Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (173)

Content

Templar Silks

Elizabeth Chadwick

9.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

William Marshal has reached the end of his long and glorious life. On his deathbed at his manor in...

Historical Fiction Templar Knights Jerusalem Crusades

The Passion of Dolssa

Julie Berry

10.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Dolssa is a young gentlewoman with uncanny gifts, on the run from an obsessed friar determined to...

David McK (3227 KP) rated Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) in Movies

Sep 20, 2020 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

1991 | Action, Drama, Romance

7.0

(17 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

The last truly enjoyable Robin Hood movie, mostly because of Alan Rickman's sneering and preening Sheriff of Nottingham ("no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas!"), even if Costner can't do an English accent ("This is true English courage", said with a Californian drawl), that it has no understanding of English geography (apparently Nottingham is only a few miles walk from Dover) or that it is darker than you remember (ending with, essentially, an attempted rape scene).

For all that, however, this - at least - attempted to deepen and add some context to the Robin Hood legend - I think this may be the first where Robin returns from the Crusades with as Moorish companion? - and has a killer soundtrack by both Michael Kamen (especially the overture) and Bryan Adams (with *that* song in the end credits).

Kudos

David McK (3227 KP) rated Kingdom of Heaven (2005) in Movies

Feb 5, 2022

Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

2005 | Drama, History, War

7.4

(22 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Watch the Directors Cut instead.

I remember that, back in the early 2000s, there was a sudden surge in the 'Historical epic' sub genre of movies, largely as a result of 2000s 'Gladiator'

This was one such movie.

Set in a little known period of history, between the Second and Third Crusades, this follows the exploits of the blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom), who follows his estranged father Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson) to Jerusalem to attempt to atone for his sins.

Of course, being a movie, he then goes on to be involved in many great events, from shipwreck to meeting Saladin and (eventually) leading the defence if Jerusalem.

Not bad, but maybe a bit long and slow, with The Directors Cut doing a better job of tying the themes together, including a whole subplot largely dropped from the theatrical release regarding the romance he becomes involved in.

Kudos

Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) in Movies

Aug 9, 2019

Everything (0 more)

No sequel (0 more)

You have to be a real man to wear tights!

Cary Elwes stars a robin hood in this comical retelling of the legendary hero who after returning to England after fighting in the crusades and then being captured, enslaved only to escape from prison in Jerusalem and seim home to England (what a guy ;) ) to find that the evil Prince John (Richard Lewis) has confiscated his family estate and is following the script and ruining Nottingham. Robin enlists his family's loyal blind servant Blinkin (Mark Blankfield), Will Scarlett O'Hara (Matthew Porretta) and Little John (Eric Allan Kramer) to help rebel. Robin also hopes to woo the beautiful Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck), but her chastity belt may prove a challenge (and her keeper)

Great jokes, Mel Brooks, hilarious performances, subtle nods and a robin hood who can speak with an England accent.

A classic spoof on the legend who had it coming.