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"ROBIN HOOD (2010)"
(2010) (Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchet) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Moderate Extreme Moderate Extreme
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Heavy None Heavy Mild Minor
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy None Extreme Moderate Extreme


QUICK TAKE:
Drama/Action: A late 12th century royal archer assumes the identity of another man in order to help a woman save her land, all while contending with the new king and his treacherous advisor who's actually plotting against the crown and the rest of England.
PLOT:
It's 1199 and King Richard the Lionheart (DANNY HUSTON) is plundering his way across France on his way back to England following the crusades. Among those in his army is Robin Longstride (RUSSELL CROWE), a proficient archer, and his small team including Will Scarlet (SCOTT GRIMES) and Allan A'Dayle (ALAN DOYLE).

They're soon joined by fellow soldier Little John (KEVIN DURAND) in the stockade when Robin is asked to freely speak his mind about the King's behavior. When King Richard is struck dead, Robin and his men escape and then come across a group of knights who've been ambushed. Realizing they can fake being knights to assure safe passage back to England, Robin also promises to fulfill a dying man's wish to return a sword to his father.

Before they get there, however, Robin delivers the crown to the late king's mother, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (EILEEN ATKINS), all of which means Richard's younger brother, Prince John (OSCAR ISAAC) -- who's planning on divorcing his barren wife in favor of Isabella of Angoulême (LEA SEYDOUX) -- is now king.

John immediately dismisses William Marshal (WILLIAM HURT) from his post and relies solely on his lifelong friend, Godfrey (MARK STRONG), for advice. Little does he know, however, that Godfrey is secretly conspiring with the King of France to turn the Brits against their new ruler so that the French can invade and more easily conquer them.

Unaware of this, Robin continues on his quest to return the fallen knight's sword to Sir Walter Loxley (MAX VON SYDOW) of Nottingham. A blind and elderly baron, he grieves Robin's news about his son, but wants him to pretend to be that man -- who's been gone for more than 10 years in the Crusades -- and thus pose as the husband to Walter's daughter-in-law, Marion Loxley (CATE BLANCHETT).

She's initially against the idea, but realizes she needs him not only in order to save her 5,000 acres should Walter pass away, but also to help her deal with the Church -- locally represented by Friar Tuck (MARK ADDY) -- and the law embodied by the Sheriff of Nottingham (MATTHEW MacFADYEN). As Robin settles into that role, he must also contend with Godfrey's treacherous plan that soon makes its way to both Nottingham and the coastal shores with the arrival of the French navy.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're into big action spectacles, films by director Ridley Scott or are fans of anyone in the cast or anything to do with the Robin Hood character and legend, they might be enticed.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For violence including intense sequences of warfare, and some sexual content.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • RUSSELL CROWE plays a late 12th century royal archer who assumes a dead man's identity, not only to help him and his men have safe passage back to England following King Richard's death, but also to provide personal and possession protection for Marion, to whom he poses as her husband upon Walter's request. Proficient in battle, he wounds and kills various people along the way in the name of self-preservation and saving his country. He drinks some.
  • CATE BLANCHETT plays a self-sufficient and outspoken woman who's had to tend to her 5,000 acres without the benefit of her husband who's been away for nearly all of their marriage in the Crusades. When she learns of his death, she reluctantly allows Robin to pose as her husband to protect her land, although she's quite capable of defending herself against any number of threats.
  • MAX VON SYDOW plays her father-in-law, a wise but blind, somewhat frail and elderly baron who asks that Robin pose as his late son for said reasons. He drinks some and informs Robin about the archer's past.
  • WILLIAM HURT plays King Richard's political advisor who's relieved of his duties by John once he assumes the throne. Nonetheless, William continues to work in the background to try to thwart Godfrey and France's plan.
  • MARK STRONG plays the new king's lifelong friend who's secretly conspiring with the King of France to turn the Brits against their ruler and thus divide them to the point of easy defeat. He kills or is responsible for the murder of many people.
  • OSCAR ISAAC plays the unorthodox new king of England who's cheating on and planning to divorce his barren wife in favor of Isabella, raises taxes on the poor, and allows Godfrey to dictate much of his policy, unaware of the treacherous ramifications of that.
  • DANNY HUSTON plays the King of England at the beginning of the film who's plundering his way across France on the way back to England following the Crusades. Although he seems open to hearing Robin's honest opinion of his behavior, he doesn't like what he's told.
  • EILEEN ATKINS plays his mother who isn't happy about the way Prince/King John is behaving.
  • MARK ADDY plays Nottingham's unorthodox Friar who keeps bees and is handy with alcohol when it's requested.
  • MATTHEW MacFADYEN plays the Sheriff of Nottingham who bullies the locals but is a coward when facing any threat.
  • KEVIN DURAND, SCOTT GRIMES and ALAN DOYLE play Robin's loyal men and fellow combatants who, when not in battle, enjoy the company of both spirits and women.
  • LEA SEYDOUX plays a French aristocrat who's sleeping with Prince John in hopes of becoming his next wife.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this dramatic action pic that's been rated PG-13. There's no profanity, but a few religious and colorful phrases are uttered, as is some non-explicit but sexually related dialogue. An unmarried couple is partially seen fooling around (with brief nudity -- partial breast & male butt), while off-screen sex (or at least fooling around) is implied.

