The Hooded One

Paying too much attention to critics is a surefire way to miss out on a lot of fun movies. Today’s movie is a case in point. From the way some people in the media have been bagging Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, I was worried it was going to be a load of mediaeval cobblers. However, the prospect of warhorses thundering across the screen, sword-wielding noblemen got up in armour, precision shooting, yeoman archers, and impressive shots of landing craft discharging cavalry was all too tempting to resist. So, giving Ridley and Russ the benefit of the doubt, we took ourselves off to the cinema.

Within 2 minutes of ye olde manuscripts setting the historical stage, I was thoroughly enjoying myself and my head was firmly in rousing matinee mode. It all ended with the promise of more to come, which I, as an unrepentant sucker for epics, hope Ridley and Russ deliver. I was particularly pleased that they gave an eminently pragmatic Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of my favourite historical figures, a goodly part in the proceedings.