I had to sleep on this one before deciding to write this review. The layout may seem a little backwards, but this has been done for a very good reason. Read on to find out why…
Movie Type: Action
Year of Release: 2010
Available on DVD: Yes
The Story:
I think everyone knows the Robin Hood story. He robs from the rich to feed the poor blah blah blah. Well not this time! This is a prequel to the Robin Hood story we have all grown to love, or hate over the years.
Our fearless hero Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe), plans escape from the crusades with his “band of merry men” and finds himself travelling to
Nottingham in order to deliver a dying Knights final request. To complete this task and escape back to
England from
France, Robin is forced to assume the identity of the recently deceased Knight, Robin of Loxley. Arriving in
Nottingham he meets the Maid Marian (Kate Blanchett), who was married to the unfortunate Loxley. Robin is asked by Loxley’s blind, ill, crazy father too continue his ruse and permanently assume the identity of his dead son in order to save and protect their land.
With King Richard firmly out of the Picture, his brother Prince John assumes the role of King. His stupidity and arrogance set the country on a fast downwards spiral and open to attack from nearby enemies.
If I go into any more detail about the remainder of the movie there would be little point in watching.
Summary:
You may think this an odd place to start a review but is total necessary. Firstly I will say this is a very watchable movie. The story is great and offers an interesting twist to the many other well known Robin Hood myths. Some of the action scenes are fantastic and this coupled with some very clever CGI keep your eyes locked onto the screen. Some of the acting is a little wooden and a few important scenes become increasingly cringe worthy, but overall well worth a watch!
The Bad News:
This is the reason I wanted to get the summary in quick…
Crowe’s acting is in a word, shocking in this move and I do not mean in a good way. His vocal coach (if he had one) should be hung, drawn and quartered. The accent starts off Irish, moves to Kiwi, then to almost Scottish with a few hints of
Northern England thrown in for good measure. For the first 30 minutes of the film I found this very distracting.
There are a couple of speeches that left me feeling very flat and uninspired. I am convinced it wasn’t the script but more the way they were delivered. I am a fan of the crazy Kiwi, but he just didn’t do this film justice.
Some very cheesy moments include a ride into battle where Marian is leading a number of children to their imminent death with the blessing of Robin?!?!
I could continue to rip this film to pieces, but I won’t like a few other who have also “had a go” at reviewing this movie. The reason is this…
The Good News:
There are parts of this movie that will make you laugh out loud. The references to old English sayings and some slightly more modern are very clever. The film is witty, well directed and has a great story that has been altered to give a more realistic impression of the Robin Hood story.
Where Crowe fails to impress he is supported (almost carried) by Blanchett and other cast members. The small tribe that form the “Merry Men” are highly entertaining and have been cast perfectly. Their timing and acting ability make this movie very enjoyable.
In short…
