History Film / RobinHood2010

The usual storyline is the one that Douglas Fairbanks' silent ''Robin Hood'' and later ErrolFlynn's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' made famous (see also: ''[[Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', ''[[Film/RobinHoodMenInTights Men in Tights]]'', etc.) with the nobleman Robin being outlawed, making trouble for the Sheriff of Nottingham, and StormingTheCastle at the end to save Maid Marion is hardly covered here. While Robin does rob from the rich and give to the poor, this is not presented in the usual manner.

** Robin rescuing a ram. The Ram is the symbol of Aries, Russell Crowes zodiac sign.

* [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou Russell Crowe Is About To Shoot You]]

* SceneryPorn: Several areas, not including drab Nottingham. In one scene, the English cavalry assembles at a verdant hillside with a huge white horse carved into it. Such figures really exist, though the film is vague whether which of the real ones is supposed to be represented.
** Although only [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffington_White_Horse one]] existed at the time, and [[TheyJustDidntCare looks nothing like the one in the film]].

*** Robin wears a caesar haircut and beard, the same look as Maximus. Crowe had grown his hair longer for the part, but Scott insisted on going back to his ''Gladiator'' look.

* SixthRanger: Little John, who works with siege engines unlike the archers Robin, Will and Allan, joins the three (who he already somewhat knows) when they desert the army. Will jokes that they don't take strays.

* [[spoiler: [[TakeOverTheWorld Take Over England:]]]] The EvilPlan of the real BigBad, who takes advantage of John becoming King. [[spoiler: He originally planned to have Richard killed, but [[TruthInTelevision Richard helpfully got himself killed on his own]] even before we see him plotting.]] He counts on his agent [[spoiler: Godfrey]], John's buddy, to get into a position of power by which he can foment unrest. With the English nobles divided among themselves, he then [[spoiler: plans to invade.]] It would have worked too, despite counter-intelligence finding the plan out, except for [[DidntSeeThatComing a certain archer blundering across a dying knight]], who then compels him to go to Nottingham, where he will find out his true heritage - which includes a drafted charter of rights which is used to unite the nobles in support of John (and vice versa).

* TitleDrop: A straight one doesn't occur, but "Robin of the Hood" shows up at the ''end''.
** Also, when Robin's gang rob a caravan, he quips: "We are ''men'' of the hood, ''merry'' now at your expense".
** Also in the beginning, Robin's response to Little John wanting to travel with them: "The more, the merrier."

** Said document wasn't really Magna Carta as said in the script, though they don't make this fact clear in the film. Thus some critics bring the real thing up in their reviews.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/reiff.html As detailed in an interview]] with one of the original writers, [[http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/picture/upload/image/books/Nottingham.pdf the original script (PDF file)]], titled ''Nottingham'', was about a heroic Sheriff of Nottingham who is caught up between a power struggle between John and Richard - while at the same time investigating serial killings in the area. Robin Hood, portrayed as a self-serving rogue, is a RedHerring suspect of the murders, but in the end he and the Sheriff work together to resolve the conflicts.The script was bought by Universal, and Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott got on board. The script was rewritten to make Robin Hood an alter ego of the Sheriff, and then the original story was replaced entirely. The only thing the original script and the final product have in common (besides the general subject matter) is making the Queen Mother Eleanor of Aquitaine a key supporting character. What makes this bad is the realization that the screenwriters of ''Nottingham'' have no rights over their unused script, essentially leaving another original and unique take on Robin Hood unable to be used, and the writers with no involvement on the finished, Brian Helgeland-written product save co-writing credits. That's cold.
** Iin the final cut, the Sheriff, who was supposed to be star and focus of the original script, is reduced to a very minor role as the ButtMonkey of the film.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the theatrical cut at least, Prince John's first wife disappears after the scene which establishes she has been displaced by the French princess, which France can use as a pretext to go to war. John says he will ask the Pope for an annulment, but that's all the film gives on this matter.
** After [[spoiler:King Richard dies]], Robin and his group head back to England. The rest of the English army (hundreds or thousands of troops) are left behind in France to continue the war. They are never mentioned again. [[spoiler:What makes this incredibly jarring is that near the end of the movie the French invade England with a sizable army. How is this possible if they are still at war at home?]] This is addresed early in the film when Robin mentions that he expects most of them to either be sent home or desert, thus his line about wanting to beat them to the boats before the price of crossing goes up a hundred fold.

