IF YOU’RE WONDERING ABOUT SHELLING OUT BUCKS TO SEE ‘ROBIN HOOD,’GIVE ME A MINUTE & I’LL TELL YOU IF THIS ONE HITS THE MARK. RUSSELL CROWE TAKES HIS SHOT AT ROBIN HOOD, A ROLE HE’S WANTED SINCE CHILDHOOD. BASICALLY WHAT YOU’VE GOT IS AN ORIGIN STORY. THE TITLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, “ROBIN HOOD BEGINS.” THE USUAL SUSPECTS ARE ALL REPRESENTED, SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM, FRIAR TUCK, LITTLE JOHN & EACH WERE PRIVVY TO MICROSCOPIC BITS OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
MARION WAS PLAYED BY CATE BLANCHETT. WHAT’S PLAINLY OBVIOUS HERE IS, THERE’S ABSOLUTELY ZERO CHEMISTRY BETWEEN CROWE & BLANCHETT. TOO BAD FOR US, BECAUSE, IT’S THEIR LOVE THAT DRIVES MUCH OF THE STORY. I ALSO FOUND THE PLOT CONFUSING. DIRECTOR RIDLEY SCOTT STARTED OUT USING A REFRESHING LIGHT TONE DURING THE OPENING BATTLE SEQUENCE. I LOVED IT. BUT SOON THERE AFTER THE FILM’S TONE REMAIED VERY DARK & OPPRESSIVE. I WAS BUMMED OUT.
WHEN YOU COMMIT TO A 12TH CENTURY PERIOD PIECE, YOU’RE READY FOR THE EXCITEMENT, YOU’RE READY FOR WONDERMENT, YOU’RE READY FOR SOMETHING, ANYTHING TO HAPPEN. THIS IS WHERE ROBIN HOOD GOES WIDE OF THE MARK. PLUS, ARGUABLY, THE FINEST ACTOR IN THE CAST, JOHN HURT IS LOST & REDUCED TO A DEAD END SUPPORTING ROLE.
IF ‘BRAVEHEART’ SETS THE BAR FOR THIS GENRE, THEN ROBIN HOOD IS ‘BRAVEHEART LITE.’ IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE IT THEATERS, MIGHT I SUGGEST HITTING A MATINEE. THAT’LL SAVE YOU BUCKS AT THE BOX OFFICE.
