CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
Film Review: ‘Robin Hood’ is a By-the-Book Waste of Cinema Energy
CHICAGO – No one in the movie-going universe was pining for another Robin Hood remake. No. One. Yet, with the story in public domain and some overseas cash to spend, here we are. Taron Egerton (“Kingsman” series) takes on the title role, with support from Jamie Foxx.
Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
There is nothing delivered here that is any different, even though the narrator brags that there will be something different in this version of the story. Basically the situation in the same era (the vague Middle Ages), but the evil (Sheriff of Nottingham) versus good (Robin Hood) is boring when we know who will prevail. If they tried to make Robin a rogue element who is conflicted in some way, perhaps there would be some more juice to squeeze. This one, even with the action sequences, was as dry as a turkey bone on Black Friday.
Robin of Loxley (Taron Egerton) is a English lord of Nottingham, who falls in love with a horse thief named Marian (Eve Hewson, daughter of U2’s Bono!). He is drafted into the Arab Wars by the Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelson), and is battle hardened, but never loses his sense of justice. It is during this war that he encounters a Moor named John (Jamie Foxx), who hates the English for the execution of his son.
When Robin comes home, he learns that his death was reported in the war, and the Sheriff dutifully seized his property for back taxes. Marian has moved on as well, to the arms of Will Scarlet (Jamie Dornan). He connects with John again, and together they plot to overthrow the tax-happy Sheriff by “stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.” Ultimately, they want a more equitable society (ha-ha, just kidding, they want to kick butt).
Keep Your Eye on the Arrow: The Cast of ‘Robin Hood’
Photo credit: Lionsgate