Writer: Low Yuen Yim

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Watch this if you liked: “Gladiator”, “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves”, “Lord Of The Rings” trilogy

Every director who takes up the challenge wants to reveal their own version of Robin Hood in mind when making a movie. Ridley Scott collaborates with Russell Crowe for the fifth time to present this 2010 reupdate on the famed Nottingham rogue. For a legend that has been retold many times, there is still room for continued public interest and this gives Ridley the opportunity to have another go at it with Russell Crowe as Robin Longstride.

Ridley presents a darker and more human Robin (Crowe) who serves in King Richard's army as an archer. When he was travelling back to England, he found a severely injured knight, Sir Robert Loxley (Douglas Hodge) and made a promise to bring his sword back to his father, Sir Walter Loxley (Max Von Sydow). Robin displays impressive archery skills that would make you forget all about Legolas!

Meanwhile, Lady Marion (Cate Blanchett) is no wishy-washy fair maiden but a strong-minded swearing woman who protects Nottingham when her husband Robert Loxley is away. Her willingness to take up arms is like Eowyn in "Lord Of The Rings", who doesn't refuse the battle armour when their country is under attack. At least this scene was not like a 'cut and paste' from LOTR where the talking Ent trees made a battle scene appearance in "The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian".

Not much screen time are allocated for the rest of the characters such as his band of Merry Men, the Sheriff of Nottingham and Friar Tuck. The whole film revolves around Lady Marion and Robin Longstride and both evoke a powerful presence on screen.

As this is a prequel to the legend, viewers might be wondering why is Robin known as Longstride instead. For cinemagoers who went in expecting to see how Russell Crowe fares as Robin Hood, "Gladiator" might come into mind with a much greener setting. All is explained in the end, making the whole story fall into place and how his name as we know it came to be.

Cinema Online, 11 May 2010