Robin Hood

This weekend I had a chance to go see Ridley Scott's new film, "Robin Hood". I have to admit right off the bat that I'm a huge sucker for epic period pieces (especially those set during mideaval times). Scott's last picture, "Kingdom of Heaven", the Director's Cut especially, is one of my favorite movies period.

I went in expecting more good things from this great director, and while not quite as great as his previous attempts ("Heaven" and "Gladiator") "Robin Hood" get's a fine new make-over.

The whole thing clocks at about 2 1/2 hours long. Yet never once did I feel bored during it's running time. The action was practically non-stop. The acting was top-notch, the cinematography breathtaking, the musical score well done. There was plenty of political intrigue, romance, and humor thrown in for good measure. It was throughouly enjoyable, and a refreshing take on the old legend. By the end of the film, everything was set up (for a sequel I hope!) as it should be for the original tale with which we are all familiar.

What does this have to do with politics you ask?

Well, Robin Hood's legend is assumed (by Progressive Liberals mostly) to be about wealth redistribution (that is, to steal from the rich to give to the poor). However, the true story, the actual historical facts, is that Robin Longstride was a man fighting against tyranny, the greatest of these tyrannies being taxes.

He didn't just steal from rich people, he stole from Royalty and Church Officials who stole their wealth first from the people through taxation. This was purely an act of taking back what originally belonged to someone else.

This movie, much like the Disney version and a 1930's live-action version, dares to tell this truth like it is, and not treat the story as some excuse for taxation "as long as it serves the poor". There are even allusions to the modern day tea-party movements, the wars in the middle-east, and a new leader promising "change".

I highly recomend this movie, not only because I like the way they treated the source material, but because it is a great time at the theatres. If I were to grade it from a purely critical standpoint, I'd say a solid B+.

Great story, great film. Go see it!

- J. Buell