First off, to address those so-called "critics" who take issue withRidley Scott for taking literary license with history, what else couldhe do when dealing with a FICTIONAL CHARACTER? I mean really! RobinHood is fanciful mythology that is set in a real, historical context.ANY interaction the character has with any historical figure or eventis going to be taking liberties with real history. So complaints of theMagna Carta being alluded to or specific battles, places, orinteractions with persons can be nothing BUT literary license which anysensible and fair person must excuse when watching a film about afictional character. Films require the willing suspension of disbelieffrom intelligent audience members. Viewers incapable of that shouldnever watch fiction, and stick only to documentaries. That said, RidleyScott does an excellent job weaving the fiction which is Robin Hoodinto real situations, and this origin story sets the stage politicallyand on a personal level the events to come in any sequels (Onehopes)that will result. None of the other films or portrayals has evenbothered to do so. Robin Hood shows an attention to detail on thematters of medieval life, even so far as to show the hardships thateven Nobles had to face. To that end, Marion Loxley's character isshown as a great example of noble womanhood. Robin and Marion's romanceis slow in blossoming and therefore much more believable than thetypical Hollywood drivel that passes for romance. Finally, the truegems that shine in this film are the Merry Men, wonderfully played byScott Grimes, Kevin Durand, and newcomer to film Alan Doyle. Eachbrings life and vibrant believability to their characters. And on apersonal note, Alan Doyle was a wonderful choice as Alan A'Dayle.Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe could not have made a better choice. Ihighly recommend this film.

The plot was very confusing and disjointed and was not easy to follow.I did not read anything or watch previews before seeing the film. But Idid think I would be seeing an expanded and updated classic story ofRobin Hood. Russel Crowe's slight verbal parts did not add to hischaracter instead he had no personality at all. The characters were notwell defined so it was confusing who was who. The movie did notestablish the plot leaving you wondering what and where it was takingyou. There was nothing fun and adventurous about this film and therewas no comedy relief that we have come to expect from Robin Hood andhis Merry Men. It was seriously bland and boring effectively puttingpeople to sleep!!! If you are looking for action and fight scenes youwill not be disappointed but that is all this film has to offer.

I love Robin Hood, and I do like Ridley Scott's films, so this did havethe ingredients to be good. Sadly, while it was a valiant attempt, itdidn't work for me. The film does look good, with the cinematographyexcellent and the sets, scenery and costumes authentic enough. Thescore was a nice touch, it wasn't amazing, but it worked on the wholethanks to some beautiful orchestration. Overall, the archery, fightingand sword play were well handled, Scott's direction is assured andthere are some bright spots in the cast namely Oscar Isaac, Max VonSydow and Mark Strong.

Conversely, my main problem with this film is that it doesn't feel likea Robin Hood movie. If anything it feels like a sequel to Gladiator,but with a less compelling story and bad dialogue. Yes I understand itis an origin story, but the film's tone is rather too serious. This isnot helped by the sluggish pacing in the latter half furtherdisadvantaged by somewhat dull chemistry between Russell Crowe and CateBlanchett. The story doesn't always know which direction it wants togo, and I actually found myself confused by some scenes, and the filmis much too long, an hour and three-quarters is a perfect length ifdone right. Then there's the script, which didn't flow very well atall. Also, Crowe didn't work for me. He tried hard to create acommanding and charismatic presence, but what let him down were hisdialogue and his accent which came and went. I was disappointed in CateBlanchett too, she is a fine actress who has given mesmerisingperformances particularly in Notes on a Scandal and the Elizabethmovies, but she isn't given very much to do apart from a nice touchwhere she joins in for the final battle. Ah yes the final battle, thiswas a disappointment actually too. It was well shot with some goodsword play and the like but it was badly paced and kind of ran on aparallel with Saving Private Ryan but less gut-wrenching andcompelling.

