Tuesday, June 8, 2010

ROBIN HOOD

Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong,
William Hurt, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Isaac


"Rise and rise again.
Until lambs become lions."


Cinema 8, SM Megamall



I suggest you take whatever limited knowledge you have stored in your memory of the legendary figure Robin Hood and throw them out of the window. Arguably your information about him will stem from movies like "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" or worse "Robin Hood: Men in Tights". Because this Ridley Scott is a revisionist take on the life of an archer named Robin Longstride who eventually turns into an outlaw. So you can say that this is a prequel to his "Robin Hood" days.

As most period films depicting the Middle Ages go, there is a bleak undertone that envelops the entire movie. From squalid surroundings, scruffy characters to a murky plot which can match the equally gloomy film about another legend, "King Arthur" which starred Clive Owen. Actually most of the film was striding along on solid ground until it reached the last few minutes when there seemed to be an editing problem. Suddenly Robin Hood who was still reeling in the victory of a battle was classified as an outlaw and vanquished to the forests of Nottingham. Then the film ends!

Nevertheless the cast was composed of good and talented actors who tried their best to work on a seemingly faulty script. Russell Crowe although sporting a Gladiator haircut passionately portrayed Robin Hood with much conviction. The rest like Cate Blanchett, William Hurt and Max Von Sydow among others performed equally well. Although there wasn't much character development on Robin Hood's merry men, I figure the title says it all. This is the story of an archer named Robin Longstride who heroically becomes Robin Hood: an outlaw with a heart. Heh how's that for a title to the sequel, eh?

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