After the Writer’s Strike, a director switch, countless script re-writes and casting swaps, Ridley Scott’s and Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood finally makes it to theatres today. Here’s the breakdown:
Returning from the Crusades, archer Robin Longstride finds himself back in England, helping a widowed Maid Marion and her ailing father-in-law maintain peace in Nottingham. But a budding civil war and an invading French army lead to a climax that shapes Robin’s future and paves the way for the Robin Hood of lore.
The Monkey: The film had some really breathtaking moments. Sweeping shots over galloping horsemen, rolling green countryside, well choreographed action scenes (which could have come off rote and derivative) and spot-on set design helped set the stage for a truly epic movie-going experience.
In addition to the stunning visuals, the soundtrack was one of the best I’ve heard in a long time. Relatively unknown composer Marc Streitenfeld proved himself, weaving distinct and recognizable themes with a beautiful Celtic lilt, paced perfectly with the action and emotion onscreen.
As expected from the star-studded cast, the acting was superb. Russell Crowe, while not stretching very far, was a convincing archer-turned-outlaw and Cate Blanchett nearly stole the show as the strong-willed Maid Marion. Aside from the two leads, the supporting cast was top-notch, offering solid performances; from William Hurt (William Marshal) to Mark Strong (Godfrey), Max von Sydow (Sir Walter Loxley) to Danny Huston (King Richard the Lionheart). Even lesser known faces contributed to the acting caliber, especially Kevin Durand (Little John), Scott Grimes (Will Scarlet) and Mark Addy (Friar Tuck), the founding members of Robin’s future Merry Men.
Surprisingly, one of the film’s strongest points was the use of humor. As a whole, Robin Hood was rather dark, but the humor was well placed, genuine and frequent, breaking the doom-and-gloom monotony. While some will undoubtedly compare this film with the other Crowe/Scott collaboration, Gladiator, the use of humor (and lack of bloody violence) is a marked, and welcomed, difference.
The Weasel: The film was slightly mis-marketed. Audiences expecting a retelling of the classic Robin Hood tale will be disappointed. Instead, Scott has served up a prequel, for all intents and purposes. It’s not until the end of the film that I felt the inklings of the traditional Robin Hood story emerge. In fact, it is set-up wonderfully for a sequel that will explore just that. And unless a sequel is planned, the inclusion of Matthew Macfadyen’s Sheriff of Nottingham seemed utterly pointless, to the point of confusion. The real film’s villain was Mark Strong’s Godfrey, and the Sheriff hardly seemed like a match for Robin – his brief scenes in the movie have him spilling mead all over himself and begging the French invaders not to burn his house down. I’m hoping his character is fleshed out in a future installment, growing into one of the most notorious villains in literature and cinema.
The script’s many re-writes can be felt in the film. There are several distinct plot threads that don’t quite successfully come together: England’s impending civil war, France’s invasion, Robin’s life in Nottingham and Prince John’s succession to the thrown – oh yeah and throw in a random band of feral children in Sherwood Forest (?). While I think all these threads had potential, they were not fleshed out sufficiently. I actually think the existing script would have been better suited for a television mini-series, allowing each of these plot threads the screen time they needed.
The pacing was slow throughout, but did feel as if it were building; however, it built to the very end and stopped, when it was this very ending that had me most intrigued, when I felt the film could have really taken off. While this bodes well for a sequel, it does little to leave the audience with a sense of satisfaction.
A beautiful film, bolstered by an exceptional cast, but ultimately suffering from awkward plotting and a sense of needing something more at the end. I hope there is a sequel, because it needs it.
3 Death Stars out of 5
What do you think? Was Robin Hood more prequel than reboot? Would you like to see a sequel with the Merry Men and the Sheriff of Nottingham further developed? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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