Robin Hood – Movie Review
Now i’m a long time Ridley Scott fan. Alien, Blande Runner, Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven (dc) are just amazing. The attention to detail. The camera work. The worlds they created there. Everything is rich in these movies. So full of atmosphere.
Russell Crowe is one of Ridley Scotts favourite guys since Gladiator. They both seem to have a connection. Scott once said “we’re both angry all the time, i guess that’s what connects us two”. Now i’m angry all the time too… maybe that is why i like his movies so much.
Robin Hood, formerly known under the working title ‘Nottingham’, isn’t one of Scott’s better movies. Chances are good that it comes together with a highly possible directors cut release on dvd and bluray. Same happened to Kingdom of Heaven. First the DC made the movie a whole. I have a strong feeling that a similar thing will happen to Robin Hood.
Robin Hood also isn’t the typical, magic movie you would expect. It is dark, it is gritty and there is absolutely no lovely magic in the air. It’s based on a realistic foundation. Now Russell Crowe’s character makes a transformation right in the beginning of the movie. They’re having a french fortress under siege for a while without any success of taking it. They’re trying to get home from the big crusade and have seen enough of war. Suddenly the King dies and Robin and his friends take the chaos to get away from the troops to try their own luck. You will find all the usual suspects, character wise, that belong into a Robin Hood movie, which is a good thing. These characters often understand it to bring some funny moments into the otherwise serious theme of the movie. All the actors are cast well and fit their characters very well.
Now this is a very long movie for a story like that and in the middle parts it often shows some weaknesses. The ending when the french attack the coast feels far too constructed to naturally flow with the rest of the movie. Even if it all was technically nicely done it was missing sense and somehow totally off the tone the movie has. Just weird. I wished we would have seen more of the crusade part instead. Since Kingdom of Heaven i really would love to see more of that historical area.
Ultimately the movie ends where a lot of people hoped it would have begun. I’m excited for the highly possible directors cut of this movie. It may bring in some missing links that make the movie feel more like it’s in one and the same flow. It’S a different take for the Robin Hood theme and it’s a good and interesting one.
Nonetheless the theatre version gets a 6.9/10 from me.
I want new Sci-fi work from you Mr. Scott! I’m excited for the new Alien movie and his other upcoming projects. This man is a restless filmmaker… my respects.
Robin Hood on IMDb
