This $400M Kevin Costner Box Office Hit Is Best Version of Robin Hood Legend Out There
Robin Hood movies have never been of the highest quality, but this particular adaptation won the hearts of millions of viewers.
Summary:
- The Robin Hood movies have often disappointed viewers by following the same formula, but Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a breath of fresh air.
- Kevin Reynolds’ movie was a darker and spectacular version of the famous legend, with stars such as Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman in the cast.
- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is available to watch on Apple TV.
Unlike most legendary heroes who lived mainly in the 19th and 18th centuries, Robin Hood is a truly ancient character, first mentioned in the Middle Ages.
However, it was the writer who made Robin truly famous, namely Walter Scott, who made the wandering archer a character in his Ivanhoe. Of course, Hollywood could not ignore such a hero – and from 1908 it began production of astonishingly monotonous films.
This is not to say that all of this was completely unwatchable, but on average, the projects about Robin Hood looked the same: a more or less comic or melodramatic atmosphere, arrows flying out of nowhere. Oh yes, and the face of the Sheriff of Nottingham, distorted with hatred, as he had once again missed the owner of Sherwood Forest.
Kevin Reynolds’ Movie is a Darker Version of the Robin Hood Legend
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, an attempt by director Kevin Reynolds to take the classic Robin Hood story in a more serious direction in the early 90’s, resulted in a spectacular production with the brutal Kevin Costner in the main role.
Although the movie turned out to be quite dark and gritty, which contradicted the main concept of the vision of the famous character, it was a resounding success at the box office, grossing almost $400 million against a budget of $48 million.
While maintaining a generally standard plot, Reynolds added many new details to the familiar story, without which it is now difficult to imagine a historical picture of medieval Europe.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Has a Brilliant Cast
In addition to this, thanks to Kevin Costner, the medieval English robber spoke with the accent of Texas cowboys, which not only did not seem out of place, but added a special charm to Robin Hood.
In fact, the cast played a big part in the audience's love for this particular adaptation – popular actors were even cast in supporting roles.
In addition to Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater can be seen in the movie, but Alan Rickman deserves special mention.
Die Hard showed Hollywood that Alan Rickman was amazing at playing villains, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves cemented that idea in the minds of viewers.
As the eccentric Sheriff of Nottingham, Rickman steals every scene he's in. At the same time, the actor not only played the Sheriff brilliantly, but also rewrote almost all of his lines with the help of his playwright friends.
Where to Watch Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves?
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is available to watch on Apple TV.