--- title: "Robin Hood: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/robin-hood-2010/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/robin-hood-2010" critics_score: 52 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Robin Hood (2010): what the critics said Critics' score 52 from 14 reviews: 2 positive, 6 mixed, 6 negative. Most critics find Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood a competent, serious-minded origin story that is harder to enjoy than it ought to be. The praise, where it comes, goes to Scott’s robust handling of the battles, the castle siege and the climactic beach landing in particular, and to the supporting cast: Oscar Isaac’s Prince John and Cate Blanchett’s Marion are singled out more often than Russell Crowe’s Robin. The period production design and Marc Streitenfeld’s score also draw approving mentions. The reservations cluster on tone and plotting. The reviews call it joyless and overburdened with set-up, short on the merriment and playfulness the legend usually brings, and several say the historical muddle leaves Robin without a clear purpose. Crowe divides them: some admire the physical performance, others think he is simply miscast. The spread is wide, from Empire, which finds it refreshingly grown-up, to Eye for Film, which thinks it need not have been made at all. ## Empire — Dan Jolin Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 February 2007. Jolin finds the film entertaining and refreshingly grown-up, with a lively, coherent story. He especially praises Oscar Isaac’s flamboyant Prince John, while faulting the bloodless action and shifting accents. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/robin-hood-3-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 2010. Festival review. Bradshaw finds the grim origin-story entertaining and engaging despite its shortage of merriness. He praises Scott’s robust direction and the film’s energetic battles and political intrigue. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/may/13/robin-hood-review-russell-crowe) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the available text. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/robin-hood-2010) ## Screen Daily — Mike Goodridge Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2010. Festival review. The page identifies it as a Cannes review, but the critic's verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be verified from the accessible text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/cannes-reviews/robin-hood/5013577.article) ## Radio Times — Anna Richards Rating 3/5. Richards finds Scott’s politically complex take on the legend engaging, though the romance distracts and the folk-dancing scenes feel pointless. She singles out the romance with Marion as well handled, despite its distraction from the story. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-sl8tj2/robin-hood/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. Festival review. Honeycutt finds the film an energetic but uneven epic, with its historical muddling and sidelined Robin Hood lore undercutting its appeal. He praises Scott’s muscular direction and action choreography, along with Marc Streitenfeld’s score. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/robin-hood-film-review-29565/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 3/5. 11 May 2010. Huddleston gives the film three out of five stars. The available text singles out the expectation of a straight rerun of Gladiator, but does not reveal his full verdict or other points of praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/robin-hood-1) ## Total Film — Andy Lowe Rating 2/5. 10 May 2010. Lowe gives the film a strongly negative verdict, calling it bloated and joyless. He praises Cate Blanchett’s performance but criticises the bland battles and Russell Crowe’s delivery. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/robin-hood-1-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 1.5/4. 11 May 2010. Gonzalez finds the film sluggish, politically simplistic, and stylistically empty. He praises its convincing Medieval production design but criticizes its shallow characterization and cacophonous direction. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/robin-hood-4816/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 14 May 2010. Festival review. Turan finds the film frustrating and poorly conceived despite the talent involved. He particularly faults its cumbersome, over-plotted story for awkwardly combining too many ideas. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/hero-complex-blog/story/2010-05-14/turan-review-robin-hood-misses-the-target) ## Den of Geek — Luke Savage Rating 3/5. 12 May 2010. Savage finds the film too serious and overburdened by its origin-story setup, though it eventually hits its stride. He praises its visceral castle siege, handsome visuals, and Russell Crowe’s physical performance. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/robin-hood-review/) ## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 11 May 2010. The review finds the film entertaining but unfocused, lacking the drive and urgency of Gladiator. It praises the spectacle of the climactic beach battle while faulting Robin’s unclear purpose and the film’s uncertain tone. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a216630/robin-hood-review/) ## Paste — Sydney Slotkin Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 14 May 2010. The review finds the film a passable Hollywood epic but says its familiar story and complicated plot lack depth. It criticizes the long, chaotic battle scenes and Crowe’s limited vulnerability. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/robin-hood-review) ## Eye for Film — Stephen Carty Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 6 July 2010. The critic finds the film an unnecessary, poorly executed take on the Robin Hood legend. They particularly fault Russell Crowe’s miscasting and the film’s slow pace, saying it lacks the character’s spirit and playfulness. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/robin-hood-film-review-by-stephen-carty) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/robin-hood-2010.md