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This was probably one of the most anticipated movies of the year so far. After making its debut at the Cannes Film Festival Robin Hood was pegged as a griping adventure about the origins of the legendary outlaw.
Was I as impressed with it as the rest of the world? Not quite! Don't get me wrong, there are elements I really enjoyed, but the whole concept of rehashing old films for a modern day audience is a futile exercise.
For those of us who are slightly older (sadly myself included) we already have a vision of what the character is like, we have notions of what to expect and sometimes we are set in our opinions.
Superman Returns is a prime example of what happens when you take a well-known character or story and try to reinvent it.
You lose everything special that you loved the first time round, and the new audience is often oblivious to the fact that it's been done better before.
The film focuses on the weary middle-aged archer returning from the doomed Third Crusade looking to live his way into anonymity with some gold he stole from the bier carrying the crown of dead king Richard I. However, instead he finds himself helping King John and the rebellious northern barons make peace for long enough to turn back the army of Philip II of France.
He also finds time to comfort the dead nobleman Robert Loxley's wife and blind father, in doing so he learns that his own long-dead father was a great democratic thinker, leading Robin to draft his very own version of the Magna Carta, albeit 16 years in advance of history.
Not to take credit away from Russell Crow (because I'm sure he'd want to fight me if he read this) but in my humble opinion he just didn't capture the essence of the character.
His performance was too hard and he didn't exude any of the charm I associate with the Prince of Thieves.
His portrayal was original but I didn't really see the need for yet another Robin Hood film, considering there have been numerous already ... including a fantastic Disney cartoon version, which in my opinion is still the best of the bunch.
Why is a cartoon version better than the other adaptations? It may have something to do with the fact that Brian Adams had nothing to do with the soundtrack!
This new film is so over-the-top in its seriousness that it often tips into shrillness: the recasting of Marion (Cate Blanchett) into an unsmiling warrior woman, the attempt to re-write the history of Richard I by presenting him as a fool and not the Lion Heart of legendary fame, these are just a few of the problems I had with the script.
