Kevin Costner plays Robin of Locksley as a nobleman returned from a prison in Jerusalem, and Morgan Freeman plays Azeem, the Moor who swears a life debt to him. Together they return to England to find the Sheriff of Nottingham has killed Robin’s father and ruined his family estate. The film wants to be a serious, adult take on the legend, and it mostly fails to pull it off.
Trailer, via Warner Bros. Rewind.
A Prison Break and a Debt
The setup is strong. Robin escapes from Jerusalem with Azeem, who owes him a life debt after saving Robin’s comrade Peter Dubois. Back in England, Robin learns his father has been killed by the Sheriff, and he swears to protect Peter’s sister Marian. That vow drives the whole story, and it should hold the audience’s attention. Instead the film spends too much time on side characters and filler fights.
For the good of all men, and the love of one woman, he fought to uphold justice by breaking the law.
Christian Slater plays Will Scarlett as a bandit who refuses to trust Robin, and Brian Blessed plays Lord Locksley, Robin’s father. Alan Rickman plays the Sheriff of Nottingham, and he is the best reason to watch the film. His performance earned him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and it shows in every scene he gets. He brings a cold, cruel intelligence to the part that the rest of the movie struggles to match.
Sherwood Forest and the Band of Outlaws
Robin, Azeem and Duncan flee into Sherwood Forest, where they meet Little John, the outlaw leader whose son Wulf Robin had saved earlier. The bandit Will Scarlet joins them, and together they form a group that robs rich travelers and distributes the stolen wealth among the poor. Friar Tuck joins the band after being coerced, and Marian offers Robin support even though she sees little need for his protection.
The forest scenes are the film’s strongest stretch. They capture the legend’s sense of a hero hiding among common folk while the Sheriff hunts him. The robberies and the distribution of stolen goods feel like a genuine threat to the Sheriff’s power. This is where the movie comes closest to the spirit of the original tale.
A Mixed Reception
The film grossed $390.5 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 1991. That number does not measure quality. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, and our own score reflects that split: 5.1 out of 10.
Bryan Adams’ theme song “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song and won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. That song stands apart from the film itself, which never quite matches its ambition.
Our Verdict
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has a great premise, a strong villain and a memorable performance from Alan Rickman. It also has a running time of 143 minutes that drags in the middle, and a plot that loses focus on Peter Dubois’ sister Marian after her introduction. The film’s best scenes are the ones that stick closest to the legend, but it never fully commits to being either a faithful retelling or a bold reinvention.
Rickman carries the picture, and the forest sequences work. Everything else sags. The film deserves credit for trying to treat the legend with gravity, but it never quite earns that respect from start to finish.
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