well considering.. it actually did much better than most of the other potential blockbusters headlined by a star (ie A-Team, Prince of Persia, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Knight & Day)

 

[The Executioner]

Well they can just do a new film but have it be based in its own universe. Not be a remake but something different then this film. Have Robin Hood actually be Robin Hood with his Merry Men. It can be like the movie Public Enemies were Robin Hood and his Merry Men are outlaws and wanted people, but they continue to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Sheriff can be like Melvin Pervis, he and his team going after Robin Hood and his team.

 

[regwec]

Or Ridley Scott could just make a sequel, since the first movie was actually really good.

 

[The Executioner]

Or someone esle could come in an do a different story and do Robin Hood justice.

 

[Poeman]

i need to see the dvd review of the directors cut. I really loved Kingdom of Heaven DC and Robin Hood was very good. Hopefully the footage adds some more to the film

 

[Rac]

I didn't see Robin Hood in theaters this summer. I watched the Director's Cut today and enjoyed it. It wasn't anything as good as Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven DC, but I wouldn't call it a bad, or a ****, movie.

3.5 / 5