So all in all, a disappointment. Not the worst of the year, but it isto me the worst Robin Hood film and quite possibly Ridley Scott's worstfilm overall too. If you want the definitive Robin Hood, watch theErrol Flynn film, that is simply timeless with plenty of wit, greatperformances and one of the best scores of all time. 4/10 Bethany Cox

I'd be lying if I said I didn't especially take to Ridley Scott's 2010released take on the Robin Hood legend; a wavering and sporadic, butmostly interesting and a fairly involving account of a man whose namehas passed down unto generations and whose incarnation into movingimage over the years has brought about both wildly differing approachesand critical reception. I liked it about enough to have a wave ofcuriosity wash over me once all had been said and done, it had endedand the new order upon which particular characters we have come toeither admire or despise had made it known precisely where they stood.If the material is ever revisited by those involved in the making ofthis, I'd find it harder to casually dismiss any announcement of saidproject than I would to actually look forward to the film.

Australian actor Russell Crowe plays the titular lead of Robin Hood;the film bringing its audience into his world for the first time we seehim as he fights in a battle many miles from his English homeland withhundreds of other troops during one of King Richard's crusades. Thefilm wastes little time in introducing its lead as somewhat of anaction man, the partaking in a battle within a battle involving thestorming of a castle gate; the relaying of cover fire by way of his bowand arrow as well as the bravery of heading on out into the deadly mireso as to rescue a comrade, the key characteristics of bravery andability which will go on to formulate this character throughout. Awayfrom the battlefield, an exchange with the king Himself has Robin standup to an authoritarian figure; sees him speak his mind honestly andbravely about an issue of great importance to him and thus goes tofurther establish traits of a positive nature with the fact he isn'tafraid of taking a stance on an issue of a somewhat political nature.This, following a fight incurred because of another individual andtheir own challenging of Robin's authenticity as an honest man; anaccusation later to be revealed as false and fruitless.

The supporting acts arrive by way of a brave and rather feisty Marion(Blanchett), a poor farmer living with her father Sir Walter (vonSydow) and having issues of her own with unruly kids whom sabotage hercrops, although remains herself a dab hand at archery. Nearer thethrone, Prince John (Isaac) is established as being a bit of an idiotmore often than not; a disrespectful and somewhat foul little man whomis the last of his brothers and sisters in line for the throne. He hasseemingly little interest for anyone beside himself and enjoys sleepingaround out of wedlock with a French woman named Isabella, a role thatLéa Seydoux plays but Ludivine Sagnier would've sunk her teeth into,much to his superior's displeasure whilst his father's away fighting.On another strand, English knight Sir Godfrey (Strong) mislaysinformation both to and from various parties therein as he conspireswith the French king to bring about ruin of the English within, so thatan invasion can be successfully carried out amidst interior fighting.In the middle of all this is Crowe's Hood, a man looking for a freepass back to England after deserting the Crusades.

Renowned for his usually cut-and-thrust screenplays which are commonlyblended in with material of a pulpy nature, screenwriter BrianHelgeland (working here with Ridley after a couple of projects withbrother Tony) keeps everything darting along at a brisk old pace; hiswork adapted by a man whom you feel is in total control of what it ishe wants up there on screen. But I wanted to like a lot of it a wholelot more, the film maintaining a frustratingly reigned in sensibilityabout it; the film coming to flit wildly between tones and content, thegenres of war; romance; comedy of a relatively goofy nature as well ascontent of a politically infused ilk coming to fuse uneasily as bloodybattle violence comes to uncomfortably merge with screwball romance.Take, for instance, and much later on in the film, a stretch of abouttwo minutes of film which encompasses both an individual leaping fromone burning thatched roof to another in slow motion as the fires aroundhim rage, which occurs right after a sequence in which a town iseffectively liquidated. One scene looks as it was lifted straight outof Elem Klimov's 1985 Soviet film Come and See, the other is justAssassin's Creed II goes to Sherwood Forest.

