Eye Candy #403 - "Robin Hood" (2010)

Robin Hood: Set as a prequel to the standard Robin Hood fare most of us are familiar with, this one plays like a cross between "The Taming of the Shrew" and "The Prisoner of Zenda". The action takes place prior to Robin being branded an outlaw by King John and moving with his merry men into Sherwood Forest. Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) is an archer in the service of Richard the Lionhearted (Danny Huston), who finds himself taking on the identity of Sir Robert Loxley, as Richard's return from the Crusades falls apart. He vows to take the sword of the dying knight back to his home in Nottingham. Soon Richard's brother John (Oscar Isaac, who is played almost for laughs) is crowned king, and the evil Godfrey (Mark Strong in the Guy of Gisbourne type role) manipulates him to allow the French to invade England. Meanwhile, Robin finds himself playing the part of Robert Loxley, helping revitalize the Nottingham community at the request of Walter Loxley (Max Von Sydow), Robert's elderly father, as well as play-acting husband to Robert's widow Lady Marian (Cate Blanchett), who comes to fall in love with him. Lots of arrow-shooting abounds. The usual gang of supporting characters is here (Will Scarlet, Allan a'Dayle, Little John, and Friar Tuck). This film is all over the place – one moment it wants to be this polemic about freedom and liberty, the other it's all about goofy drinking songs, but it lacks the gravitas do the former and real humor to do the latter. The initial battle scene is tight and well-shot, and the final battle scene is about as sloppy an edit as you can get. Oh, we get derring-do, but with a side plot about the Magna Carta shoe-horned in for good measure. It is interesting to note that all 3 of Robin's main companions are played by either Americans or Canadians (which is interesting in the fact that it in most current Hollywood films, it NEVER HAPPENS). I'm tempted to call this "Robin Hood - Prince of Spittle" as many times as actors, mid proclamation, have a wad of spittle fly out of their mouths. Directed by Ridley Scott, who is about as reliable a director as you can get in Hollywood these days, we get a competent film, just not a terribly compelling one, nor do I think this is an improvement over previous versions that featured either stronger overall production values (the Errol Flynn version) or stronger characters/dialogue (the Kevin Costner version). Heck, I even liked the Disney version more. A bright note – the chemistry between Marian and Robin is very good, but I didn't go see the movie for it to be a rom-com. Big flashy summer fare that won’t stick with you. Woodchuck sez, "Middle of the road."