Blu-Ray Review – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Many white Americans seem obsessed with tracing their genealogies back through Europe. Indeed, a visit to Scotland isn’t complete without bumping in to at least one person from the ‘new world’ who is searching for their ancestral home. While history is perennially popular, so are myths and legends. The likes of Kind Arthur and Robin Hood. The latter has appeared on the big and small screens in many forms. None quite like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) returns home from the Crusades with Azeem (Morgan Freeman), his Moorish companion, to discover that his father has been murdered and their estate is in ruins. Falsely accused of witchcraft by the sinister Sherriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). He vows revenge, joining up with a band of outlaws who make the forest their home. The young man also falls for the charms of the beautiful Maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio).

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves takes a medieval English legend and Hollywoodizes it. Robin is turned into a wise-cracking nobleman from a different myth. Most of the other characters are equally abused. The dialogue is juvenile, the plotting is basic. The only thing it’s missing are dancing chimneysweeps. There are bright spots amongst the designer muck. Rickman is given licence to go full panto villain while it’s shot in a way which makes it at least occasionally entertaining. If you’re after a bit of nostalgia, then Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves could be up your street. Otherwise, look elsewhere.

Product Features:

Brand new 4K restorations of both the theatrical and extended cuts from the original negative by Arrow Films

High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of both cuts

Limited Edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper

60-page perfect-bound illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jackson Cooper and Mark Cunliffe

Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper

Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by José Saccone

Six double-sided, postcard-sized artcards

Original uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Audio commentary with director Kevin Reynolds and actor Kevin Costner

Audio commentary with actors Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater and writers/producers Pen Densham and John Watson

Here We Are Kings: Making Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – a brand new, multi-part documentary featuring brand new interviews with Densham, Watson, director of photography Douglas Milsome, editor Peter Boyle, costume designer John Bloomfield and many more members of the creative team

Robin Hood: The Myth, the Man, the Movie – an archival 1991 documentary hosted by Pierce Brosnan

One-on-One with the Cast – archival 1991 interviews with Costner, Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Slater and Alan Rickman

Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” performance at Slane Castle, Ireland

Music soundtrack cues

Theatrical trailer

TV spots

Image gallery

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is released on limited-edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray by Arrow Video on 28 November.

Written by Backseat Mafia