* {{Xenafication}}: Marion was an ActionGirl early on until later versions made her simply TheChick. Modern adaptations tend to make her an Action Girl (or at least a {{Tomboy}}) again, at least as early as Disney's other Robin Hood film, 1952's ''The Story of Robin Hood''. Also see OlderThanTheyThink below the entry for ActionGirl above.

* FakeBrit: Robin and Marion are Australian, King John is Guatemalan, and Sir Walter is Swedish.
** Not to mention (save Tuck) the Merry Men are two Canadians and an American.

[[RobinHoodMenInTights Unlike some other Robin Hoods]] and like one other (SeanConnery and AudreyHepburn's ''Robin and Marion'', which featured Robin at the ''end'' of his career), the film is mostly set in the reign of King John and only features his brother RichardTheLionheart at the start. The film also includes more [[HistoricalDomainCharacter Historical Domain Characters]] than is usual for Robin Hood films. Aside from Kings Richard and John, their mother Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, John's wife Queen Isabella of Angoulême, the English court official William Marshal [[spoiler:and King Philip Augustus of France]] all have roles in the plot.

The film distinguishes itself from previous RobinHood films in that, [[FollowTheLeader like other recent rebooted franchises]] like ''Film/StarTrek'' and ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'', it offers an expanded origin story for the hero, showing how he met his supporting cast and how he became an outlaw. However, the fictional elements of the film's origin story are made up for the film itself, and familiar folkloric elements are not depicted, or at least [[DarkerAndEdgier not in the usual way]]. The film connects Robin's origins with historical tensions between King John and his nobles [[spoiler:and between England and France as a whole]] (though HollywoodHistory is rampant).

The usual storyline that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Fairbanks Douglas Fairbanks']] silent ''Robin Hood'' and later ErrolFlynn's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' made famous (see also: ''[[Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', ''[[Film/RobinHoodMenInTights Men in Tights]]'', etc.) with the nobleman Robin being outlawed, making trouble for the Sheriff of Nottingham, and StormingTheCastle at the end to save Maid Marion is hardly covered here. While Robin does rob from the rich and give to the poor, this is not presented in the usual manner.

The usual storyline that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Fairbanks Douglas Fairbanks']] silent ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood_%281922_film%29 Robin Hood]]'' and later ErrolFlynn's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' made famous (see also: ''[[Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', ''[[Film/RobinHoodMenInTights Men in Tights]]'', etc.) with the nobleman Robin being outlawed, making trouble for the Sheriff of Nottingham, and StormingTheCastle at the end to save Maid Marion is hardly covered here. While Robin does rob from the rich and give to the poor, this is not presented in the usual manner.

The usual storyline that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Fairbanks Douglas Fairbanks']] silent ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood_%281922_film%29 Robin Hood]]'' and later ErrolFlynn's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' made famous, or rather [[InkStainAdaptation standard]] (see: ''[[Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', ''[[Film/RobinHoodMenInTights Men in Tights]]'', etc.) with the nobleman Robin being outlawed, making trouble for the Sheriff of Nottingham, and StormingTheCastle at the end to save Maid Marion is hardly covered here. While Robin does rob from the rich and give to the poor, this is not presented in the usual manner.

Thus, right away it's important to recognize the film is trying to do its own thing rather than put its own spin on a story everyone knows, like most previous Robin Hood films. The story everyone knows ([[AdaptationDisplacement often through the previous films themselves]]) is also not quite the same as the Robin Hood legend taken as a whole, but rather an AdaptationDistillation of centuries of oral and written tradition, and book, television and film treatments of that tradition. Most of the familiar story details everyone knows only developed through the centuries, including the association of Richard and John, Robin being a knight, a Storming The Castle climax, and even Robin's whole shtick of robbing the rich and giving to the poor.

* TheBigGuy: Little John.

