Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Nobleman crusader Robin of Locksley breaks out of a Jerusalem prison with the help of Moorish fellow prisoner Azeem and travels back home to England. But upon arrival he discovers his dead father in the ruins of his family estate, killed by the vicious sheriff of Nottingham, Robin and Azeem join forces with outlaws Little John and Will Scarlett to save the kingdom from the sheriff's villainy.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a broadly enjoyable but uneven blockbuster adventure. The plot hits all the expected beats of the Robin Hood legend with reasonable momentum but little surprise or depth. Acting is mixed — Alan Rickman's gleefully over-the-top Sheriff of Nottingham steals every scene but Kevin Costner's flat American accent and wooden delivery drag things down noticeably, with Morgan Freeman's dignified Azeem somewhere in between. Cinematography is competent and occasionally striking in its English countryside settings but not particularly distinguished for the era. Novelty is low — it's a fairly by-the-numbers retelling of a well-worn legend, with the Azeem addition providing some interest but not enough to elevate the distinctiveness. The ending resolves satisfactorily if predictably, with the requisite battle and romantic conclusion feeling earned but formulaic.