Robin Hood

It takes a lot for me to leave the cinema but this film achieved it. From the over the top bow and arrow fights that feel like something out of black hawk down to the bizarre mix of costumes it's just all wrong. I'm really not sure who thought 100 million budget was well spent making this steaming heap of a film.

This film is no Oscar winner. But it scratches the same itch that films like "A Knight's Tale", "Abraham Lincoln: Vanpire Hunter" and "Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters" scratches. As in it's a hell of a good time...as long as you don't think about it too hard. Keep that perspective and you'll have a blast.

Where do you start with a version as original as this. A well known story concerning a hero figure fighting against the oppressive system. A well known story with multiple versions hitting the big screen. So how do you make "yet another version" that isn't compared to all the others? Easy, change the period or more accurately make the period different, introduce a bit of the Afgan war for younger reference, update the weapons, make the theat more Hollywood and yell ACTION. Sure, if you are a Robin Hood purist or history buff you might get upset but as a piece of cinema this is pure fun. A little odd in places (if you are English) but a good watch.

It's almost as much fun as reading some of the reviews complaining that it is not historically accurate or doesn't stick to the story of RoL. Which version exactly?! No, the clothes are not accurate, no they didn't have magazines loaded shoulder weapons or machine gun type long bows but which part of this story do you seriously consider accurate? Forget the versions that have gone before and enjoy it for what it is.

Not a bad movie in all honesty. Action was decent, the plot moved briskly and I liked some of the cheeky banter.

The sets were nicely crafted and the costumes were, albeit distracting at first, added to the atmosphere of this being a non historically accurate revisioning of folklore.

This I have to emphasise as it's what is stated in the opening monologue, but some hater's and purists out there just didn't seem to get the point.

At the end of the day, the story of Robin Hood has never been officially stated as true. Just enjoy the movie for what it is, which is an enjoyable and fun take on folklore.

The trailer showed an action-packed depiction of a Robin Hood story. I walked into the theatre expecting no more. Just hoping for a nice action packed film in some alternate-universe-like Nottingham and Robin Hood as was suggested by interviews and the trailers.

Is it medieval England as we know it on film? Of course not! This movie poster and trailer never claimed to be that. And to enjoy this film one must really just let go of the Robin Hood stories we know and love for awhile and be ready for something new.

Is it going to be anything like the past Kevin Costner/Russell Crowe/Disney/Men in tights versions? Not really, nothing in the press material certainly suggested it.

Is it nonsensical at some parts? Of course! It's about this dude in a hood robbing the rich in an action film. I feel the film stretched logic to just the right amount, and not so bad that it was too nonsensical to be enjoyable.

In short I'm quite surprised at the negative reviews as I felt it was fine. I walked in not expecting "Gladiator" or LOTR material (legends, obviously), just merely to have a good time to sit back, shut my mind from outside, to watch some mad archery skills and action sequences - and I say it delivered what was on the cover, no more no less.