* BloodBrothers: John and Godfrey are "joined at the breast", i.e. had the same nursemaid, so they are literal bosom buddies from way back. [[spoiler: But Godfrey is EvilAllAlong, and learning of his betrayal [[EtTuBrute leaves John quite shaken]].]]

** When Godfrey swears allegiance to the French king, the king is eating raw oysters and has just cut himself opening one. He offers Godfrey the oyster laced with his blood, [[{{Squick}} and Godfrey eats it.]]
** Alan points out to Robin when he swears to return Sir Robert's sword that this trope is in effect, since Robin had nicked his hand. Robin blows this off, but still returns the sword to Sir Robert's father.

* BowAndSwordInAccord

* ChewingTheScenery: King John

* CorruptChurch: Most of the church officials are blind to the hunger and poverty of the people, as long as their own riches are filled. Averted with Friar Tuck, who could even use the Church’s own argument against them when [[spoiler: Robin robbed the grain from the previous Friar.]]

* CutLexLuthorACheck: Godfrey is best buddies with the King of England, who promotes him to his second in command. He couldn't possibly get any ''more'' power by betraying him to King Philip.
** Justified: Godfrey agrees to betray England long before he becomes Chancellor, and given the stature of a position in the French court instead of the (almost completely bankrupt) English court, Godfrey most likely was looking to make money in addition to gaining power, both things that Philip could offer.

** How about [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot the original idea, ''Nottingham'']]?

* FlirtingUnderFire: Marion and Robin kiss in the water between the French warships as [[spoiler:Marion bleeds from a wound]] and the fighting rages on around them.
** [[spoiler: Marion isn't bleeding, Robin's blood from his head wound is dripping onto her.]]

* HarmlessVillain: The Sheriff, who gets to hit on Marion but mostly serves as the butt of jokes.
* TheHighMiddleAges
* HistoricalDowngrade: Was so fond of this that it occasionally ventured into {{Narm}} territory, especially with Richard's death and the Sheriff of Nottingham in general.

** According to the film, [[spoiler: Robin Hood's father]] is responsible for (at least what would become) Magna Carta. [[spoiler: Despite promising to give it his seal of approval, John doesn't and has Robin outlawed for his trouble. This does not contradict the fact of the real Magna Carta being signed several years into John's reign, and so Scott plans to cover it for real in a sequel should it be greenlit.]]
*** [[AllThereInTheManual The production notes]] explain the charter is a ''precursor'' to Magna Carta. It is intended to represent the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_of_the_Forest Carta de Foresta]] (Charter of the Forest), which awarded rights, privileges and protection to the common man. In the film, [[spoiler: Robin's father]] drafts it years before it actually was. [[spoiler: Yet John's refusal to approve it still does not contradict history, because the real Carta de Foresta came after Magna Carta, sealed by John's son Henry III.]]

** The film shows Richard [[spoiler: dying from a crossbow bolt almost immediately.]] In truth, he [[spoiler: lived for more than a week, succumbing to gangrene after a botched operation. He even lived long enough to see the crossbowman (a boy who defended the walls with a crossbow and a frying pan - not a cook) brought before him. He forgave him (even after the boy confessed that he had shot Richard to avenge his father and brother) and ordered that he be set free and even rewarded with 100 shillings for such a lucky shot. Shortly after Richard's death, the pardon was retracted by a mercenary captain, and the boy was flayed alive.]]
** Richard's death actually occurred in ''1199''. The movie instead explicitly states it as happening during his return home after the Third Crusade.
*** Actually, yes and no. The film explicitly mentions the year 1199. However, it also mentions Richard "fighting his way back home" which is also true. After leaving the Holy Land Richard was captured and spent some years in an (IIRC) Austrian prison. After being released for ransom he went and fought the French without even setting foot in England (teh English king ahd lots of land in France, this being one of the reasons for the Hundred Years War). So it's actually both right. Richard did die in 1199 and it was on his way home from the crusades.

