Ridley Scott’s: Robin Hood (2010) Not Blackhawk Down but not bad either.

I must confess I did not have high expectations for this film at all. Perhaps it is because I was still polluted from Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (1991)—the rigidly formulaic tale of this tired story.

Be that as it may, once again Ridley Scott hit me for a six with his version of the Hood legend by providing a back-story to the traditional tale with the movie ending just as Robin begins his career as an outlaw.

The movie starts on the battlefield where Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) is an archer in King Richard the Lionheart’s army. Following a successful day of battle, Robin unwinds with his compatriots Will Scarlet (Scott Grimes), Allan A’Dayle (Alan Doyle) and Little John (Kevin Durand) but they manage to land in the stocks and are forced to sit out the next day’s battle. A battle where the King catches an arrow in the throat with his last request to return his crown to England. Robin and his men are freed from the stocks by a young boy to return home. All the while, the King Phillip of France plans to conquer England by enlisting the help of Sir Godfrey (Mark Strong). Godfrey, a traitorous Englishman with a French connection ambushes the Royal Guard. Robin and his men happen upon the ambush as it occurs and fight back, killing many while Godfrey escapes. Robin goes to Sir Robert Loxley whose last wish is for his sword to be returned to his father. The film then follows Robin as he returns to Loxley’s home of Nottingham with the impending French attack looking over England’s shoulder.

Hood Part I

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Robin then takes over the role of the dead Sir Robert Loxley in order to prevent land and other estates being turned over to the crown for lack of an heir. He also has the bonus of a ready-made wife Maid Marion—who needs some lessons on how to curtsy a lost art. As Robin begins with the charade he ends up filling the role of the real nobility quite well oozing Noblesse Oblige as the story progresses. Eventually there is a showdown between England and France and the mortal enemies made along the way. The movie also provides a bit of Girl Power in that Maid Marion dresses in full armor and fights in the last battle.

Hood Part II

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While a tired story, this film solidifies my perception of Ridley Scott as one of the premier period piece film makers of all time. Scott having already made Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven and of course Blackhawk Down, he continues to show us his cinematic eye. Each shot has such an authenticity that the audience can nearly smell the grimy earthiness of old England. Then Scott stages action scenes amongst this terrain. This may not be your mom’s Robin Hood, but it is the most exciting.

Naturally the film suffers from a lackluster story and nearly non-existent character development but is not a waste. Shot in such a way that suggests a true understanding of the period, the film keeps your eyes interested.

Also it was good to see William Hurt on the silver screen again.

 

Dr. H Calls in Wall Street–Money Never Sleeps

Dr. H called in his thoughts on Wall Street–Money Never Sleeps. Here is his take:

Finally Oliver Stone’s magnum opus hits the theater (so far) with mixed reviews from the critics.

It is, in the final analysis, worth seeing for all the attention to detail Stone has put in. But like most of Oliver Stone’s movies, the movie for all of its visual and narrative brilliance has one flaw–it does not have a soul.

Shia LaBeouf is a wrong choice for the younger lead role–too green behind the ears. DiCaprio would have been a better choice.

Ditto for the female. Amy Adams would have been a better choice.

To understand the movie’s sub plots — and there are many — nothing less than an MBA or preferably a PHD in economics would suffice. There is just too much talk about hedge funds for my liking.

There is just so much of the frantic New York pace you can take then you start feeling dizzy. My recommendation is wait for the DVD — the editor’s cut, not the director’s.

For what it’s worth. Dr. H.

 

Passenger 57—Get passage out of the theater for this one.

Oh my, it’s been too long since I reviewed a real piece of #^$@ movie, so I dug deep into my bag of tricks to find a really smelly film: Passenger 57. This one is agonizing to watch since it hurts on so many levels. The movie’s signature tag-ling/sound byte was Wesley Snipes saying “always bet on black.” How clever. That is what is put forth as the highlight of the movie—and even that is reaching. Even if the only thing you’re interested in when you watch an action movie is guns blazing and fight scenes, then this one still falls short because the movie repeatedly insists on descending into silliness, with a story that makes very little sense, even as action movies go.

PASSENGER 57 The Count

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Snipes plays John Cutter, a security expert who’s just been hired to be chief of security for Atlantic International Airlines. He boards a flight for Los Angeles not knowing that the FBI is transporting a vicious terrorist on the same flight. The opening scenes involving terrorist Charles Rane (Bruce Payne) and his attempt to escape the FBI by fleeing a plastic surgeon’s office, where he was apparently going to have his appearance changed, was so cliché and over acted it had established the nature of movie early on.

Naturally the rest of the movie is a back and forth Die Hard wannabe duel between snipes and the terrorist. So poor I can’t even recount on the site as it could be viral and affect the other reviews.

PASSENGER 57 Snipes oppressed by the southern law man

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This film has one redeeming quality. It’s very short. So short, in fact, that you’re actually pleasantly surprised when it ends. Surely that can’t be it, you muse for a moment, after Snipes has dispatched the chief bad guy. But yes, in an act of euthanasia for which the producers should be highly commended, its life support system is switched off and this turkey is given the quick death it so richly deserves.

In 2006 Wesley Snipes was indicted for tax fraud and he was found guilty of willfully failing to file his tax returns. Well the charge is a bit wrong – it’s the audience who’ve been defrauded by foolish excuse for an action movie. I apologize for having put you through this but I felt I owed it to you.