Random news story of the day, week, month: The Hollywood Reporter say that The Wachowskis (The Matrix trilogy, Speed Racer) have penned the script and are set to direct ‘Hood,‘ a modern, urban take on the Robin Hood myth.

The report goes on to say that the pair are reaching out to actors, with Will Smith being one of those they’ve reached out to. Plot details are under tight lock and key at this early stage in the production. Expect to hear more about this project soon.

Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood is the origin myth of the heroic outlaw we all know and love, it pretty much functions as a prequel to the Robin Hood stories we have grown up on, this makes a more human and gritty Robin Hood than we’ve seen on screen before, especially compared to the sh*tty Kevin Costner version. Robin Hood serves as Director Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe’s fifth collaboration, and Ridley Scott’s third sword and sandal epic alongside the brilliant Kingdom Of Heaven and the EVEN more brilliant Gladiator. Although a sufficient addition to their fine collaborations, I left the screening with mixed feelings.

Parts of Robin Hood were a complete triumph, particularly the visuals, there is no doubt Ridley Scott is one of the finest film makers when it comes to making you believe you are in the world he’s created, so many period drama’s look like CGI’fests, this film feels one hundred percent organic. Yet the score slightly took away from that, it had no heart at all, I was fully aware which points of the film I was ‘supposed’ to feel a certain way by a few plodding strings, this took a lot away from an emotional point of view, it didn’t mix well for me, visually I felt engrossed in the period, yet due to the music I kept remembering I was watching a film, which in cinema is a crime.

Another issue I had mixed feelings about was that I felt the film’s basic principles have been covered by Ridley Scott before in both Gladiator and Kingdom Of Heaven, particularly corruptive power, courage, humanity and the distortion of religion for profit, I’m not completely mad at that though, it is still a problem our current world faces, and it gives the film purpose, I just wished the script approached it a little more creatively. I think because it wasn’t dealt with originally I wasn’t as emotionally invested in the film as I was in his previous works, I wasn’t anywhere near as moved as I was in Gladiator, even though the film was thrilling and a lot of fun I always felt like I knew what will happen and that everything will be fine in the end.

Russell Crowe exudes the intense courage and humanity a figure like Robin Hood warrants, yet I was surprised by how little he was used, he doesn’t really say that much, and what he does say he mumbles, there was only one exceptionally stirring bit of dialogue I can recall – when he promotes the charter of liberties, which compared to ‘ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED‘ and ‘My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.‘ it’s not exactly wet your pants in excitement material! The film is crammed with great performances in general though, Mark Strong the current ‘rent a villian’ is great as the villainous Godfrey, and in fact every cast member pretty much cements their place as their particular character in the Robin Hood story.

Overall Robin Hood is a mixed bag, I would definitely recommend it, I just wouldn’t call it one of Ridley Scott or Russell Crowe’s better movies. If you enjoy great visuals, mixed with muddy action, heroism and great performances it’s a must. Robin Hood is in cinemas now.

7.5/10

How to make your movie automatically less sh*tty:

Rule #1- Give Russell Crowe a deadly weapon for him to walk around with.

Rule #2- See rule #1.

Here’s a Monday treat for you, 2 brand new posters for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 (I’m joking! ) Robin Hood. In the first one, Russell Crowe is sizing up a good ol’ head rolling decapitation and in the second one Cate Blanchett is looking intense as ever, while Russell Crowe is getting the whole blood on the face, gruff beard thing going on as we’ve seen before. It’s just a matter of weeks before this comes out now, Robin Hood is in cinemas May 14^th.

Oscar® winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as “Robin Hood”, whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness.  In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power.  And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people. The untitled Robin Hood adventure chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard’s army against the French.  Upon Richard’s death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion (Oscar® winner Cate Blanchett), a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest.  Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life.  Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff…

As the May 14^th release date of Robin Hood is slowly creeping nearer and nearer, a brand new featurette has been released with Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong and director Ridley Scott talking about what drives the character of Robin Hood. I’ve started to come of the fence with this one, which after considering how much I loved Gladiator is pretty dumb. From the clips I’ve seen Russell Crowe’s accent sounds a bit dodgy, to be fair though I’ll have have to hear it in context than just one liners here and there.

Out of all the trailers and clips for Robin Hood this one raised the bar and increased my interest in this massively. I was always gonna check it out, I’m highly susceptible to epic, sword and sandal’s films as it is, without even considering the fact that the Director (Ridley Scott) and Lead Actor (Russell Crowe) brought the world Gladiator, one of my favourite films. Check out the trailer below it won’t disappoint!