I enjoyed the film's better parts, during which it draws on inspirationfrom the western and runs on a premise of this notion of having to getfrom 'A' to 'B' with an item, or a MacGuffin, as those whom will killyou if they catch up with you looms ominously overhead. Crowe's largebuild and grizzled tone, regardless of sporadic accent, as he rides hishorse from point to point, often as a lone warrior immensely skilled inthe art of specific weaponry, across barren looking 13th centuryEngland locales is good fun; his eventual coming up against a somewhattyrannical rule and the using of the skills he has garnered from waragainst that rule more interesting than it deserves to be: where TheAmerican Civil War has been replaced by The Crusades; six-shooters withswords; the 19th Century with the Middle-Ages and Texas withNottinghamshire. Ridley Scott's Robin Hood is a slick and alluringenough little piece, a tad stretched for the self-discovery materialRobin must progress through and we must endure, but competent andengaging enough to recommend.

Okay stay away from this rubbish. It seems that Ridley Scott has reallylost his knack and delivered this piece of amateurish rubbish. It seemsthat the script writers were like five year old children writing amovie for adults. If I were five years old I may indeed like this but Ithink mature minds need mature material. The plot if ridiculous. Whywould Robin Hood spend most of his time in the movie playing the partof a dead husband? Would not someone in the village have seen throughthe charade? Further why is Marion a widow and not a virgin? I thinkafter the success of Braveheart, perhaps Mel Gibson should have beenentrusted to direct this movie. The ending where Marion rides intobattle with little boys is rubbish and the french with their D-Daystyle landing is absurd. Most of the movie is quite boring and eventhough Russell Crowe was outstanding in Gladiator, his acting was notup to scratch. If you want watch a good movie, watch Braveheart or Troyand pass this one up. Anyway guys and girls this one belongs in the Bmovie category.

JNR

Asides from cinematography, production and music score, there's notmuch in this one. Entertaining enough for a rental once you lower yourexpectations.

There are many things that are almost idiotic. To have these amateurishmistakes in a RS film was quite a surprise for me:

- 19th century folk music player by 12th century villagers. - LadyMariam, a NOBLE working the land and behaving like a 20th centuryliberated woman? - The final battle scene with D-day landing crafts andorphans kids riding ponies fighting French invaders. - So Robin Hood iscalled like that why exactly? Because he mentioned ONCE the word "hood"while they stole the grain? And he gets ostracized for what reason?Because someone told King John that the French surrendered to him? - Noon notices that Robin is 10 years younger and has dark hair when hepasses as Locksley.

Im going to stop there..

'ROBIN HOOD': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A prequel to the legendary 'Robin Hood' story everyone knows, anorigins tale that leads up to the mythical Robin Longstride (playedimpressively by Russell Crowe) becoming the famous outlaw. It tells ofhis days as an expert archer in King Richard The Lionheart's (played byDanny Huston) army during the Third Crusade. When the King is killedand his brother Prince John (played by Oscar Isaac) takes over thebankrupt kingdom he resorts to corrupt tactics in order to rebuild it.Robin, with his army buddies Little John (played by Kevin Durand) andWill Scarlet (played by Scott Grimes), travels to Nottingham and takesthe identity of a dead knight, Sir Robert Loxley (played by DouglasHodge). There he falls for Loxley's wife (played by the alwaysimpressive Cate Blanchett) and clashes with the new King before leadingthe towns folk to aid him in fighting off a French invasion.

There's no robbing from the rich and giving to the poor and he doesn'tbecome an outlaw until the last five minutes of the movie. This was atotal surprise to me having seen the cleverly deceitful trailers whichcontain several scenes from the last five minutes of the movie. Themovie is described as a much more realistic and accurate portrayal ofhow the real man who inspired the myth became known as a legend butI've read one expert's opinion (David Crook) who disagrees. He says inreality the myth came from gossip about an average crook who benefitedfrom Yorkshire's lawlessness in the 1220's.

The movie itself is obviously a lot less romanticized and more grittyand serious than any previous versions but it's also a lot less fun.There's some decent acting and directing, from epic action masterRidley Scott, as well as some pretty impressive battle scenes but thescript is too all over the place and therefor not as interesting. Adecent action movie but not nearly as memorable as some of the otherclassic tellings of the adventures of Robin Hood.

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