First, with top actors, like this film, it holds the attention well, but, it has a connection to the legend/myth of Robin Hood for one clear reason: the money guys in Hollywood wanted that hook for ticket sales. This is very annoying. They could have just called it 'A commoner nobly rallies the Barons and saves England from the French", but, alas, they would've had problems with that too. A) They fictionalize most of the facts about King John and King Philip, and B) the audience for flicks about English squabbles between King and Barons, and even the French, don't sell well.
Of course, Robin Hood is a fictional character. So, throw his name in there, re-write English history and add a woman doing something implausible and silly (really, showing up for battle against a French army and mounted knights leading a bunch of teens on Shetland ponies?) If they hadn't tried to tie it to Robin Hood and faked pivotal events of English history and a document vital to all western peoples, the Magna Carta, I might give if a 5 or 6 just on popcorn value and top actors. But, now all we will have is a generation of teens that are confused about both the myth of Robin Hood and a turning point in western democracy, the Magna Carta. Boo Hollywood. If you want to make a period piece from the time of King John and the Magna Carta, do it. Or Robin Hood. But both? A low even by money-is-king Hollywood biz standards.
Of course, Robin Hood is a fictional character. So, throw his name in there, re-write English history and add a woman doing something implausible and silly (really, showing up for battle against a French army and mounted knights leading a bunch of teens on Shetland ponies?) If they hadn't tried to tie it to Robin Hood and faked pivotal events of English history and a document vital to all western peoples, the Magna Carta, I might give if a 5 or 6 just on popcorn value and top actors. But, now all we will have is a generation of teens that are confused about both the myth of Robin Hood and a turning point in western democracy, the Magna Carta. Boo Hollywood. If you want to make a period piece from the time of King John and the Magna Carta, do it. Or Robin Hood. But both? A low even by money-is-king Hollywood biz standards.