In Robin Hood, the Earl of Huntington (Crowe) has returned to his North English village after fighting in the Third Crusade. Upon arrival, the nobleman and his servants discover the oppression caused by Nottingham’s new Sheriff (Matthew Macfadyen). Robin along with his band of Merry Men use their intelligence and military skills to free his home village from tyranny and corruption by taking back what is rightfully his. Robin must also win the affection of the recently widowed Maid Marian (Blanchett), while attempting to lead a successful revolt.

The Domestic Trailer was released just a week ago, now today see’s the release of the International trailer, providing us with a lot more dialogue and an brief outline of the plot. So far reactions have been mixed in England to this (from what I’ve been hearing), which is kind of where I stand, on one hand it’s Russell Crowe he’s great at these roles (see Gladiator for proof) and Ridley Scott is not too shabby of a director when it comes to historical epics either (see Gladiator and Kingdom Of Heaven for proof). But on the negative side why isn’t Robin Hood an English actor (Sean Bean, Paddy Considine, Dominic West, Daniel Craig, Jim Sturgess, Christian Bale, Tom Hardy ect). I’m still definitely gonna check it out and after some thought I don’t give a monkeys what country the actor is from, as long as the film is good!

Robin Hood chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard’s army against the French. Upon Richard’s death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion , a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.

With their country weakened from decades of war, embattled from the ineffective rule of the new king and vulnerable to insurgencies from within and threats from afar, Robin and his men heed a call to ever greater adventure. This unlikeliest of heroes and his allies set off to protect their country from slipping into bloody civil war and return glory to England once more.

Check out the International Trailer for Robin Hood below – it’s pretty good! If this this half as good as Gladiator I won’t be too disappointed, I LOVED Gladiator. To be honest though I’m in two minds about this film, I really like Russell Crowe, for me he is one of the best  living actors, he has shown he can play this sort of roll brilliantly, the supporting cast (Mark Strong is one the most underrated actors of our generation) is also quality as welltop draw. The problem I have with this is that another non British actor is playing another iconic British character (not to mention the rest of the cast is very non British), I believe over the last 2 decades this country has produced enough quality actors to play roles such as Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes, there are a number of British actors that would be great as Robin Hood – Christian Bale (maybe Batman, John Connor and Robin Hood would be pushing it), Tom Hardy, Toby Kebbell (he’s from Nottingham!), Paddy Considine, Dominic West, Daniel Craig, Jim Sturgess and Tim Roth to name a few.

I’m probably being a little unfair, Imagine Entertainment in this current financial climate are spending  over $130 million on this film, they want to at least know they’ve got a bankable Oscar winner in Russell Crowe.  Also Ridley Scott is a GREAT Director who obviously knows a lot more about creating classic films than me – this is the man who brought the world Alien, Blade Runner and American Gangster! I guess we’ll have to wait and see,  the Film is due for release on May 14, 2010

A couple new set pictures have been released from Ridley Scott’s upcoming Film Robin Hood. (check more out here)

Robin Hood stars Russell Crowe (in his 5th collaboration with Scott) as Mr R. Hood, Cate Blanchett, Matthew Macfadyen, Mark Strong, William Hurt and Danny Hudson also feature.

To be honest I’m too sure about this, I really like Russell Crowe for me he is one of the best actors living actors, he has shown a number of times he can play this sort of roll brilliantly, I am also impressed by his dedication to this role and the supporting cast (Mark Strong is one the most underrated actors of our generation) is quality. The main problem I have is that another non British actor is playing another British icon (not to mention the rest of the cast being very non British), I believe over the last 2 decades this country has produced enough quality actors to play roles such as Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes, there are a number of British actors that would be great as Robin Hood – Christian Bale(maybe Batman, John Connor and Robin Hood would be pushing it), Tom Hardy, Toby Kebbell (he’s from Nottingham!), Paddy Considine, Dominic West, Daniel Craig, Jim Sturgess and Tim Roth to name a few.

I’m probably being a little unfair, Imagine Entertainment in this current financial climate are spending  over $130 million on this film, they want to at least know they’ve got a bankable Oscar winner in Russell Crowe. Also Ridley Scott is a GREAT Director who obviously knows a lot more about creating classic films than me – this is the man who brought the world Alien, Blade Runner and American Gangster! I guess we’ll have to wait and see, the teaser trailer should be released late December/January and the Film is due for release on May 14, 2010