* IAmDyingPleaseTakeMyMacguffin: After deserting the English army upon Richard's death, Robin and company come across an ambush of the King's knights. The knights were escorting Richard's crown back to England. The trope is slightly subverted because Robin is not actually tasked with escorting the crown in their place, but seizes the chance to get a free trip home. Cue DeadPersonImpersonation.
** However, he ''is'' tasked by a dying knight to bring his sword back to his father. The sword doubles as both MementoMacguffin and SwordOfPlotAdvancement, because [[spoiler: ArcWords engraved on its hilt stir Robin's hazy childhood memories, and this drives him to seek out more information in the knight's hometown of Nottingham.]]

* JerkAss: Both King Richard and King John, unusually, though they have different ways of showing it. Neither are very fond of Robin, either.

* TheLancer: Both Allan A'Dayle and Will Scarlet are this to Robin.

* OriginsEpisode: This movie essentially works as one for the legend of Robin Hood, as most of the movie is about explaining how myths related to him (such as [[spoiler:stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, being an incredible archer, living in the forest with his Merry Men, etc]]) came to be in the first place. By the end of the movie [[spoiler:the Robin of legend has only just begun his work]].
* PapaWolf: Sir Walter. Upon learning the man before him was his son's murderer, he flew into a rage against him, despite being very old and blind. He was able to actually wound Godfrey before he was taken down.

* RapePillageAndBurn: Godfrey's modus operandi, under the pretense of taxation. Feeling strapped for cash, the newly crowned John plans to raise taxes against the advice of his infinitely more experienced mother and chancellor. John fires the chancellor and gives his job to Godfrey, who is ordered to get him his money by all means. Godfrey [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverKill personally leads a warband through the land]] carrying out the trope; [[spoiler: the audience knows all along that Godfrey is an agent of France purposely spreading unrest and disunity in anticipation of an invasion.]]

** For starters, Robin is given a new name, "Longstride". But as the movie progresses, he does become "Robin of Locksley" in a way (see below).

** [[spoiler: And King Philip, though he does go along with his army, doesn't engage in actual combat, remaining on board his ship for the duration of the battle.]]

* ShownTheirWork: Russell Crowe practiced archery for four months in preparation for the role of Robin Hood, and has [[AscendedFanboy been a fan of Robin since childhood]].

* [[spoiler: [[TakeOverTheWorld Take Over England:]]]] The EvilPlan of the real BigBad, who takes advantage of John becoming King. [[spoiler: He originally planned to have Richard killed, but [[TruthInTelevision Richard helpfully got himself killed on his own]] even before we see him plotting.]] He counts on his agent [[spoiler: Godfrey]], John's buddy, to get into a position of power by which he can foment unrest. With the English nobles divided among themselves, he then [[spoiler: plans to invade.]] And it would have worked too, despite counter-intelligence finding the plan out, except for [[DidntSeeThatComing a certain archer blundering across a dying knight]], who then compels him to go to Nottingham, where he will find out his true heritage - which includes a drafted charter of rights which is used to unite the nobles in support of John (and vice versa).

** And in the beginning, Robin's response to Little John wanting to travel with them: "The more, the merrier."

* ViewersAreGeniuses: Or at least expected to be able to appreciate inter-kingdom rivalries and the ramifications of Magna Carta on British and world history. This didn't go over well]] with those who were expecting [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks a more traditional treatment.

* WarriorMonk: Friar Tuck.
* WarriorPoet: Allan A'Dayle

** Even worse: in the final cut, the Sheriff, who was supposed to be star and focus of the original script, is reduced to a very minor role as the ButtMonkey of the film.

** After [[spoiler:King Richard dies]], Robin and his group head back to England. The rest of the English army (hundreds or thousands of troops) are left behind in France to continue the war. They are never mentioned again. [[spoiler:What makes this incredibly jarring is that near the end of the movie the French invade England with a sizable army. How is this possible if they are still at war at home?]] It's like the screen play completely forgot about them, and we are expected to as well.
*** Robin mentions that he expects most of them to either be sent home or desert, thus his line about wanting to beat them to the boats before the price of crossing goes up a hundred fold.

