MOVIE REVIEW: Robin Hood (2010)

That was a solid, enjoyable movie, but not unique in any way whatsoever. ANYWAY. Here are some spoilery comments:

• I was actually much, much more interested in the palace intrigue than the Robin-Hoody stuff. Eleanor of Aquitane FTW! And also the French princess, Isabella! Or, perhaps, my recent GRRM readings trained me to key into things like that.
• I can't decide if my favorite line was Little John protesting, "I'm proportionate!" or King John proclaiming, "We go into battle! It's my first time. I'll lead!" Oh, boys.
• Robin/Marian was kind of sweet and also ridiculously contrived. But whatever. Cate Blanchett is pretty!
• Walter of Loxley can still draw blood in a duel while totally blind. RESPECT, SIR. RESPECT.
• There were all sorts of pieces that would be interesting to explore. Marian, pretty much holding the Loxley lands for ten years, with her blind and fierce father-in-law. The Lost Children, flickering in and out of the forest like wraiths. (THEY JUST WANT TO DANCE.) Robin's merry men, here to bring song and mead to the people, come what may. Friar Tuck, reluctant to pay taxes on his profitable bee business. Eleanor of Aquitane and Isabella, being manipulative and awesome. Robin and Marian, trying to convince the village he's Sir Robert, NO RLY! Marshall and the princes of the North, always disappointed in their kings. The bromance of King John and that dude that Mark Strong played, gone horribly wrong. Robin's dad, author of the Magna Carta!
• JUST SIGN THE MAGNA CARTA, KING JOHN. UGH. (Robin really should have had him sign it before the battle. He had a copy in his pocket and everything!)
• The poor Sheriff of Nottingham didn't really have anything to do, which is ironic, considering it was originally his movie.
• Marian leading the Lost Children into battle was RIDICULOUS. Absolutely ludicrous. Though I can understand the temptation to put a sword in Cate Blanchett's hand. I mean, who wouldn't?
• That ending was messy. Couldn't King John have signed the Magna Carta (and I looooved Isabella, because she did some excellent face acting behind him) and then outlawed Robin? That would have been more interesting, I think.

I liked the movie, despite its flaws. I would have liked to see Nottingham, but this version wasn't horrible.