Robin Hood (2010)
Watched with Josh and Phil in September of 2011
I am a big Robin Hood “fan” though of course I do not entirely endorse his behavior. I read the story when I was a wee boy and have continued to enjoy it throughout my life. That being said, this particular rendition pushed the envelope.
First, the summary. The basics are still all here. Robin in this case dies on the Crusades and the “new” Robin comes upon him as he dies, agrees to take his father’s sword back to the family, and off we go. The widow is wooed, the local corrupt Sheriff, working for the real bad guy, Godfrey, who is a traitor working for France to overthrow weak King John. Can the new Robin and his band of merry men take control of the situation, or will England go down in flames? And of course, will the new Robin win the heart of his newly found “wife” Marian? The answer to both, of course, is yes. But it takes a while to get there.
I don’t mind playing with an old well-worn plot to give it new life. I do mind when the old plot’s whole noble breeding is cast off for a more modern and sexy one. I am a Ridley Scott fan; I just am not a big fan of this movie of his. Yes, he does action second to none, so those scenes are great. But the overall moral tone seems to have turned for the worse. I liked the choice of Crowe as Robin, found Blanchett (who is a capable actress) a little less well suited for Marian. Scott Grimes made a winning Will Scarlet, and Mark Addy was someone who I actually had thought would make a great Friar Tuck before he was even cast for this film.
The film is worth watching, but don’t have high hopes. It won’t deliver much beyond the initial punch.
