Robin Hood

Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Oscar Isaac, Mark Addy, William Hurt and Max von Sydow
Releasing in cinemas: 13 May 2010
Rated: M

I can feel a case of false advertising coming on. Ridley Scott pulls a swift one on his audience with Robin Hood, a film that’s as sneaky as the cup-and-pea game depicted in it.

The thing is, this is not the story of Robin Hood; at least not as the vast majority of filmgoers would know it. This is the story of how a lowly archer came to be the timeless character. Yes, it’s Robin Hood - the prequel. It actually follows a similar trajectory to the recent King Arthur, depicting how the main character came to be the “legend” we all know. Whether this means there will be at least one, and perhaps more, further Robin Hood movies starring Russell Crowe remains to be seen; but this film gives every indication that is just what Scott intends.

I would also hasten to add that if you’re one of those who appreciate historical accuracy in your movies, then you need to look elsewhere. The screenplay, penned by Brian Helgeland, pays little or no heed to the historical events surrounding the momentous events of the late-12th Century; including the death of Richard Coeur de Leon (a.k.a. Richard the Lionheart), the ascension of his brother John to the throne, or the development of the Magna Carta. Indeed, for anyone with even a skerrick of historical knowledge, the paint-by-numbers script will throw up plenty of risible moments.

But this is fiction – as many believe the whole Robin Hood legend itself is – so we needn’t be too picky about such things. Where the film ultimately falls down however is that Helgeland and Scott simply stretch basic credibility too far.

You don’t have to know all the kings of England to realise that an uneducated stonemason’s son, even one as “honest and brave” as our hero, is going struggle to pass off as a titled knight (as an aside, this seems to be a favourite device of Helgeland’s – he used it previously in A Knight’s Tale). Not in Helgeland’s world though; as Robin Longstride not only assumes the identity of deceased nobleman Robin of Loxley, but convinces the dead man’s father to essentially adopt him as his own. He then proceeds to woo the widow Loxley (shades of The Return of Martin Geurre), resist unjust taxation and unify the warring English barons. Oh, and all that’s before he basically single-handedly defeats the entire French army.

The real downer is that, having sat through over 2 hours of all this, a title pops up to tell you this is just the beginning of the story. Sorry, but I for one felt gypped.

While these (and other) plot points make this a chore at times, there are some bright spots. The “re-imagining” of Robin Hood as an everyman hero, rather than a noble forced to slum it with the peasants, works well; as does the way in which the band of “merry men” (that term isn’t used in the film, by the way) comes together. The battle scenes are, as you’d expect, excitingly staged; even if there is a certain predictability about their ultimate outcomes.

Russell Crowe makes for a rather inscrutable Robin in the titular role. He certainly doesn’t give much away; which I guess suits the character if we’re to accept the backstory. He only seems to spring to life in the action scenes (of which there are many), but the sight of him yelling while slashing away at some unseen extra does become a bit repetitive after a while. Cate Blanchett once more doesn’t put a foot wrong as the feisty Marion Loxley (there’s no hint of her being “Maid Marion”), despite having to get through one truly awful scene and lacking any real chemistry with the leading man.

Mark Strong provides the villain of the piece as the vicious Godfrey, while Matthew McFadyen barely gets a look in as the other canonical bad guy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Oscar Isaac is suitably smarmy as their boss, the vain Prince-then-King John. William Hurt handles the tricky role of Marshal with some aplomb; and the venerable Eileen Atkins does likewise as the king’s mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. The highlight of the film though is the performance of Max von Sydow (who runs rings around some of the younger actors) as Sir Walter Loxley.

Although Robin Hood has some good things going for it, I couldn’t help but feel rather cheated by this film. Be assured, this is not a Robin Hood movie – it’s a precursor to one. Perhaps if the script had been stronger or the outcomes less predictable, it might have won me over. But as it is, this is a bit like ordering a main course and being served an appetiser.

David Edwards