    All sorts of medieval style violence is present, with people being wounded or killed by various weapons in battles of various sizes, but without a great deal of blood (to keep things in the PG-13 range). That said, those scenes and moments of peril (including an attempted rape) could be unsettling and/or suspenseful to some viewers, while the fighting, stunts and other action might be enticing for kids to imitate.

    Bad attitudes are present, as is tense family material, while characters drink in several scenes. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

    For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there are varying amounts of camera movement from time to time in the film.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • King Richard has a drink and tells his assistant that he should drink and laugh (others there also drink).
  • The French king has a drink.
  • After being shot through the neck with an arrow, a mortally wounded King Richard asks for wine, has some, and then dies.
  • Robin and his crew drink.
  • One of the men asks Friar Tuck about alcohol, and the friar collects money from the three men and then asks them if they know about mead.
  • Marion pours alcohol for Sir Walter and Robin after Sir Walter asks for more. When Sir Walter (who's blind) asks Marion if Robin is handsome, she says yes, like a yeoman when sober. Moments later, Sir Walter asks for more wine.
  • Robin's crew and others drink, with one singing about mead.
  • Friar Tuck and Robin have mead and/or grain alcohol.
  • Robin and Friar Tuck share some sort of alcohol.
  • Robin, Sir Walter and others drink.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • The French king accidentally cuts his hand shucking an oyster, with some blood on his palm as well as the oyster, with Godfrey then making the motion of eating the latter.
  • We see an arrow sticking out of King Richard's neck after he's shot there, but no related blood.
  • A man who's been impaled by a spear has a little blood in his mouth.
  • Robin fires a long distance arrow shot that grazes Godfrey's face (bloodying it) as he races away on horseback.
  • Robin has a little blood on his palm after a sword handle nicks him.
  • We see a gash wound on Godfrey's face from where Robin's arrow earlier nicked him.
  • We see a little blood in the mouth of one person who's been attacked by Godfrey's men.
  • We see some rats crawling around food (viewers might be grossed out by that).
  • Godfrey has a little bit of blood on his head after being sliced there.
  • During a battle, we see some blood mixing with water in a few underwater shots, while Robin has blood on his face that drips down on Marion's face as he rescues her. King John also has a little blood on his face from that battle.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • When the Queen catches her son in bed with Isabella, Prince John states his wife is barren as a brick and that the Pope will annul the marriage so that he can be with Isabella.
  • When asked by King Richard to be honest about the king's past behavior, Robin comments on a massacre ordered by King Richard. That results in Robin, his men and Little John being locked in stocks.
  • Godfrey is Prince John's lifelong best friend, but is really conspiring with the French king to help overthrow King Richard (and then King John) by turning the English against themselves before attacking them.
  • Robin and his crew pose as knights (and Robin takes a dead man's name as his own) so that they can arrange to sail back to England.
  • Godfrey orders his lieutenant to get rid of (kill) Robin for knowing too much.
  • The Sheriff manhandles and tries to put Marion in her place, including telling her that her husband is probably dead.
  • King John yells at his mother for past actions, prompting her to slap him.
  • King John fires William for suggesting King John be reasonable about taxing the people.
  • Robin goes along with Sir Walter's plan that he pretend to be his son and, more importantly, Marion's husband so that she doesn't lose her 5,000 acres of land upon Sir Walter's passing.
  • About getting women to be attracted to them, one guy states to start with the homely one next to the pretty one first.
  • Godfrey and his men threaten castles and villages and such that if they don't pay up, Godfrey and his men will burn their places down.
  • Godfrey's lieutenant traps and tries to rape Marion.
  • King John breaks his word/promise to others to relinquish some of his power over to them, and then names Robin as a wanted outlaw.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling and/or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.
  • We see some rats crawling around food (it's not really scary, but it might unsettle or gross out viewers).
  • Godfrey's lieutenant has locked Marion into a room and seems intent on raping her, removing some of his outer layers before pushing her back to a wall. She then seems ready to comply, partially pulling up her dress. As he kneels with his head down in that area, she stabs him in the upper back with a knife. As he stands, she then kicks him back down onto the floor.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Swords/Spears/Knives/Arrows/Mallets: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Bastards," "You little bastard," "You ignorant bastards," "It's bloody expensive," "Old fool," "Are you mad?" "You insolent wretch" and "That's a lot of French."
