Ridley
Scott"s
Robin
Hood
is
an
attempt
to
tell
a
significantly
different
version
of
events
and
is
much
darker
and
more
serious-minded
than
anything
we
have
seen
in
the
past.
Like
Casino
Royale
or
the
last
Star
Trek
adventure
this
Robin
Hood
is
all
about
going
back
to
ground
zero
and
rebuilding
a
legend.
The
thrust
of
the
film
is
the
events
leading
up
to
Robin
being
branded
as
an
outlaw
and
what
inspired
his
pursuit
of
justice
for
all.
The
film
could
easily
be
called
“Robin
Hood:
Origins" as
it
tells
the
story
of
Robin
Longstride
(Russell
Crowe)
before
he
became
Robin
Hood.
At
the
start
of
this
movie
Robin
is
an
archer
with
King
Richard
the
Lion
Hearted
(Danny
Huston).
One
of
the
king"s
right
hand
men
is
the
knight
Robert
Loxley
(Douglas
Hodge).
When
the
King
and
Loxley
are
killed
Robin
takes
Loxley"s
name
and
heads
back
to
England.
There
he
finds
England
in
turmoil
as
Prince
John
(Oscar
Isaac)
takes
the
throne.
John"s
mother
Eleanor
(Eileen
Atkins)
tries
to
reason
with
her
son
to
take
the
heavy
tax
load
off
the
people
of
England,
but
he
decides
to
make
the
burden
even
more
severe.
This
leads
to
internal
conflict
at
the
same
time
the
French
are
planning
to
invade
England.
All
of
this
strife
leads
to
amazing
battle
sequences.
Meanwhile
Robin
is
trying
to
help
out
Loxley"s
father
(Max
Von
Sydow)
and
his
widow
Marion
(Cate
Blanchett).
The
new
Friar
(Mark
Addy)
at
Nottingham
where
Marion
lives
is
also
drawn
into
helping
out,
as
are
Robin"s
buddies
Allan
A"Dayle
(Alan
Doyle),
Will
Scarlett
(Scott
Grimes)
and
Little
John
(Kevin
Durand).
Director
Ridley
Scott
ensures
the
story
never
becomes
indigestible,
peppering
events
with
rousing
action
sequences
that
lead
to
a
bloody
conclusion
on
the
beaches
of
Dover
that
is
reminiscent
of
Saving
Private
Ryan
as
the
waters
of
the
Channel
run
red,
bodies
tumble
into
the
churning
seas
and
arrows
come
whizzing
through
the
surface
to
maim
the
unwary.
Crowe
is
at
his
dogged
best
is
ably
supported
by
Blanchett,
who
plays
a
Marion
not
afraid
to
stand
up
to
the
men
in
her
life
or
to
wield
a
broadsword
with
the
best
of
them.
Von
Sydow
is
touching
as
old
Loxley,
William
Hurt
gives
a
beautifully
mellow
performance
as
the
noble
Sir
William
Marshal
and
Mark
Strong
inherits
the
mantle
of
Basil
Rathbone
as
an
eminently
hateble
villain.
Robin
Hood
may
not
satisfy
the
purists
who
want
the
legend
to
remain
intact,
but
for
those
just
hungry
for
a
great
adventure
Robin
Hood
fills
the
bill.
It
is
a
big,
sweeping
epic
executed
in
a
manner
that
makes
all
the
spectacle
and
pageantry
appear
effortless.
Robin
Hood:
A
gritty
affair
Rating:
3
out
of
5*
Starring:
Russell
Crowe,
Mark
Strong,
Cate
Blanchett,
Max
Von
Sydow
and
William
Hurt
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