* {{Xenafication}}: Has there been a Robin Hood story since the late 70s where Marion ''hasn't'' undergone this?
** Marion was an ActionGirl early on until later versions made her simply TheChick. Modern adaptations tend to make her an Action Girl (or at least a {{Tomboy}}) again, at least as early as Disney's other Robin Hood film, 1952's ''The Story of Robin Hood''. Also see OlderThanTheyThink below the entry for ActionGirl above.

The usual storyline that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Fairbanks Douglas Fairbanks']] silent ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood_%281922_film%29 Robin Hood]]'' and later ErrolFlynn's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' made famous, or rather [[InkStainAdaptation standard]] (see: ''[[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', ''[[RobinHoodMenInTights Men in Tights]]'', etc.) with the nobleman Robin being outlawed, making trouble for the Sheriff of Nottingham, and StormingTheCastle at the end to save Maid Marion is hardly covered here. While Robin does rob from the rich and give to the poor, this is not presented in the usual manner.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This is certainly one of the grimmest tellings of a Robin Hood story, from the old ballads to modern works. Definitely so, compared to ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' and most other Robin Hood films, by having more (or more overt) violence, politics and poverty than is the norm. Crowe's Robin is far from Flynn's wisecracking rogue. Even ''[[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', which already tried to be Darker And Edgier while at the same time having [[LaughablyEvil Alan Rickman]] [[FauxAffablyEvil as the Sheriff]], is outdone by this film.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This is certainly one of the grimmest tellings of a Robin Hood story, from the old ballads to modern works. Definitely so, compared to ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' and most other Robin Hood films, by having more (or more overt) violence, politics and poverty than is the norm. Crowe's Robin is far from Flynn's wisecracking rogue. Even ''[[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', which already tried to be Darker And Edgier while at the same time having [[LaughablyEvil Alan Rickman]] [[EvillyAffable as the Sheriff]], is outdone by this film.

* ButYouScrewOneGoat: Little John jokes that Will Scarlet “co-habits with sheep” and mimes sheep-shagging. In the film, Will's accent and [[ColourfulThemeNaming red hair]] likely marks him as a [[LandOfMyFathersAndTheirSheep Welshman]].

* TheDanza: A close enough reverse one where Allan A'Dayle is played by Canadian singer Alan Doyle. Another reverse one is William Hurt playing William Marshal.

!This film contains examples of:

The film distinguishes itself from previous RobinHood films in that, [[FollowTheLeader like other recent rebooted franchises]] like ''Film/StarTrek'' and BatmanBegins, it offers an expanded origin story for the hero, showing how he met his supporting cast and how he became an outlaw. However, the fictional elements of the film's origin story are made up for the film itself, and familiar folkloric elements are not depicted, or at least [[DarkerAndEdgier not in the usual way]]. The film connects Robin's origins with historical tensions between King John and his nobles [[spoiler:and between England and France as a whole]] (though HollywoodHistory is rampant).

The film distinguishes itself from previous RobinHood films in that, [[FollowTheLeader like other recent rebooted franchises]] like ''Film/StarTrek'' and BatmanBegins, it offers an expanded origin story for the hero, showing how he met his supporting cast and how he became an outlaw. However, the fictional elements of the film's origin story are made up for the film itself, and familiar folkloric elements are not depicted, or at least [[DarkerAndEdgier not in the usual way]]. The film connects Robin's origins with historical tensions between King John and his nobles [[spoiler:and between England and France as a whole]] (though HollywoodHistory is rampant).

The usual storyline that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Fairbanks Douglas Fairbanks']] silent ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood_%281922_film%29 Robin Hood]]'' and later [[ErrolFlynn Errol Flynn]]'s ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' made famous, or rather [[InkStainAdaptation standard]] (see: ''[[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', ''[[RobinHoodMenInTights Men in Tights]]'', etc.) with the nobleman Robin being outlawed, making trouble for the Sheriff of Nottingham, and StormingTheCastle at the end to save Maid Marion is hardly covered here. While Robin does rob from the rich and give to the poor, this is not presented in the usual manner.

