Robin Hood: Prince of ThievesThe legend of Robin Hood has been told so many times throughout movie history, that we all know the basic story before we even see a Robin Hood movie anymore. Robin Hood steals from the rich and gives to the poor, and he leads his band of merry men through Sherwood Forest. He is accompanied by his steadfast love Maid Marian, and he vexes the vile Sheriff of Nottingham at every turn. But what makes Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves exciting is in its own take on these tropes, and how it strings the bow from end to end, delivering slight twists on characters and events to make for an enjoyable blockbuster adventure.
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One of the best ways to enjoy Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is to leave much of your expectations at the portcullis. Kevin Costner plays Robin of Locksley/Robin Hood both for drama and comedy, action and suspense...but do not expect an English accent. And is that so terrible? I've always found it stranger that in many other films set in non-English speaking countries (but filmed in English), that everyone has an English accent, so I guess it washes out. Alan Rickman delivers a delightfully despicable turn as the Sheriff of Nottingham (no one remembers his first name is "George"), who thrashes about in a state of perpetual depraved mania and violent outbursts, and is host to some of the most hysterically sinister verbal flourishes in the film. His rampant bouts of malevolence and indifference to the evil he does makes him a thoroughly satisfying mustachio-twirling villain. And while Maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) is surely smitten by the rakish rogue that Robin is and the man he becomes, she herself is no wilting flower--her first encounter with Robin has her armored and armed. But the most satisfying addition to the legend comes in the form of Azeem (Morgan Freeman), a Moor Robin saves from the dungeon he has spent five years rotting in during his escape from imprisonment in Third Crusade-era Jerusalem. Azeem provides a welcome counterbalance to the Anglocentric tale, with a unique perspective, deft skills with blades and tools, and stoic wisdom which makes him a perfect unsung companion to Robin.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves accepts that it is set in the 12th Century, but doesn't belabor the point. Characters speak with a degree of contemporary dialogue, and the rare anachronism. But the film acknowledges events like the Third Crusade as King "Lionheart" Richard's impetus for his departure from his kingdom, leaving the country to rot from the inside by traitors and even secret societies, the perfect festering grounds for the Sheriff and kin. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a film with a very large budget, but also one that proved to be highly profitable. The film dabbled in cross-promotion with the love theme by Bryan Adams--(Everything I Do) I Do It For You--spilling into tender moments in the film, almost exclusively with scenes between Robin and Marian. With MTV at the height of its game, and that song on constant rotation on it and most radio stations, the film was everywhere; the music video, cut together with some of the most stirring scenes from the film, serves as a better trailer for the film than the actual trailer. It's a strong message about how a carefully constructed production that "checks all the boxes" can make it something that you simply can't miss. And at the age I was when it came out, I was just old enough to see it and enjoy the film as a sensational story--the action, the stylish characters, the heroics, even the romance (girls still had cooties, though)--without being annoyed by phony English accents and green tights. And for a young lad who loves tales of adventure, how can you go wrong with Robin Hood?
Recommended for: Fans of sword fights and arrow cams, of a band of rogues thwarting tyrants and rescuing damsels in distress, jovial banter and a good moral lesson without being too preachy.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves accepts that it is set in the 12th Century, but doesn't belabor the point. Characters speak with a degree of contemporary dialogue, and the rare anachronism. But the film acknowledges events like the Third Crusade as King "Lionheart" Richard's impetus for his departure from his kingdom, leaving the country to rot from the inside by traitors and even secret societies, the perfect festering grounds for the Sheriff and kin. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a film with a very large budget, but also one that proved to be highly profitable. The film dabbled in cross-promotion with the love theme by Bryan Adams--(Everything I Do) I Do It For You--spilling into tender moments in the film, almost exclusively with scenes between Robin and Marian. With MTV at the height of its game, and that song on constant rotation on it and most radio stations, the film was everywhere; the music video, cut together with some of the most stirring scenes from the film, serves as a better trailer for the film than the actual trailer. It's a strong message about how a carefully constructed production that "checks all the boxes" can make it something that you simply can't miss. And at the age I was when it came out, I was just old enough to see it and enjoy the film as a sensational story--the action, the stylish characters, the heroics, even the romance (girls still had cooties, though)--without being annoyed by phony English accents and green tights. And for a young lad who loves tales of adventure, how can you go wrong with Robin Hood?
Recommended for: Fans of sword fights and arrow cams, of a band of rogues thwarting tyrants and rescuing damsels in distress, jovial banter and a good moral lesson without being too preachy.