Robin Hood Movie Review

MOVIE REVIEW: ROBIN HOOD

05/13/10

SYNOPSIS: Oscar® winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as “Robin Hood,” whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England , Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.

REVIEW: Ridley Scott, what a director, what a resume, and what a contribution to cinematic history. Easily one of his best works is Gladiator. I personally consider that one of the best epic movies of this generation. It won five Oscars and was nominated for several more including Best Director. Russell Crowe won a well-deserved Oscar for Best Actor in that movie. So when I heard that these two were teaming up again and this time instead of Maximus it would be Robin Hood as you can imagine my expectations were high. Ridley is a master of epic filmmaking which includes an excellent story and excellent acting/actors. Unfortunately I just can't help but to compare this movie with Gladiator. I won't say that I was disappointed because it's not completely true but I will say that it is not as good as Gladiator. As usual, Scott presents an excellent piece of work as it is next to impossible for him to do otherwise. This is another quality epic production that seems to be very historically accurate even though it is based on fiction, go figure. That's how realistic this movie is. A large part of that realism is in the story. This is not your typical Robin Hood story so don't go in expecting a lot of fantasy. Actually this story is more of a prequel as it shows how Robin Hood came to be. Credit should be given to these film makers for the gutsy decision to take on this overdone story. What helps is that they present Robin in a completely different light.

If you plan on seeing this movie keep in mind that it is 2 hours and 20 minutes long. For the most part that doesn't seem to be a problem but there are some moments that drag a little bit. Countering those moments are some inspirational ones. The action scenes are very well done but some might say that there isn't enough action in the movie. I probably would have liked a little more action but overall the movie is well-balanced. Believe it or not what I struggled with the most while watching this film was keeping up with what ever they were saying. The language/accents used were sometimes hard to follow and I would miss the essence of that scene and would resort to trying to figure it out via the context. If you have a problem understanding accents you will have to stay on your toes while watching this one. But as far as the visual aspects, the cinematography is breathtaking. Once again Ridley and his team transport the viewer to a different time and place. The props, the costumes, the weaponry, the physical appearance of the cast especially in terms of face and hair, the sets, and the filming locations all contribute to the effect. The cast is composed of several top-notch players. There's practically nothing negative to say about any of their performances. Starting with Russell of course and then adding Cate Blanchett as Lady Marion, Max von Sydow as Sir Walter Loxley, Danny Huston as King Richard the Lionheart, Oscar Isaac as Prince John, plus William Hurt, Mark Strong, Mark Addy as Friar Tuck, Matthew MacFadyen as the Sheriff of Nottingham, and Kevin Durand as Little John ... (let me catch my breath) ... well you can see the quality of this cast. You can also see that the popular characters are all here. The best performance is a tossup between Russell and Cate. Cate as usual delivers a stunning performance. Tied for a close third-place position are Oscar and Mark. Mark Strong has really been on a roll these last few years and he has found his niche as villain, which he plays superbly. In summary, the movie is good but don't expect another Gladiator.