When it came out my youngest child loved it, and a few adults I knew, but most of the critics and most of my adult friends were critical of it. They thought Russel Crowe was too old for the part, or the first half of the movie was too much of a diversion about Richard the Lion Hearted in France, etc.
But I loved the writing, the re-imagining of this myth, this fantasy, about one man leading so many others to defend their rights as individuals against the powers that be who are trying to suck them dry (see the last post for contemporary comparisons). Especially the character of Richard.
And I loved Cate Blanchett as Lady Marian. I don't think I've ever seen her so appealing. Her performance delighted me every second she was on screen. I wanted to see an entire movie devoted to her character, to that performance.
Yeah, I dug it. But I wasn't expecting to. I only was planning on watching a few scenes to see if it was as bad as some of the critics had said it was. And to my surprise, I couldn't stop watching and wanted more. Maybe it's just me or because it was late or because it resonated with these times, whatever, if you haven't seen it, check it out (with an open mind, because it ain't Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland or classic Hollywood, which version is also a delight to watch any time).
6 comments:
Robin Hood was my childhood hero and in fact I am a longbow fanatic, shooting with my friends weekly. I enjoyed the movie and in fact most movies that Crowe is in. He seems to have excellant judgement in the projects he is involved in. I can only remember one turkey; a strange western with Sharon Stone.
Robin Hood robbed (back) from the rich and gave to the poor. I'm glad you like this.
Also, it's interesting that there are those who insist that immigrants be fluent in "English" isn't England the tyrranical oppressor that the original Tea Party rebelled against an defeated? And yet we still embrace their language and use their name to label and describe it. Interesting when one thinks of words and labels chosen. Shouldn't the Tea Party call our language "American" if they want to be true to form?
Robert,
That is as insightful as rejecting Greek and Latin, the language of the classics and the rise of western civilization.
As usual, you miss the point or choose to ignore it.
Erroll Flynn and Sean Connery
were the only men who could
play Robin Hood to justice.
Costner overstated him with
his bare ass, and this movie
is too violent.
I agree Tim that Flynn and Connery were exemplary as Robin Hood, but the latest version with Russell Crowe is for my taste an exciting new addition to the interpretation of the folklore, and though it may be more explicitly violent, it was a violent time, and it's still not close to the actual violence, then or now.
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