Hey guys, longtime reader, first time submitter of a film review. I had a chance to catch an early preview screening of Ridley Scott's Robin Hood in midtown Manhattan last night. While I wouldn't call it the second coming or the best version of the classic tale I've seen, the film is a thoroughly entertaining and above your average summer popcorn flick. Scott and star Russell Crowe seem to have a strong working relationship, turning out one great film after another. While it seems they really thought out the back story of how Robin Hood became a legend, I still wonder what this film would have been like had they stuck with the original idea of telling the tale from the Sheriff of Nottingham's point of view.
[Show spoiler]
Crowe's Robin Hood starts off as Robin Longstride a common archer participating in Richard the Lionheart's crusade of plunder in a foreign locale. Though he's a highly skilled warrior, Robin has grown tired of war and yearns for change. When I first saw that Danny Huston was playing King Richard, I had that “not this guy again” reaction, but Huston is actually quite strong in his brief appearance. His Richard seems a bit cuckoo, but a noble King nonetheless, who actually wishes a honest opinion from his subjects about how he's handling the crusade. When he breaks up a fight between Robin and John Little over a game of “guess which cup the pea is under”, he asks for Robin's opinions and the archer makes his feelings known. His remarks actually land Robin, John and their friends Will Scarlett and Alan Doyle with their necks in a rack, but they soon have bigger problems.
While attempting to sack a castle, Richard is apparently killed and Robin and company attempt to make their way to the coast knowing that 3000 of their comrades will soon desperately do the same now that their King is dead. They interrupt an ambush in the woods orchestrated by Sir Godfrey (Mark Strong) who has killed several of the King's Knights including Robert of Loxley who was attempting to return the King's crown to England. With his last breath, Loxley pleads with Robin to finish his task as well as return his sword to his estranged father Sir William. Seizing the opportunity as passage back to England, Robin and friends impersonate Loxley and his Knights and board a ship waiting to return them home. Eagerly awaiting their arrival is King Richard's brother John, a spoiled young man who yearns for power and has angered his mother and the King of France by taking up with a French Princess. As fate would have it, Sir Godfrey is John's trusted childhood friend and upon assuming the throne he dismisses his loyal Chancellor (William Hurt) and awards the title to Godfrey. Little does John know that Godfrey has been conspiring with King of France to cause dissent amongst the populace and remove John from power.
Robin completes his task of returning Sir Robert's sword to his father William (Max von Sydow) and discovers the old Knight lives under the care of his daughter-in-law Maid Marian (Cate Blanchett). Though old and blind, Sir William recognizes Robin's last name and offers to tell him his history if he agrees to assume his son's identity. With Robert now dead, Marian stands a chance of having their 500 acres of land taken away from them and much to her chagrin Robin agrees. Knowing nothing of ruling as a King except the pleasures of wealth and power, John orders Godfrey to take his soldiers and ride across the countryside demanding the citizens pay his new taxes or burn. Godfrey takes pleasure in this and in John's name, uses French troops to stir up hated amongst the English for their new King so that the country will be divided once the King of France and his army finally land. Hearing of Godfrey's harsh methods, Robin and friends steal back a shipment of grain taken from the church of the noble Friar Tuck (Mark Addy) and in the process he slowly begins to win Marian's heart.
Eventually our heroes get wind of what Godfrey is up to and that the French army has secretly landed and are preparing to make their move. After an intriguing set-up that presents the origins of Robin Hood in a fashion never seen before, the third act soon evolves into your traditional war movie with an epic battle that feels just a little too familiar.
What worked: Crowe once again gives a solid performance and I bought his version of Robin Hood hook line and sinker. Here is a man who is not sure who he is and through a traumatic incident, has trouble recalling his origins. He's just a common archer who has grown tired of fighting, but after witnessing the unfair treatment of his people by their King he is compelled to act. For the first time in a long while, the budding romance between Robin and Marian feels genuine. She doesn't like him right away and though we've seen that reaction before they feel like two souls who didn't realize they were missing something until they find each other. Blanchett's subtle reaction to the news of her husband's death is also nicely done. Crowe is given great support by the three actors who play John (Kevin Durand), Will (Scott Grimes) and Alan (Allan A'Dayle), who sometimes act like three rowdy boys eager to get drunk, but are also brave and daring archers. Mark Strong continues to impress playing villains and he manages to make Sir Godfrey different from Lord Blackwood in Sherlock Holmes and his mobster character in Kick-Ass and even though Prince John is nothing more than a sniveling spoiled brat, Oscar Issac manages to make him an entertaining villain you love to hate.
What didn't work: I'm incredibly pleased that Ridley Scott has given up the frantic editing and excessive use of slo-mo photography that plagued many of his films, but there's something about the action sequences in Robin Hood that didn't click for me. It can't be the violence and though there is plenty of it, it feels like Scott was really restricted by those PG-13 guidelines. The opening castle assault is exciting, but the biggest action set-piece is a battle against the French on the shores of England. The method in which the French army land reminded me of the Omaha beach battle of Normandy that opened Saving Private Ryan, a film that Scott ripped off more than once in terms of cinematography. Don't get me wrong, Scott gives us an exciting battle, but the geography of it feels weird. One moment, Robin is on horseback suggesting they use their archers on the high cliff behind them, the next moment he's up there with said archers and the next he's back on the shore. How did Robin and his soldiers go up and down a high cliff on horses so fast? There's also the fact that despite some good villains and a meaty story, our heroes never feel like they're in any real danger. They speak of the fall of their country and the threat of invasion through exposition, but we know in the end everything will turn out alright. All of the legendary characters are in place (including a poor and cowardly representation of the Sheriff of Nottingham), but a running time of two hours and twenty minutes is not enough to get a feel for these people and its almost an insult to the actors because they all play their parts well.
Still, Scott manages to make an entertaining film and for the first two thirds its more compelling than your average Robin Hood tale. I enjoyed the fact that Scott and Crowe are setting the saga up for more stories [Show spoiler](we never really see King Richard die either) and with strong performances all around its an action adventure I won't easily forget. If you use this review, please call me Little Juan.
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