Robin Hood - Movie Review

It was our anniversary so that means if there's a Russell Crowe movie to be seen, that's how we're celebrating. Fortunately, Robin Hood was just released - perfect timing! - so that's what we did.

Too bad it wasn't a better movie. Oh, Crowe is just fine, brooding and manly like Crowe is, but this is an odd take on the story of Robin Hood and not really all that exciting. It's a long stretch from the opening battle scene to the last and in between there's some kind of royal intrigue that's going on that was a little hard to follow, what with Crowe muttering his lines and all. But I was willing to go along with it, confident there'd be a good payoff but that payoff was ruined when, in the final battle scene, Lady Marian - no, it's not Maid Marian in this version - shows up in her cute little battle suit and suddenly starts leading rough men into battle. Is there nothing she can't do? Oh, I see, it's necessary to get her out there and in peril so Crowe can rescue her. Never mind. Carry on, then.

The photography is good and I see on IMDB this was filmed in England and Wales and so the countryside looks lovely. Director Ridley Scott is no slouch and so can't put together a bad movie but I'd say this was one of his lesser works. Still, it's the only Russell Crowe movie out there and, if you're a fan, and we are, you'll want to catch it.