Robin Hood Review

Oh the dilemma of being a history student and a film lover. Robin Hood is the latest historical epic by Ridley Scott and if this review was based upon historical accuracy, it’s bloody awful. Seemingly skipping back and forth in history like an AWOL Delorean, as King John seemingly burns the Magna Carta. However, this film is not a documentary and it doesn’t want to be. So examining the film on its own merits, the main question one must raise is: has Ridley Scott delivered us with a Gladiator 2? No. Sadly not.

The story focuses upon Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) travelling to Nottingham to fulfil a dying knight’s wish and soon becomes entangled in a twisted tale of politics and social unrest. The plot is pretty much what you’d expect from Robin Hood. In fairness, Ridley Scott does bring Robin Hood into the 21st century and does give it its own clear identity separating itself from the 1980s Kevin Costner version. Furthermore, Scott does provide nice visuals as per expected and some scenes are done very well.

However, there are problems. Indeed, Russell Crowe’s accent is so varying it verges on the ridiculous and you watch to see what accent happens next – Scouse, Irish, Midlands or mystery accent? Oh the suspense… His overall performance provides neither the emotional heft nor compassion as seen from him in previous roles such as Master and Commander and Gladiator. Cate Blanchett is good as usual and his band of “merry” man are actually really good but are type casted to do one of four things – eating, fighting, washing and drinking; it just seems a waste. Characters are just undeveloped and never given enough screen time. Case in point – Mark Strong’s Godfrey – highly watchable but never fully explained and it all becomes a bit frustrating.

Indeed, with a rating of 12A, the gore is in short supply and without it, the action seems dull and pointless. The action scenes are done well, excluding the last big battle taken straight from Saving Private Ryan; the lack of connection between audience and action left me feeling cold. The need to plug the gaps with a frankly bizarre shift into outright comedy turns it simply into an updated version of A Knight’s Tale. The pandering for a sequel is a tad shameful and slightly self-indulgent but one must not descend into unfair hyperbole. It’s a solid film but just disappointing. Overall, it is not Gladiator 2 and it’s all the worse for it.

3/5