Themes: Heroic Mission, Knights and Ladies, Righting the Wronged
Main Cast: Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman
Release Year: 1991
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 150 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
This film is a '90s version of the classic Robin Hood story, with Kevin Costner starring as the good-guy thief. Costner is joined in his efforts against the murdering Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) by Morgan Freeman who plays a philosophizing Moor, and by Nick Brimble, who plays Little John (anything but little). After Robin barely survives a watery skirmish with Little John, the two become allies and Robin joins forces with Little John's band of robber thieves to overcome the evils of the dastardly Nottingham sheriff. ~ All Movie Guide
Geraldine McEwan - Mortianna; Michael McShane - Friar Tuck; Brian Blessed - Lord Locksley; Michael Wincott - Guy of Gisborne; Nick Brimble - Little John; Soo Drouet - Fanny; Daniel Newman - Wulf; Daniel Peacock - Bull; Walter Sparrow - Duncan; Harold Innocent - Bishop; Jack Wild - Morin; Christopher Adamson - Soldier; Sarah Alexandra - Small Girl; Imogen Bain - Sarah; Douglas Blackwell - Grey Bearded Baron; Susannah Corbett - Lady in Coach; John Dallimore - Broth; Derek Deadman - Kneelock; John Francis - Courier; Jimmy Gardner - Farmer; Michael Goldie - Kenneth; John Hallam - Red Headed Baron; Liam Halligan - Peter Dubois; Andy Hockley - Ox; Merelina Kendall - Old Woman; Andrew Lawden - Sergeant; Howard Lew Lewis - Hal; Bobby Parr - Villager; Pat Roach - Celtic Chieftain; Richard Strange - Executioner; John Tordoff - Scribe; Marc Zuber - Turk Interrogator
Credit
Fred Carter - Art Director, John Ralph - Art Director, Alan Tomkins - Art Director, Peter Young - Art Director, Ilene Starger - Casting, Michael J. Kagan - Co-producer, John Bloomfield - Costume Designer, Kevin Reynolds - Director, Stuart Baird - Editor, Peter Boyle - Editor, Gary Barber - Executive Producer, David Nicksay - Executive Producer, James G. Robinson - Executive Producer, Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score), Bryan Adams - Songwriter, John Graysmark - Production Designer, Douglas Milsome - Cinematographer, Pen Densham - Producer, Richard Barton Lewis - Producer, John Watson - Producer, Peter Young - Set Designer, Tip Tipping - Stunts, Pen Densham - Screen Story, Pen Densham - Screenwriter, John Watson - Screenwriter
Follow the path of one of history's most legendary thieves in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Based on the 1991 Kevin Costner movie of the same name, you'll experience much of the movie's action firsthand. Expect such scenes relived as the jailbreak from Jerusalem, Robin's return home to Locksley Castle and his fight with Little John, who then joins him on his quest to free England from the Sheriff of Nottingham's ironfist rule. Other Merrymen recruited by Robin throughout the course of the game include Azeem, Duncan and Friar Tuck.
The game's focus is action, but it contains RPG and adventure elements. For instance, talking to characters moves the story along, you must equip weapons and armor, and you will earn experience points, resulting in more hit points. Most of the action features your control of the Merryman of your choice as you travel through each screen's bird's-eye view perspective.
The view changes at times, however, with two other types of battle scenes. In melee mode, countless enemies mob Robin and his companions as each fights valiantly. You control only one, but have the option to choose between them. The other unique fighting mode features one-on-one duels pitting Robin against the likes of the prison guard, Little John and the Sheriff. Defeating the Sheriff results in the game's end, Robin's wedding to the lovely Marian.
~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide
Roots & Influences
Gameplay is obviously based upon The Legend of Zelda. The game was released to assist merchandising efforts associated with the 1991 movie, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
If ever a game has faced an identity crisis regarding its genre, it is Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Based on the 1991 Kevin Costner movie, the game can't decide exactly what it wants to be -- action, adventure or RPG.
Is it action? Backing this claim is the nonstop swordplay you face as either Robin Hood or one of his Merrymen. Most of this is in the bird's-eye, Legend of Zelda vein, but occasionally all hell breaks loose in the melee mode. Here, you'll face countless soldiers as every member of your party takes part while you control only one. This is both good and bad in that you get extra help at the cost of usually losing at least one of your men. It's interesting, though, how you can wipe out the Sheriff's soldiers with one blow or one arrow when they gang up on you as opposed to the two to five hits it takes to kill them outside of melee mode.
Is it adventure? As you progress through the game you'll encounter people who give you a sense of direction as where to head next, also helping to move the film-based story along. You definitely have a clear quest to fulfill in defeating the Sheriff of Nottingham. My only complaint here is that Robin Hood looks absolutely nothing like Kevin Costner. And is that Andre the Giant portraying Little John?
Is it an RPG? As you progress through the game, you'll attain hit points and experience points to assist you in advancing experience levels. You've also got items to collect and limited room with which to carry them. As with something like an AD&D game, you even equip your weapons hand by hand, place your armor on your body, etc. So it sounds like an RPG, right? I'd say so too until you learn one crucial detail -- you can't save! What kind of RPG doesn't allow you to save? Theoretically, you're supposed to play through the game from start to finish every time, even with a limited number of continues. The truth is, the game just isn't long enough to justify a save feature. At the same time, though, it is too long not to have a password option at least.