[[RobinHoodMenInTights Unlike some other Robin Hoods]] and like one other (SeanConnery and [[AudreyHepburn Audrey Hepburn]]'s ''Robin and Marion'', which featured Robin at the ''end'' of his career), the film is mostly set in the reign of King John and only features his brother RichardTheLionheart at the start. The film also includes more [[HistoricalDomainCharacter Historical Domain Characters]] than is usual for Robin Hood films. Aside from Kings Richard and John, their mother Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, John's wife Queen Isabella of Angoulême, the English court official William Marshal [[spoiler:and King Philip Augustus of France]] all have roles in the plot.

* AdaptationExpansion: While not a conventional retelling of Robin Hood like other films, the movie is an origin story for Robin and provides a setup for the legend.
* AllThereInTheManual: The [[http://thecia.com.au/reviews/r/images/robin-hood-production-notes.doc Production Notes (.doc file)]] and [[http://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/doyle.html assorted]] [[http://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/durand.html interviews]] reveal some plot and character details not found or not explained in full in the theatrical cut.

* ArrowsOnFire: The archers shoot bags of crude oil, planted by sappers, to blow up a castle gate.

* BeeBeeGun: Friar Tuck locks up a bunch of [[spoiler: French]] soldiers inside his small church and throws two beehives in to keep them company. This is a rare case of [[{{ChekhovsGun}} Chekhov's]] BeeBeeGun?

* BigDamnHeroes: Robin, the Merry Men and a force of English soldiers drive off Godfrey's "tax collectors" from Nottingham. They are TheCavalry from Marion's perspective.

* BigNo: Robin utters one of these at the final battle when [[spoiler: Marion is taken down by Godfrey.]]

** Alan points out to Robin when he swears to return Sir Robert's sword that this trope is in effect, since Robin had nicked his hand. Robin blows this off, but still returns the sword to Sir Robert's father.

* ChekhovsArmy: The film opens with a band of young thieves stealing Nottingham grain. Marion explains they are orphans whose fathers died in Richard's wars. [[spoiler:While they are glimpsed once or twice in the middle of the film, they show up again to help Marion and Tuck free the captive villagers while Robin and TheCavalry fight off Godfrey's raiders. They also show up at the climactic beach battle, led by an armour-clad Marion. At the very end of the film, when Robin is declared to be an ''outlawww'', they form the majority of his band.]]

* ColourfulThemeNaming: Will Scarlet is a RedheadedHero instead of wearing red clothes like in traditional versions.

* CorruptChurch: Most of the church officials are blind to the hunger and poverty of the people, as long as their own riches are filled. Averted with Friar Tuck, who could even use the Church’s own argument against them when [[spoiler: Robin robbed the grain from the previous Friar.]]

* CutLexLuthorACheck: Godfrey is best buddies with the King of England, who promotes him to his second in command. He couldn't possibly get any ''more'' power by betraying him to King Philip.

* TheDanza: A close enough reverse one where Allan A'Dayle is played by Canadian singer Alan Doyle. Another reverse one is William Hurt playing William Marshal.
* DarkerAndEdgier: This is certainly one of the grimmest tellings of a Robin Hood story, from the old ballads to modern works. Definitely so, compared to ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' and most other Robin Hood films, by having more (or more overt) violence, politics and poverty than is the norm. Crowe's Robin is far from Flynn's wisecracking rogue. Even ''[[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves Prince of Thieves]]'', which already tried to be Darker And Edgier while at the same time having [[LaughablyEvil Alan Rickman]] [[EvillyAffable as the Sheriff]], is outdone by this film.
* DeadPersonImpersonation: Robin and his fellow deserters pose as knights killed in an ambush to get back to England quickly. Later, Robin continues to live as Robin of Loxley at the family's request. This helps meld the various backstories of Robin as both a commoner and knight into one story, as well as helps explain why a knight would be such a good archer.

* TheDragon: Godfrey to John [[spoiler: and the French King at the same time.]]

* EtTuBrute: John, upon learning of [[spoiler: Godfrey's betrayal]] (the ''last'' of the royal court to learn of it), flies into a rage and nearly [[ShootTheMessenger stabs his wife, who has informed him]]. Then he breaks into tears and gets a CoolDownHug. May also qualify as a literal VillainousBreakdown, but he's not [[BigBad the chief villain]] of the movie.
* [[spoiler: EvilChancellor: Godfrey to King John. His title really is Chancellor. Also TreacherousAdvisor.]]

