--- title: "The Adventures of Robin Hood: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-robin-hood/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-robin-hood" critics_score: 89 critics_reviews: 12 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." --- # The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938): what the critics said Critics' score 89 from 12 reviews: 12 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. 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 Rating 5/5. 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. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-22sfn8/the-adventures-of-robin-hood/) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 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. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/adventures-robin-hood-2-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 August 2003. 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. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-adventures-of-robin-hood-1938) ## The AV Club — Caroline Siede Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 June 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-adventures-of-robin-hood-perfect-way-into-classic-movies) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 October 2010. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/19/adventures-robin-hood-action) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/01/08/hollywood-keeps-sucking-the-fun-out-of-robin-hood/) ## Time Out — SM Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-adventures-of-robin-hood) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1937. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1937/film/reviews/the-adventures-of-robin-hood-1200411570/) ## The New Yorker — John C. Mosher Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 May 1938. 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. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1938/05/21/1938-05-21-071-tny-cards-000037475) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2018. 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. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-adventures-of-robin-hood-80-years-later-and-still-the-best/) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2016. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-adventures-of-robin-hood-1938-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) ## Paste — Kenneth Lowe Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 March 2018. 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. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/robin-hood/robin-hood-a-technicolor-folktale-turns-80) --- © 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/the-adventures-of-robin-hood.md