Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) is an archer fighting in King Richard The Lionheart’s (Danny Huston) crusades across Europe.  After King Richard dies on the field of battle Robin, along with a few of his compatriots, decide to desert the crusade and return to England.  Upon Robin’s return to England he decides to take the name of Robin of Loxley and rides to Nottingham to complete a task he promised one of his men in arms from the crusade he would.  There he ends up entwined in all the worries of Nottingham and the Loxley estate.  With Prince John (Oscar Isaac) now crowned King of England he has decided that England’s citizens must pay the cost to restore England to its former glory.

When someone enters the room and begins a conversation about Robin Hood the first thing that enters my mind is Sherwood Forrest and Merry Men.  Usually, in these tales we see battles between Robin and the Sherriff of Nottingham, and they sometimes allude to this time when Robin Hood was in the crusades and his men might not have been so merry.  Well Ridley Scott, one of those directors who loves to do the gritty realised version of stories has decided to give us this – what he wants us to believe is the – true tale of how Robin of Loxley became Robin Hood.  Since I’m not a historical person I don’t like to worry about how historically accurate the film is.  I accept what the film gave me as a fictional tale based in a real time, if someone with a PhD in Medieval European History tells me that the film is whatever % true then I’ll start using the film’s notes as conversational bits so I can look smarter than I actually am.

It seems fitting though that Ridley Scott should be the one to bring this story to the big screen.  After having directed films like Black Hawn Down and Kingdom of Heaven it seems only natural for him to bring us another realistic portrayal of medieval warfare, except now with one man who becomes a legend.

There were many aspects of this film that I liked a lot.  I worried walking in that Russell Crowe wouldn’t fit the role.  However, even though there were a couple of moments that I thought an unknown would be better suited for the role, Crowe did a more than serviceable job with the role.  He definitely channelled some of his Gladiator role into the character of Robin.

Where I think this movie failed to be sure of itself, as to whether it was a realistic or somewhat fun adaptation was in the roles of characters like Friar Tuck (Mark Addy) and Little John (Kevin Durand).  Before we get to the actual characters, these actors are not heavy dramatic/action oriented actors.  Mark Addy I remember best from his role as Bill Miller from a TV Sitcom Still Standing, and Kevin Durand I know best as Martin Keamy from LOST.  Both of these roles relied mostly on comedic or over-the-top campy moments.  Which is not what this film needed, but it’s what it got as soon as these two were cast in these supporting roles.  I somehow imagine that the characters were so much different on paper but the dramatic range of these actors ruined it for me.

Mark Strong plays the role of Godfrey, the French mole in the English castle that runs amok across the lands burning cities down that refuse to pay King John’s taxes.  He continues to assert himself as one of those actors that’s always able a villain.  However, this may be the first film, where even though his resume definitely helps it, he manages to be the least affecting on my enjoyment.  He does everything you would expect, except actually being integral to the tale in some way.  Even though they play up the fact that he’s after Robin, it never feels like a real fight.

The truth of the matter is that while this movie isn’t as bad as critics made it out to be it definitely wasn’t a great movie.  With a few good performances and a couple really good battle sequences that you’ll enjoy it does have some character problems here and there that will bother you.  However, I did enjoy myself watching the film throughout.

IMDB says 7.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes says 45%

I say 6.0/10