Folklore has always surrounded us, no matter how old we are or how disinterested we might be in it. There would hardly be a person who doesn’t know most of the great myths such as the Trojan Horse, or folklore such as the Baba Yaga. However, one story stands tall above all in being one of the most popular pieces of English Folklore to date, and that is the story of Robin Hood. The tale of a noble thief has always resonated with people, stealing from the rich and handing it to the poor. What happens when you turn an English legend into a blockbuster action film? Well… some good happens but that brings with it a lot of bad.
How to Download Robin Hood (2010)
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like the stories about this medieval hero, check out also Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Robin Hood (2018).
The Movie Review
Once upon a time, the most honorable and skilled archer in King Richard’s army was a man named Rusty. In fact, he is so loyal and intelligent that when he poses as a knight. Thus, this loyal and skilled Archer succeeds in winning the confidence of all the lords in England and guides them—along with the King, mind you—in a valiant attack on the French. In actuality, when the French give up, they give up to Rusty the heroic archer rather than the King of England. After the death of King Richard, a void opens up and King John comes into power, which is when Rusty the archer becomes outlawed as Robin Hood.
This isn’t precisely Robin Hood and his band of merry men like you’ve known them. Director Ridley Scott has made sure this isn’t Robin Hood laughing and swashbuckling his way across Merry Old England as he has a good time squaring off against the Nottingham Sheriff. No, this specific interpretation of the Robin Hood legend is completely unique and unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The historical backdrop differs from what is often provided, and the overall atmosphere is so much darker than what you would expect.
While Robin Hood makes a valiant effort to be epic, sweeping, grandiose, and politically engaging, it falls short of the standards set by the wildly successful and universally adored Gladiator. It’s not a bad movie, and you might like it if you keep your expectations in check, but at best it’s passable and at worst it’s got a plethora of flaws. The plot is overly ambitious and unnecessarily convoluted, while the characters are static and one-note.
The backstory of Robin was a manufactured jumble that did little but add unnecessary running time to the film. The primary problem with Robin Hood is that it is so focused on being profound and deep, that it completely neglects to be entertaining. There is nothing wrong with attempting to make Robin Hood feel more grounded, but there’s a severe lack of adventure. It’s something that this blockbuster is missing.
The chemistry between Crowe and Blanchett is practically nonexistent. In this alternative portrayal of Robin, I think Russell Crowe did a good job, while Cate Blanchett most definitely played a unique adaptation of Marion. She is not the Maid Marion you would expect. Instead, here she engages in combat with the French and is a proper fighter. Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of King John was what captured my attention the most. He took the role and gave it life. According to the historical record, John appears to be shifty, cunning, unreliable, and extremely eager to form and dissolve alliances as they are needed at any particular time, which is exactly how it was portrayed here.
John Mathieson’s cinematography is striking and powerful at some moments in the film, but on the other hand, it is also lacking in lighting up the scenes properly as most of the film is in the dark period the film also has a grimy feel to it, which just adds to the flavor. There needed to be more cinematic shots of the action in all honesty, because that’s one aspect in which this film is severely lacking. The music by Marc Streitenfeld feels natural to the film, but it misses that awe and epic factor that the film is consistently trying to push.
Verdict
This is what you can call a typical Ridley Scott film. The visuals are phenomenal at times, but the plot and script are quite contrived. Not only does the film excessively change the folklore to a more grounded and seemingly ‘profound’ take on Robin Hood, but it also doesn’t do a good job of reinventing it. In essence, this turns out to be an underwhelming action film. Although the actors do try to save it, the writing simply does not let them. What we’re left with are some decent action scenes, set pieces, and a broken story that isn’t very profound.