** Not to mention (save Tuck) the Merry Men are two Canadians and an American.

* HistoricalHeroUpgrade:

** The same applies to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful women in her time, though her role in reinforcing her son's rule is [[TruthInTelevision suitably behind the scenes.]]

*** [[AllThereInTheManual The production notes]] explain the charter is a ''precursor'' to Magna Carta. It is intended to represent the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_of_the_Forest Carta de Foresta]] (Charter of the Forest), which awarded rights, privileges and protection to the common man. In the film, [[spoiler: Robin's father]] drafts it years before it actually was. [[spoiler: Yet John's refusal to approve it still does not contradict history, because the real Carta de Foresta came after Magna Carta, sealed by John's son Henry III.]]

** Richard's death actually occurred in ''1199''. The movie instead explicitly states it as happening during his return home after the Third Crusade.

** The film also, and quite understandably, overlooks the fact that Isabella was ''twelve'' when she married John.

* NakedOnArrival: Prince John and his French mistress (and to-be-wife) are interrupted in bed by the Queen Mother. The film is PG-13, so {{Modesty Bedsheet}}s are present.

* NonindicativeName: Some reviewers are of the opinion that the plain title "Robin Hood" was inadequate for a film about how a man became Robin Hood amidst warring kingdoms. He is "officially" Robin Hood only at the end. May fall into InNameOnly territory, if you AccentuateTheNegative and have the [[InkStainAdaptation Flynn-style Robin]] as reference.

* OneSteveLimit: Averted (if you consider diminutive names) with Little John/King John, Will Scarlet/William Marshal and [[spoiler: Robin Longstride/Robert Loxley]].

* PeopleOfHairColor: Mostly averted. Unlike other versions where Saxons are blonde and Normans are dark-haired, most people in the film are dark-haired. Will Scarlet appears to be a Welsh redhead though.

* RapePillageAndBurn: Godfrey's modus operandi, under the pretense of taxation. Feeling strapped for cash, the newly crowned John plans to raise taxes against the advice of his infinitely more experienced mother and chancellor. John fires the chancellor and gives his job to Godfrey, who is ordered to get him his money by all means. Godfrey [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverKill personally leads a warband through the land]] carrying out the trope; [[spoiler: the audience knows all along that Godfrey is an agent of France purposely spreading unrest and disunity in anticipation of an invasion.]]

* [[RecycledINSPACE Recycled IN SPACE!]]: The final beach battle, with apparently anachronistic ships, has been described as ''SavingPrivateRyan'' [-IN MEDIEVAL TIMES!-]
** Even before the film was released, comments were rife about the film being ''{{Gladiator}}'' [-IN SHERWOOD!-] just because of the same director and same lead star with the same haircut, and ''{{Braveheart}}'' [-IN ENGLAND!-] just because there are battles and Robin gives a speech.

** Instead of Robin and Little John fighting with staffs over a bridge, the film has the two [[spoiler: fighting over a shell game.]]
** Instead of Robin meeting Friar Tuck at a river and the two conning each other into carrying the other over, Tuck is [[spoiler: the new town priest who does beekeeping and mead brewing on the side.]]

** Instead of stealing money and jewels and distributing them to the poor, Robin steals [[spoiler: grain owed to the Church so that the people of Nottingham won't starve.]]

* ShoutOut:

*** Robin wears a caesar haircut and beard, the same look as Maximus. Crowe had grown his hair longer for the part, but Scott insisted on going back to his ''Gladiator'' look.

