Robin Hood

Release date: 12 May 2010
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 140 mins
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russel Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Universal

Robin Hood before he became Robin Hood - this movie tells the story of how the legend was born, and gives a fantastic backstory to a story we all know and treasure.

Robin Longstride (a.k.a. Robin Hood) is an archer in the army of Richard Coeur de Lion who fights against the Norman invaders for the pride of his country. After King Richard's death, England becomes a very different place, where the new King John has become manipulated by Godfrey, an English traitor who wants France to invade England. Robin Longstride comes across the dying Robert of Locksley, whose gang was slaughtered by a group led by Godfrey. Robin makes a promise to Robert that he will return his fathers sword to its rightful place in Nottingham. If Robert Locksley died, his land could be confiscated by the crown, and in order to stop this happening, Robert suggests to Robin that he impersonates him in order to save the land. Godfrey has talked himself into being the "tax collector", and under the pretence of this title, he brutally invades towns and steals from them, tortures them and kills them.

Robin decides to fulfill his promise and returns the sword to Nottingham, where he is encouraged by Robert's father to impersonate his son in order to save their land. Robin agrees, and becomes an instant hit in the town when he talks the Friar Tuck into giving the churches grain to their land to see them through the hard times. Marian and Robin don't instantly hit it off, but when they unite to save their land, the sparks are there.

Robin Hood is a very good film where a story we already know is taken and twisted into something totally new and fresh. The action scenes and cinematography is visually stunning. The soundtrack was what you would expect from an epic like this, so nothing original or exciting there. The casting was a bit dull, as Crowe and Blanchett don't make for an exciting or adventurous couple. I would have preferred to see Marion with a bit more personality and spirit, rather than a dowdy middle-aged woman. It could have been half an hour shorter and it wouldn't have affected too much of the outcome. All in all, a very good film, but a tad drawn out for my liking. 4/5

Buy, rent or skip? BUY
Blu-Ray or DVD? BLU-RAY (you'll appreciate the battle scenes all the more!)