Twitter has once again gone into meltdown after a classic movie from the '90s gets dragged by a critic from The Guardian.
Although its not a perfect example of expert filmmaking, the reaction to 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' being labelled "a joyless hit that should stay in the 90s" has Twitter all riled up.
The Kevin Costner action adventure, also starring Alan Rickman, Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater, was the second-highest grossing movie of 1991. Blending English and American actors into the feature film didn't work out incredibly well for the production, nevertheless, the audience rating for it on Rotten Tomatoes is a solid 72%. It's pure mind-numbing '90s action - what more could you want?
Well, according to The Guardian writer Scott Tobias (the same critic who said 'Shrek' was "unfunny and overrated"), the movie hasn't held up all that well 30 years later. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, Tobias says his directing style, as well as Hollywood's biggest star at the time Costner ensured that the movie was "determined to make it as joyless as possible". He also says Costner was "charmless and embarrassingly miscast" in the titular role.
Whether correct or not in his observations, Twitter has a lot to say on the matter. Here's some of the biggest beef people are having with his review 30 years on.
Utter cobblers. I'm not a Costner fan, but this film is good old-fashioned knockabout fun - and it's funny with it. Alan Rickman and Mike McShane are superb.
Joyless? Have a day off, for your own good.— Chris W ? (@Chris_Fac213) June 14, 2021
Pfft, it’s great & is responsible for the *best* Robin film, Robin Hood Men in Tights ????????
— Kaylee Brown (@wozbot1982) June 14, 2021
Literally my favourite film, followed by T2. Or should that stay in the ’90s too?
— Justin Towell (@CatGoneCrazy) June 14, 2021
Absolute bollocks. Yeah the inaccuracies and accents are awful, but this is a great romp of a movie with a brilliant performance by Alan Rickman. For me it’s one of those movies that I can switch on halfway through and will just sit and watch. It’s great fun.
— P_C (@patrickcoyle09) June 14, 2021
“Why a spoon, cousin?”
“Because it’s dull, you twit, it’ll hurt more!”
Rickman, Freeman, Costner, Mastrantonio, Slater and even Connery - what’s not to ❤️!— Brian Mitchell MP (@BrianMitchellMP) June 14, 2021
Cheesy? Yep. A bit nonsensical? Absolutely. Joyless? In no way whatsoever! It's a joyous piece of fun cinema that should just be enjoyed as such.
— Ian Matthews (@LeftMatthews) June 14, 2021
Bah humbug. A harmless romp with some glorious overacting by Alan Rickman.
— Rod McManus (@Rodsterino) June 14, 2021
today I am very happy to live in a world where art and society are so perfect and idyllic that I have to go back to a 1991 film to have something to be able to criticize
— Salvatore (@salvomeo) June 14, 2021
You can read The Guardian review here.