Robin Hood

The film opens upon a spectacular battlefield. Steely men from the pages history stare each other down as they prepare to engage in vicious battle and hand-to-hand combat. One man stands apart from the throng, noticeably distinct from all the rest. General Maximus, leader of the Roman army readies himself... wait, hold on... wrong movie. Unfortunately I think Ridley Scott also got confused during the filming of his new movie. The recently released Robin Hood bares many similarities to Scott's masterpiece, Gladiator (2000). Not the least of which is the main character, portrayed by Russell Crowe in both pictures. Crowe appears to have perfected the ability to display the nobility of the common man with uncommon valor. While the character of Robin was often known to crack jokes and make witty comments at King John's expense, in this update, Robin is more of the strong silent type.

As a film, Robin Hood is simply decent. A bit long with a tendency to drag, it is populated by epic action scenes, and highly regarded character actors. What Scott and Co. attempted is to create a realistic origin story for the lovable legend. That means King Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) is actually violent and egotistical, and King John (Oscar Isaac) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Matthew Macfadyen) both make appearances but are not the main villains. That distinction belongs to the French, and the English traitor Godfrey, played by the leering Mark Strong. Robin Hood returns home from the crusades right as the French are attempting to use political intrigue to split England in two. Of course impassioned speeches, ambushes, lovely maidens, and Scott's trademark ability to film a battle all ensue.

Like all Scott films, the technical side is well done. He knows how to shoot an adventure, and he knows how to shoot a period piece. The only complaint is that the pacing lags a bit in the middle. The cast side fares just as well. Crowe is always a solid lead, Cate Blanchett handles the role of Maid Marion with grit and aplomb, and Mark Strong is creating a really fun bad guy persona. Other notables include William Hurt, Max Von Sydow, Eileen Atkins combine with Danny Huston as they bring some acting cred to the table.

As adventure films go, it is well done. The film is entertaining, and well-acted. This particular film however, had a larger responsibility than that. Robin Hood is one of the most beloved legends of all time, and while Scott and Crowe provide a gritty and exciting update, they fail to revive any of the spirit and jauntiness of previous incarnations. The band of merry men, while frequently present, have little in the way of lines of character development. The bottom line is as a movie, Robin Hood is fine. As an update of an old story, it fails to live up to is predecessors.

20/30

Time to get linked in...

Hello again RA fans and followers. Sorry for the long layoff, but I am back at it, and ready with some links for your viewing pleasure.

News: Patrick Dempsey is joining the cast of Transformers 3. He will take on the role of the Megan Fox character's boss. LINK
RA's Take: Not interesting in and of itself (unless you're a big Dempsey fan), but look at the cast list for this movie now. It is pretty breathtaking. Which is all the more astonishing considering just how bad (and even offensive) the second one was. Can all of these A-list actors need money that badly?

News: Quick news story about Anthony Hopkins' next few roles. Apparently he just signed on to play an evil sorcerer in the upcoming Arabian Nights. LINK
RA's Take: I love watching Hopkins, especially in weird villain roles. He can bring so much menace to a character. Count me in.

News: A Morena Baccarin interview with Movieline where she discusses her tv show V, and Joss Whedon's directorial abilities. LINK
RA's Take: Baccarin first stole my heart as Inara from Whedon's tv series Firefly, and the ensuing film, Serenity. I would listen to her talk on just about any topic, but especially Joss Whedon. At least for the purposes of this blog.

News: Danny McBride and Aziz Ansari are joining forces again. They have the upcoming 30 Minutes or Less, and now, an untitled project they are working on with 30 Rock writer, Matt Hubbard. LINK
RA's Take: This should be great news. Both are on hot streaks right now, and are pretty hysterically funny on their own. Hopefully they bring out the best in each other.

News: With the release of Robin Hood looming, here is a really nice NY Times piece on Ridley Scott. It breaks down the director's career and examines his relationship with frequent collaborator, Russell Crowe. LINK
RA's Take: Ridley Scott is one of my favorites. Despite less than consistent critical acclaim, the man makes extremely watchable movies. Alien and Blade Runner are two of my all-timers when it comes to sci-fi. I will be one of the first in line for Robin Hood.

Ali

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. 

Rumble young man, rumble.

This immortal battle cry, so closely associated with its author, the boxing legend Muhammad Ali, not only evokes images of his boxing style, but also provides an apt description of his biographical film. The 2001 movie, Ali, dances around Ali's life, much like the lightening quick Ali would move in the ring. But when the critical moment arrives, both the film and the boxer know when to strike. 

Michael Mann's vision of Ali's life stays mainly within the confines of the most public part of his life. It opens in 1964 just before Ali won the heavyweight title for the first time from Sonny Liston. It then covers his relationship with the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X, his refusal to be drafted, and his eventual return to boxing, including Ali-Frazier 1 and ending with the Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman in 1974. The boxing historians who are searching for an encyclopedic recounting of Ali's career will be sorely disappointed here, as many of Ali's fights are barely even mentioned. Ali's second two bouts with Frazier, all three fights with Ken Norton, and the Cleveland Williams fight are all passed over. At two hours and forty minutes, the film could barely afford to cover what it did.

Mann is well known for his visual style of filmmaking. His tendency to elongate shots and draw out isolated images is on full display here. Despite several beautiful moments, there are times when Ali starts to drag. Mann does handle the boxing scenes well however. They are not only realistic, which is a rarity for boxing movies (I'm looking at you Rocky), but they capture Ali's style and personality in the ring as well. One of the best scenes in the movie is the weigh-in for the first Sonny Liston fight because it showcases one of Ali's most potent weapons. Psychological warfare. 

Mann also spends a great deal of time documenting Ali's relationships with those around him. Malcolm X (a friend and mentor), Drew "Bundini" Brown (his motivator), Angelo Dundee (his manager), the sportscaster Howard Cosell, and three of his four wives all receive ample screen time to showcase all the interesting people that flocked to Ali like moths to a flame. And make no mistake, in a film filled with luminaries, Muhammad Ali is the brightest of all.

The saving grace of this film is the acting. Will Smith plays Ali and has his mannerisms down to a science. The story goes that Smith refused to play the role until Ali called him and asked him to personally. What resulted was a wonderful, Oscar nominated performance really gets to the heart of this larger than life figure. Jamie Foxx as Bundini, Mario van Peebles as Malcolm X, and Jon Voight, who also received an Oscar nom, as Howard Cosell are excellent as well. Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith's real life wife, also deserves mention for her role as of Ali's wives. 

Ali is far from perfect, but it creates a insightful look at one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century. The narrative struggles a bit, as Mann tries to construct a beginning, middle, and end from the events in Muhammad Ali's life, but the subject material and the acting make this more than worthwhile.

22/30