When you weigh out the options, I'd have to go with action by a nose since that's your primary focus in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. But the subject is open to debate. Go ahead and play it. It's not a great game, but it is a very good one. If you enjoyed the movie, the game complements it nicely (though, understandably, it strays from time to time). So what genre is it? You make the call.
~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
You're Robin Hood! How can you not enjoy it?
~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
The graphics are actually quite engaging.
~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
Decent sound effects accompany some pretty groovy tunes.
~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
If you don't use the password feature, odds are you'll know the game backwards and forwards by the time you get to the end.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a 1991adventure filmdirected by Kevin Reynolds. The film was marketed with the tagline "For the good of all men, and the love of one woman, he fought to uphold justice by breaking the law."
Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner), an English nobleman, joins King Richard "the Lionheart" in the Third Crusade. In Jerusalem, Robin is captured and imprisoned along with his comrade Peter. Robin engineers an escape, saving the life of a Moor, Azeem (Morgan Freeman) in the process; Peter dies in the attempt and has Robin swear to protect his sister Marian, (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). Robin returns to England with Azeem, who vows to accompany Robin until the debt of saving his life is repaid.
Robin returns to England to find his father dead, his home in ruins, and the Sherrif and his men oppressing the people. On his flight from the Sherrif's forces, he and Azeem meet with a band of outlaws hiding in the Sherwood Forest, led by Little John (Nick Brimble). Also among them is Will Scarlet (Christian Slater), who is later revealed to be Robin's illegitimate half-brother. Robin eventually assumes command of the band, encourages his men to fight against Nottingham and trains them to defend themselves. They begin to rob English soldiers and convoys that pass through the forest, then distribute the stolen wealth among the poor. One of their early victims is Friar Tuck (Michael McShane), who is impressed to also join the Merry Men. Robin’s successes infuriate Nottingham, who increases the maltreatment of his people, resulting in more support for Robin Hood despite Nottingham's attempts to defame him and ever-growing rewards on his head.
Finally, Nottingham has had enough. Hiring Celtic warriors to bolster his forces, he tracks down the outlaws' hideout and initiates a massive attack which destroys the forest refuge. He also restrains and confines Marian when she tries to summon help from France. Nottingham proposes to Maid Marian, saying that, if she accepts, he will spare the lives of the captured woodsmen and their families. Nevertheless, several of the rebel fighters - including Little John's youngest son - are to be executed by hanging.
However, despite his information, Robin and a handful of his most trusted aides did survive the assault. On the day of the Nottingham and Maid Marian wedding and the scheduled hangings, Robin and his men fight their way into Nottingham castle and free the prisoners. Robin kills Nottingham, avenging his father. With his guard down, Robin is attacked by Mortianna, who charges with a spear. Azeem throws his sword, slaying Mortianna and fulfilling his vow.
Robin and Marian profess their love for one another and marry in the forest. Their wedding is briefly interrupted by the return of King Richard I (Sean Connery), who blesses the marriage and thanks Robin for his deeds.
Deleted scenes
In the special edition DVD, it is revealed that Nottingham is actually the son of Mortianna. She kidnapped and murdered the real child of the Sheriff of Nottingham and substituted her own offspring to put her own seed on the throne of England by marrying him to a royal. This is hinted at in the regular cut of the film, when she speaks of Maid Marian: "She is ripe. She will give us a son." This development was left intact in the novelization.
Reception
Earning $165 million in the United States and $225 million abroad, it was second only to Terminator 2: Judgment Day in worldwide 1991 ticket sales. The movie received a mostly positive response from audiences. Critics were less kind. Roger Ebert called it "a murky, unfocused, violent and depressing version of the classic story, with little of the lightheartedness and romance we expect". New York Times critic Vincent Canby called it "a mess, a big, long, joyless reconstruction of the Robin Hood legend". The Washington Post called it "a chore to sit through". Costner's performance was consistently criticized as listless, even by those who liked the film. Entertainment Weekly gave the film an overall grade of B-, calling it pleasant escapism, but said "Costner delivers his lines in a languid, earnest torpor" and "sounding like he just woke up to answer the phone". Based on these reviews, Costner won his first Razzie Award as Worst Actor, while Christian Slater was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor.
By contrast, Rickman's darkly humorous performance as the Sheriff garnered wide praise, as did Morgan Freeman's as Azeem. In particular, media studies professor Jack Shaheen later included the film among his "Best" list in his book Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies A People, praising the portrayal of Azeem as a heroic, learned, and noble man.
Kenner produced a series of action figures for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991, which included eight figures, two vehicles, and one playset. The line is notable for having borrowed various parts from past Kenner toys, largely Super Powers Collection figure bodies. In addition, the Star WarsGamorrean guard body and the Ewok village playset and vehicles were also repackaged for Robin Hood. The figures closely shared style with Kenner's Dark Knight Collection released through 1990 and 1991.
Other merchandising for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was sparse but included 2 differently numbered sets of Toppstrading cards and a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game sold fairly well but was not released until 1992, due to a long debugging period. Outside of merchandise based on the film, other Robin Hood items released in 1991 included the PC gameThe Adventures of Robin Hood, and a re-release of the animated 1973 Disney film. There was also a cereal produced for the film, although its duration was short lived.
I have seen soldiers panic at the first sight of battle, and a wounded squire pulling arrows out from his wound to fight and save his dying horse. Nobility is not a birth right but is defined by one's action.
- Kevin Costner, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves
I have seen soldiers panic at the first sight of battle, and a wounded squire pulling arrows out from his wound to fight and save his dying horse. Nobility is not a birth right but is defined by one's action.