** Later, Friar Tuck helps them rob a caravan, and he and Marion have joined Robin's outlaw band by the end.

* [[spoiler: [[TakeOverTheWorld Take Over England:]]]] The EvilPlan of the real BigBad, who takes advantage of John becoming King. [[spoiler: He originally planned to have Richard killed, but [[TruthInTelevision Richard helpfully got himself killed on his own]] even before we see him plotting.]] He counts on his agent [[spoiler: Godfrey]], John's buddy, to get into a position of power by which he can foment unrest. With the English nobles divided among themselves, he then [[spoiler: plans to invade.]] And it would have worked too, despite counter-intelligence finding the plan out, except for [[DidntSeeThatComing a certain archer blundering across a dying knight]], who then compels him to go to Nottingham, where he will find out his true heritage - which includes a drafted charter of rights which is used to unite the nobles in support of John (and vice versa).
* ThisCannotBe: [[spoiler: When King Philip sees the English army waiting for him, he says (paraphrased) "This does not look like a country at war with itself!"]]

** Said document wasn't really Magna Carta as said in the script, though they don't make this fact clear in the film. Thus some critics bring the real thing up in their reviews.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the theatrical cut at least, Prince John's first wife disappears after the scene which establishes she has been displaced by the French princess, which France can use as a pretext to go to war. John says he will ask the Pope for an annulment, but that's all the film gives on this matter.

The film distinguishes itself from previous RobinHood films in that, [[FollowTheLeader like other recent rebooted franchises]] like StarTrek and BatmanBegins, it offers an expanded origin story for the hero, showing how he met his supporting cast and how he became an outlaw. However, the fictional elements of the film's origin story are made up for the film itself, and familiar folkloric elements are not depicted, or at least [[DarkerAndEdgier not in the usual way]]. The film connects Robin's origins with historical tensions between King John and his nobles [[spoiler:and between England and France as a whole]] (though HollywoodHistory is rampant).

Thus, right away it's important to recognize the film is trying to do its own thing rather than put its own spin on a story everyone knows, like most previous Robin Hood films. The story everyone knows ([[AdaptationDisplacement often through the previous films themselves]]) is also not quite the same as the Robin Hood legend taken as a whole, but rather an AdaptationDistillation of centuries of oral and written tradition, and book, television and film treatments of that tradition. Most of the familiar story details everyone knows only developed through the centuries, including the association of Richard and John, Robin being a knight, a Storming The Castle climax, and even Robin's whole shtick of robbing the rich and giving to the poor. Still, YourMileageMayVary with such an approach to a familiar character; the film has been subject to CriticalBacklash and InternetBackdraft because of it.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: "Allan A'Dayle" instead of the usual 20th century spelling Alan-a-Dale; likewise, Marion instead of Marion, and Loxley instead of Locksley.

* ChewingTheScenery: King John, [[BeyondTheImpossible and how]].

* OriginsIssue: This movie essentially works as one for the legend of Robin Hood, as most of the movie is about explaining how myths related to him (such as [[spoiler:stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, being an incredible archer, living in the forest with his Merry Men, etc]]) came to be in the first place. By the end of the movie [[spoiler:the Robin of legend has only just begun his work]].

* BadassGrandpa: Sir Walter, Marion's father-in-law, isn't afraid to swing a sword at his enemies, despite being 84 years old and nearly blind. Not to mention his "tumescent glow..."

** The film shows Richard [[spoiler: dying from a crossbow bolt almost immediately.]] In truth, he [[spoiler: lived for more than a week, succumbing to gangrene after a botched operation. He even lived long enough to see the crossbowman brought before him. He forgave him and ordered that he be set free and even rewarded with 100 shillings for such a lucky shot.]]

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Robin says, contrary to Richard's expectations, that warring in the Middle East has lost him his moral ascendancy. Also, said wars have led to financial troubles keenly felt by his successor.
** Made flat-out political later, see HollywoodHistory.
** Those are historical truths that come with the setting, they would draw more attention by their absense. The impromptu lecture on the rights of the common people in a just society, on the other hand...
** The American Tea Party movement, unsurprisingly, LOVES the story of a down-to-earth soldier fighting against both a menace to his nation's border and the oppressive and unjust leadership of his own government.
*** Standing against a country's enemies as well as corruption at home were the ideals of the Founding Fathers of America. What of it?
*** Not to mention the idea of individual liberties and other enlightenment ideals (which won't really become popular for another few hundred years, but this is Hollywood after all) that were key in the American Revolution.