Robin Hood is a character who frequently returns to Hollywood, played by everyone from Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman to Taron Egerton and Andrew Garfield in recent years. None of these cinematic adventures, however, have come close to the success of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, the 1991 blockbuster starring Kevin Costner as the title character, and Alan Rickman as his unforgettable nemesis. While it has its quirks, Robin Hood has everything you want from a big studio adventure movie, with flying arrows and fiery romance making for a truly nostalgic watch for fans of ’90s cinema. If you liked the retro escapades of The Mummy, this should be next on your must-watch list.
‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ is An Action-Packed Classic
Prince of Thieves takes the basic framework of previous Robin Hood stories and gives it an action movie twist. Here, Robin (Costner) returns to England after being imprisoned during King Richard’s crusades, only to find his family killed and the country taken over by the scheming Sheriff of Nottingham (Rickman). Bringing together a band of outlaws, Robin leads a rebellion against the Sheriff in order to avenge his father’s death, and fulfill a promise to protect Maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio).
Previous movies have framed Robin Hood as a cavalier rogue, robbing the rich to give to the poor. Errol Flynn was perhaps the archetypal portrayal of the character, but Costner took him in a different direction. His Robin is an action hero, leading daring heists, firing flaming arrows at his enemies, and never backing down from confrontation. Prince of Thieves reimagines the hero of Sherwood Forest as an action lead, and the movie itself is a battle between good and evil with daring stunts and massive special effects. It’s a crowd-pleaser, proving a streaming hit over three-and-a-half decades on from its cinema release.
Kevin Costner Became the Unlikely Hero of Sherwood Forest
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While it is a deeply enjoyable Hollywood adventure, even the most ardent fans would have to admit that the film is not exactly faithful to the legend of Robin Hood. Chiefly, Costner kept his American accent for the quintessentially English role. According to a set report from the time, the star wanted to use an accent, but director Kevin Reynolds felt it would be distracting to hear one of the most American stars of the moment with a different voice. The result is a largely American delivery with the occasional English pronunciation thrown in.
It’s been the subject of some ridicule, but in the years since, it somewhat adds to the charm. This is a high fantasy movie, loosely based on legend, and the fact that Costner uses his own accent adds to the sense that this is Hollywood’s take on Robin Hood. If you’re looking for a history lesson, this may not be for you. However, if it’s big-screen fun you’re after, let Robin and his merry men sweep you off your feet (along with Bryan Adams’ record-breaking theme song, “(Everything I Do) I Do it For You.”
Alan Rickman is One of the Best Villains of All Time
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Image by Warner Bros.As the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, Alan Rickman gave perhaps one of his best performances as a bad guy. Having stolen the show as the antagonist of Die Hard a few years earlier, he was the perfect choice for the vindictive and sarcastic counter to Costner’s heroics. While undoubtedly foreboding, he was also darkly funny. Many of his scenes are quoted to this day, such as the threat to “cancel Christmas,” and baffling his henchman (Michael Wincott) with the threat to cut Robin Hood’s heart out with a spoon. “Why a spoon, cousin?” his conspirator asks, to which he snaps “because it’s dull, you twit! It’ll hurt more!”
The sharp dialogue is partly due to the fact that Rickman himself had a hand in rewriting the script. In 2015, he confessed that he was so unhappy with how it read that he recruited friends to help edit his lines. It worked, because Rickman’s performance simply stands above everything else in the film. As with so many of his other performances, he is charismatic, quick-witted, and the kind of bad guy that you secretly root for. No wonder that, following his untimely death in 2016, this was one of the roles most fondly remembered.
While other interpretations of the character have been hit-or-miss, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has endured in popularity because it is an old-fashioned Hollywood tale of courage, romance, and brotherhood. Just as the real life figure is more myth than fact, Costner’s film creates a historically fuzzy, but nonetheless entertaining movie that only serves to heighten the legend.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
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