Critics’ reviews

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

12 reviews from 12 publications. Critics’ score 89: 12 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative.

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89
Positive
12
Mixed
0
Negative
0

The reviews are unanimous. Every critic who has written about it, from its release onward, recommends it, and the praise lands in the same places each time: Errol Flynn’s swaggering, good-humoured Robin, which most consider the definitive one; the three-strip Technicolor, with its costumes and sets; Korngold’s score; and the fencing, above all the climactic duel, which several single out. Many also note that it plays as well to children as to adults, and a few frame it as the standard every later Robin Hood is measured against.

The spread is narrow. The one cooler voice is The New Yorker in 1938, which finds the production rich but somewhat stolid and thinks the supporting cast gets lost under the medieval spectacle, though it still admires the colour and Flynn’s agility. Den of Geek mentions the film’s chaotic production and its change of director, more as a curiosity than a complaint. Nobody else records a reservation.

Radio Times
★★★★★ · Adrian Turner
100

This Technicolor swashbuckler remains an action picture that delights people of all ages over 80 years on. It features Errol Flynn perfectly cast as the noble outlaw alongside strong supporting turns and a heraldic Korngold score.

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Empire
1 January 2000 · Kim Newman
90*

The critic praises the 1938 film as an evergreen classic that remains exciting, romantic and entertaining. They single out Errol Flynn's definitive portrayal of Robin Hood, along with the lively cast, Technicolor visuals, action sequences and Korngold score.

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RogerEbert.com
17 August 2003 · Roger Ebert
90*

The critic calls the film a triumph of the studio system and a masterpiece of Technicolor swashbuckling made with innocence and artistry. He singles out Errol Flynn's joyful, exuberant performance and the real stunt work in the sword fights for particular praise.

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The AV Club
15 June 2026 · Caroline Siede
90*

The critic calls the film a perfect gateway to classic cinema, praising its fun, exciting, romantic tone, glorious Technicolor visuals and costumes, impressive swordfights and stunts, and strong moral backbone about standing up to tyrants. They single out Errol Flynn’s charismatic, joyful performance as Robin as central to its enduring appeal and accessibility.

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The Guardian
19 October 2010
90*

The film stands as one of the most energetic and likable swashbucklers of Hollywood's prewar heyday. It shows the Warner Brothers house style at its best, with perfect casting and sparkling Technicolor escapism that provided delightful relief during the Great Depression.

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The Telegraph
8 January 2026
90*

The 1938 classic established the Robin Hood story in Hollywood cinematic history and remains both a product of its era and entirely timeless. Errol Flynn displays peerless comic timing and fencing skills, with a soaring score and one of the greatest duels on screen.

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Time Out
26 September 2014 · SM
90*

One of the great adventure movies that can be enjoyed by treating it as family fare while indulging oneself. It showcases the best of what large studio resources could produce in glorious colour, sumptuous sets and a brilliantly choreographed climactic sword fight.

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Variety
31 December 1937 · Variety Staff
90*

The review hails it as cinematic pageantry at its best, a highly imaginative Technicolor telling of folklore with superlative production values and an excellent cast. It praises the skillful blending of the co-directors' work and the romance emphasized alongside the action.

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The New Yorker
14 May 1938 · John C. Mosher
70*

The critic finds the production rich, showy, and somewhat stolid but appreciates its Technicolor beauty and suitability for younger audiences. He notes Errol Flynn's agility in the role while observing that the supporting cast is somewhat buried under the medieval spectacle.

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Den of Geek
19 November 2018 · David Crow
90*

The critic calls the film a bonafide masterpiece and the only Robin Hood movie that matters, praising its lavish Technicolor visuals, faithful weaving of legends into a witty narrative, and Errol Flynn's definitive swaggering performance as the standout element despite a chaotic production involving director changes.

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Eye for Film
26 January 2016 · festival review · Jennie Kermode
90*

The critic praises this as the definitive version of the Robin Hood tale for its unmatched panache and fun. They single out Errol Flynn's swaggering performance and the film's energetic direction and score.

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Paste
1 March 2018 · Kenneth Lowe
90*

The 1938 film remains the definitive cinematic version of Robin Hood and the standard against which all later adaptations are measured. The critic singles out its vibrant three-strip Technicolor visuals and infectious ensemble energy as standout elements.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate