I really wish that I was writing a summary with a better outcome, but alas Robin Hood was a very mediocre film--at best. When one decides to make a picture about the past, they should at least familiarize themselves with the era to get some aspects correct about that time frame. While it is fantasy and a movie, it is nice to have some reality to the project. Saving Private Ryan and Titanic were historical fiction---they had fictitious characters in real situations and that appealed to audiences. Braveheart took a real character and added some Hollywood elements, but it kept the spirit of the character alive and thus made a nice film. Gladiator and Robin Hood did not bother to find anything remotely real about the time frame and made nothing spectacular.
Ridley Scott is so overrated. Scott's best days were his eye when he made Alien and Blade Runner---every film since then has been average to below average. Scott's best work was in his early years and it was in Science Fiction.
Russell Crowe just plays Russell Crowe. Cinderella Man was the one film where he dominated the screen and took the script to heart, but every other film he is just the same--himself---a violent, arrogant, self important person.
Robin Hood fails on many levels: -an arrow in those times was made with real feathers and could not fly when wet, yet Robin shoots a wet arrow through someone's neck who is hundreds of yards away -Robin is an archer. In those times the English archer was one of the most feared weapons and why England had so much power, but archers were not skilled swordsmen. So when Robin is charging the mounted knights it is absurd. Robin would have been on the ridge shooting his bow. Skilled knights and soldiers would have chopped him to bits in hand to hand combat.
-Royalty never ever ever were in the fields plowing the land. Thus Marion in the fields with a tan would be an outrage--since royalty covered themselves to maintain a white complexion. Tan complexions meant low born.
-There would be no way Marian would be able to lift a sword in battle. Swords were heavy and she would never have been able to go toe-to-toe with soldiers.
-It is impossible for Marian to be donning armor and riding into battle. She would not have had the strength to support the armor, yet alone move with all the weight.
Aside from all the Hollywood fantasies, the script was weak as can be--the acting was (Yawn) mediocre and the film was completely uninspiring.
It is sad that I would have to say that Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves had a better story, a better feel, and better performances. Alan Rickman was a marvel in Prince of Thieves and even Kevin Costner was a better Robin Hood than Russell Crowe---and that is sad.
Ridley Scott is so overrated. Scott's best days were his eye when he made Alien and Blade Runner---every film since then has been average to below average. Scott's best work was in his early years and it was in Science Fiction.
Russell Crowe just plays Russell Crowe. Cinderella Man was the one film where he dominated the screen and took the script to heart, but every other film he is just the same--himself---a violent, arrogant, self important person.
Robin Hood fails on many levels: -an arrow in those times was made with real feathers and could not fly when wet, yet Robin shoots a wet arrow through someone's neck who is hundreds of yards away -Robin is an archer. In those times the English archer was one of the most feared weapons and why England had so much power, but archers were not skilled swordsmen. So when Robin is charging the mounted knights it is absurd. Robin would have been on the ridge shooting his bow. Skilled knights and soldiers would have chopped him to bits in hand to hand combat.
-Royalty never ever ever were in the fields plowing the land. Thus Marion in the fields with a tan would be an outrage--since royalty covered themselves to maintain a white complexion. Tan complexions meant low born.
-There would be no way Marian would be able to lift a sword in battle. Swords were heavy and she would never have been able to go toe-to-toe with soldiers.
-It is impossible for Marian to be donning armor and riding into battle. She would not have had the strength to support the armor, yet alone move with all the weight.
Aside from all the Hollywood fantasies, the script was weak as can be--the acting was (Yawn) mediocre and the film was completely uninspiring.
It is sad that I would have to say that Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves had a better story, a better feel, and better performances. Alan Rickman was a marvel in Prince of Thieves and even Kevin Costner was a better Robin Hood than Russell Crowe---and that is sad.