ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES
A film review by Scott T. Eggimann
Copyright 1991 Scott T. Eggimann
Capsule Review: An exciting, captivating adventure film about the classic story of Robin Hood and his quest to fight evil and return justice to the poor people of England. Rating: +3 (-4 to +4); Worth the full admission price.
Many years have passed since I first read the story of Robin Hood and his band of merry men. Since then, the closest I've come to the story has been through Walt Disney's animated version. The story I remember is a childhood fantasy depicting the epic battle of good versus evil and the current movie holds onto that theme. This movie is not getting good reviews, and I'm not sure why.
Having a small background in European history during the Crusades certainly enhances the numerous references to that period, but it is not necessary for understanding and enjoyment.
Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) certainly follows all the steps of the classic hero. He goes off to fight with King Richard in his quest to convert the barbarians to Christianity. His decent to the underworld is where we first see him. Robin is a prisoner in a Turkish prison. His successful escape brings with him the Moor Azeem (Morgan Freedman) -- a little irony here, his enemy in the Crusades.
In the first ten minutes of the film, Robin is firmly established as a hero (in the literary sense). With this type of introduction, I was prepared for either a big let down or a continuation of this theme. I was not let down, Robin actually makes several symbolic trips to the underworld to turn this movie into an exciting adventure story.
The relationship between Robin and Azeem is a perfect union. Robin is a representative of the allegedly "civilized" English people and Azeem is a representative of the so called "barbarians." Ironically it is Azeem who shows the barbaric nature of the English people during King Richard's reign. Their relationship shows that two enemies can combine to fight a common foe; once in Turkey and again in England. The two learn from each other and provide the spark to lead other men to a cause greater than anything either of them had faced before.
Beautiful breathtaking scenes permeate this movie. One image is of Robin's father exiting his castle dressed in his black battle armor on top his black steed preparing to battle the overwhelming mob in front of him (reminiscent of the suicide scene in the beginning of DANCES WITH WOLVES, that Costner had just completed filming).
Humor is rampant through the movie. I was not prepared for the Sheriff of Nottingham. He is actually a very funny person, his facial expressions and comments are very comical. Once you accept that he can be a funny person and laugh at his humor, he becomes a much more enjoyable character. The Sheriff is a complex character who you can never quite figure out.
Leave your expectations at home about some of the more memorable stories of Robin Hood: I don't quite remember the whole story I read, but I don't remember any mentions of the Crusades, and I definitely don't remember the Moor Azeem. Robin says he's robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, but you don't really get to seem him giving away all that much. I guess the story had to be updated for a new generation. If this is the case, then I liked the updating.
One more thing... How come Robin did not have an English accent while everybody else did? I suppose an English actor or a language instructor for Costner would have made the small details of this movie more entertaining.
I left the theater wondering if the situation were reversed, if Robin would have followed Akeem to Azeem's homeland for saving his life. I think he would have. The successful relationship of the two is so strong that I could accept the reversal of situations. This isn't a one sided relationship, both friends learn from each other. Since these two play such an important role in the success of the movie, we must be able to believe they are sincere.
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