"Robin Hood" Movie Trailer Review (Another Opinion)

By our guest blogger, Rob Stammitti

Director Ridley Scott seems to have a deep adoration for period-based action films. I haven't seen "Kingdom of Heaven," and though I used to quite like "Gladiator," I've become more and more ambivalent toward it lately. He follows up these two epics with another collaboration with Russell Crowe in "Robin Hood," an epic about the legendary outlaw who allegedly saved England from tyranny in the 12th century.

The trailer shows us very little, but it's easy to see Scott is continuing with the tone he set in "Gladiator," making Robin Hood a very righteous and ponderous character. It's odd Scott decided to take the film in this historically considerate, straight-laced direction considering his original plan was to make a film about the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robin's infamous nemesis) with Crowe as Nottingham.  The idea was for Crowe to portray the man in a more anti-heroic way as opposed to his typical villainy. It's a shame it didn't work out, because do we really need another Robin Hood movie?

Still, Scott certainly has a talent for balancing action and drama, and with such a fantastic cast (Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong, William Hurt, Danny Huston and Max von Sydow joining Crowe), it's hard not to expect something fun to watch in the very worst case.

After really impressing me with last year's "Body of Lies" (which was Scott's first outing with Mark Strong, who seems to be the perfect go-to guy for villains lately), I'm willing to give Scott the benefit of the doubt with this one.

"Robin Hood" will be released May 14, 2010.

View the trailer for "Robin Hood" below. Thoughts?