Movie Review: ROBIN HOOD (2010)

ROBIN HOOD (2010)

Movie review by David Blackwell

140 minutes, Rated PG-13

ASPECT RATIO: 2.35:1

STUDIO: Universal Pictures/ Imagine Entertainment/ Relativity Media/ Scott Free Productions

Theatrical RELEASE DATE: 5-14-2010

STARRING Russell Crowe (Robin Longstride), Cate Blanchett (Marion Loxley), Oscar Isaac (Prince John), William Hurt (William Marshal), Mark Strong (Godfrey), Max Von Sydow (Sir Walter Loxley), Kevin Durand (Little John), Mark Addy (Friar Tuck), Scott Grimes (Will Scarlet), Matthew Macfadyen (Sheriff of Nottingham)

WRITTEN by Brian Helgeland (story/ screenplay), Ethan Reiff (story), and Cyrus Voris (story)

DIRECTED by Ridley Scott

It is 1198 AD and Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) is an archer in King Richard Lionheart’s army on the way back to the England from the Crusades (in the Middle East). After the death of King Richard, Robin and three others make their way to England under the cover being knights who were killed in an ambush by the traitor Godfrey (who is working for the French). Robin ends up posing as a dead man (Robert Loxley) and he ends up being caught up in a rebellion being steered up by Godfrey’s unit of French troops (posing as English soldiers). Prince John wants to be married to the niece of King Phillip (of France) who is John’s mistress. He wants to tax England to death and doesn’t care for the rights of the people.

ROBIN HOOD is a different take on the Robin Hood legend. It is an origin story which could be the start of a possible franchise. For summer popcorn fare, ROBIN HOOD is entertaining and yet Ridley Scott’s other frequent scriptwriter William Monahan could have done a better job at writing this movie.

The detail in the period clothes and weapons look right, but the movie gets too involved in providing a back story and not pushing more with making Robin Hood an outlaw. The fight scenes are good and the detail is great, but I hope the second ROBIN HOOD (if there is one) is more focused on pushing the character of Robin Hood forward. With all the back story, ROBIN HOOD feels a little too long at almost two and a half hours.

This movie review is (c)5-16-2010 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com