  • The fighting, stunts and other action might be enticing for some kids to imitate.
  • Robin throws water onto his crew to awaken them.
  • Godfrey shaves with a knife and nothing to serve as shaving cream.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A heavy amount of suspenseful and ominous music occurs in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • Little John wants Allan to sing a song about big women, so he starts with a few rhyming lyrics, but is interrupted before saying (what's implied will be) "t*ts."
  • Robin's crew and others drink, with one singing about mead.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 1 use each of "Christ," "For the love of Christ," "Holy Christ" and "My God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • We hear female giggling coming from Prince John's chambers, as does a maid listening at the door. The Queen then arrives, comments on there being a French "pastry" inside, and marches in. We see movement under the sheets that she then pulls back to reveal Prince John and Isabella rolling around (including a brief and partial bare breast view for Isabella). The Queen wants him to get up, but he states he's in a condition (meaning having an erection -- not seen) that a mother should not see with her son. However, he then does stand in front of her nude (we see a brief and partial bare butt view), while Isabella gets up with a sheet wrapped around her. He also comments on his wife being barren as a brick and then makes a comment (about Isabella) about "bed her and wed her."
  • Little John wants Allan to sing a song about big women, so he starts with a few rhyming lyrics, but is interrupted before saying (what's implied will be) "t*ts."
  • Marion sees various wild and shirtless male teens running through a field.
  • Little John jokes about Will cohabitating with sheep, and then makes a slight pelvic thrust and sheep sound to mock him.
  • We see Robin's point of view looking at Marion's rear in her dress (nothing explicit).
  • Sir Walter tells Robin that he stinks and needs to bathe. After that's prepared for him, Robin asks Marion if she can help him out of his mesh armor and such. She reluctantly does so, with him ending up shirtless, followed by her then leaving.
  • We see miscellaneous cleavage in a gathering, while Friar Tuck asks Little John why he's named that, and he replies with a non-explicit joke about his "size."
  • Needing to fool the staff that Robin is her husband, Marion reluctantly agrees to allow him to stay in her chamber at night. But she makes him sleep on the floor, telling him that she wears a knife and that if he makes a move to touch her, she'll sever his manhood. He then watches through shear curtains as she removes her clothing down to long bed clothing, but nothing explicit is seen.
  • We see Robin's crew, all shirtless and washing themselves outdoors, while the women (that they presumably slept with) come out (clothed), are seen by others, and then rush back inside.
  • We hear that Marion was married for just seven days before her husband left for the Crusades. Robin then asks, "A good knight?" and Marion thinks he means that as "night" (as in sexual), and responds that is was short but sweet, and then realizes what he meant.
  • Godfrey's lieutenant has locked Marion into a room and seems intent on raping her, removing some of his outer layers before pushing her back to a wall. She then seems ready to comply, partially pulling up her dress. As he kneels with his head down in that area, she stabs him in the upper back with a knife. As he stands, she then kicks him back down onto the floor.
  • Robin and Marion passionately kiss.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • When the Queen catches her son in bed with Isabella, Prince John states his wife is barren as a brick and that the Pope will annul the marriage so that he can be with Isabella.
  • A dying man makes Robin promise that he'll return a contentiously taken sword back to the man's father.
  • Robin states that his father abandoned him at the age of six, but we later learn this is a clouded and incorrect memory.
  • As Robin returns King Richard's crown, the Queen and Prince John learn of King Richard's death.
  • The Sheriff tells Marion that her husband is probably dead.
  • King John yells at his mother for past actions, prompting her to slap him.
  • From Robin's arrival, Marion learns that her husband is dead, while Sir Walter learns moments later that his son (the same man) is dead.
  • We hear that Marion was married for just seven days before her husband left for the Crusades.
  • We see a flashback memory of Robin as a young boy with his dad who's then executed by a man with a sword (we don't see the impact).
  • Upon being presented Sir Walter's sword, Marion realizes that means he's dead. We then see his body in an open casket atop a funeral pyre that's then set on fire (we see large flames, but none hitting his body before the scene ends).
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Marion speaking her mind in a time when women didn't do that.
  • The film's artistic license taken with real history as well as the Robin Hood legend.
  • The Crusades.
  • Life in the late 12 century.
  • Rule my monarchy.
  • Funeral pyres.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Figures raid Nottingham, knocking a door open, while Marion fires a flaming arrow in their direction, with it landing at the feet of a masked boy.
  • King Richard's men attack a heavily fortified castle, firing arrows at the guards on top who shoot arrows back, dump hot oil or tar over the edge, and drop rocks down toward the intruders. Various people are struck by arrows (including one in the face), but there's no blood. A boy places bags of something highly flammable on the large gate entrance, but ends up stuck hanging upside down, and Robin must avoid arrows to race up and rescue him. He and others then fire flaming arrows at those bags, causing whatever's inside them to explode.
  • After Little John accuses Robin of cheating at a shell game but is proven wrong, Robin punches him in the face. Little John overturns the table, followed by Robin kicking him back but then missing with subsequent punches. Little John then grabs Robin and spins him around, with Robin's feet then knocking someone down by accident.
  • The French king accidentally cuts his hand shucking an oyster, with some blood on his palm as well as the oyster.
  • We see another day of King Richard's army attacking the same castle, with a door rammed open and more arrows fired, including one through King Richard's neck, felling and mortally wounding him.
  • An ambush of a king's regiment begins with a tree being felled and landing on one man and his horse, followed by another tree going down. During this, arrows, spears and swords are used to attack the rest of the group, resulting in many deaths (but only a little bit of blood).
  • Godfrey's men ride at Robin and his men, and a weighted rope is thrown around a boy with them, and he's dragged off (we later learn he died from this or later action). Robin and his men then open fire on the attackers, shooting them with arrows, while Little John bashes some with a large pole or similar weapon. Robin then fires a long distance shot that grazes Godfrey's face (bloodying it) as he races away on horseback.
  • The Sheriff grabs Marion by the back of her head.
  • King John yells at his mother for past actions, prompting her to slap him.
  • Robin's crew captures a small array of men by aiming arrows at them, while Little John, hanging upside down from something, strikes two of those men.
  • Godfrey and his men threaten castles and villages and such that if they don't pay up, Godfrey and his men will burn their places down. At one stop, some arrows are fired down at them (but are blocked with shields), followed by Godfrey's men storming the place and striking various people (wounding or killing them, but there's no blood). We then see a montage of other such raids and attacks, including things being set on fire, people being attacked, and a large candle structure being cut and it lands on a person (one person during this part has a little blood in their mouth).
  • Angered upon hearing allegations of Godfrey's treachery, King John overturns and thrashes thing in his chamber. When he questions Isabella's accusation (told to her by the Queen), Isabella holds a knife to her heart to prove she's telling the truth.
  • We see a flashback memory of Robin as a young boy with his dad who's then executed by a man with a sword (we don't see the impact).
  • Godfrey's men raid Nottingham, with one rider running over a woman, another is sliced, and a third is run over as well, while Marion and others are grabbed. Various villagers are shoved and locked into a building that's then set on fire, while others are sliced and similarly attacked. At the same time, Godfrey calls out Sir Walter who takes blind swings at him with his sword, amusing Godfrey and his men until one such swing nicks Godfrey's head, slightly bloodying him. After having playfully hit Sir Walter a few times, Godfrey then drives his sword through Sir Walter, killing him. Friar Tuck, meanwhile, throws two beehives into a room and closes the door, thus setting the angry bees lose on the soldiers locked in there. Elsewhere, Godfrey's lieutenant has locked Marion into a room and seems intent on raping her, removing some of his outer layers before pushing her back to a wall. She then seems ready to comply, partially pulling up her dress. As he kneels with his head down in that area, she stabs him in the upper back with a knife. As he stands, she then kicks him back down onto the floor. After she's freed from there, she joins Robin and others in battling Godfrey's men, with various people being sliced, stabbed and hit with arrows, etc.
  • French troops arrive on the coast by boat, one of which capsizes. Robin's crew then fires a massive amount of arrows down onto the intruders, hitting many of them, including those in the water. More arrows are fired, followed by Robin, Marion, King John and others riding into battle, striking various French soldiers who fight back (all of that involving swords, mallets, more arrows, etc.). During this, we see some blood mixing with water in a few underwater shots. Marion then knocks Godfrey from his ride, but he pulls her down from hers and tries to drown her. Robin then shows up and does battle with him (swords) out in the water, and must avoid two ships on either side of him as they are washed together. Robin then surfaces and fires a long distance shot that hits Godfrey in the neck as he rides off, killing him. He then grabs Marion out of the water, and she initially appears dead from drowning, but then comes to.



  • Reviewed May 11, 2010 / Posted May 14, 2010

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