Princess of Thieves

It's 1184 Nottingham, England. During reign of King Richard the Lionheart, a girl is born to Robin and Marion. Sheriff of Nottingham (Malcolm McDowell) would have placed a price on the son's head but is unconcerned about a girl. Gwyn (Keira Knightley) grows up under the tyrannical rule of Prince John for his absent brother King Richard. Her father Robin of Locksley is often away and her mother Marion is pass. Richard is gravely injured and heir to the throne Prince Philip (Stephen Moyer) is coming from France. Robin and Will Scarlett go off to aid Philip. Gwyn sets off to help dressed as a boy helped by friend Froderick despite her father forbidding it. Robin and Will are captured while Gwyn runs into Philip pretending to be a servant.

This should a lot simpler. Instead there is a lot of political intrigue. It's also way too serious. The material is treated like a Shakespearian play. The production is pretty good considering this is a TV movie. Keira Knightley is great at such a young age. Stephen Moyer is too old especially acting opposite Keira. The chemistry is about what one expects from a 30 year old with jailbait Keira. It's a little creepy. Even Froderick is annoying in his puppy love mode. Keira is great though.

I've not seen this film. I only wanted to commend the reviewer kelley-8 who, in a review posted on 1 September 2001 - at the very least a full year before Keira Knightly made her breakthrough in Bend it Like Beckham, said "The actress who played Gwyn is beautiful and should have a long career." I was so impressed reading this. Of course, Knightly went on to become a famously successful Hollywood actor as Elizabeth Swan in Pirates of the Caribbean, but also got to play famous literary roles such as Anna Karenina and Elizabeth Bennett (in Pride and Prejudice). For such brilliant insight, someone should buy that man (or woman) a drink or six. :)

This is not one of the best TV movies I've ever seen, but it isn't hateful. The acting of Kiera Knightley was excellent, as was Stuart Wilson(Robin Hood) and Crispin Letts (Will Scarlett). Most of the others were pretty terrible, but that's forgiving. The script needed a bit of a touch up in places, but I don't think there is even one line of Robin's that I didn't like. "You have egg in your beard..." he says to Prince John.

The one thing that really bothered me in this movie was the sword fights. They looked as if these extras coordinated them on their own, and had about an hour to practice. They have no speed, no feeling, and I imagine that Bob Anderson would have had a fit with these.

Apart from the sword fighting (and that annoying Pope near the end...), nothing really bothered me about this movie. If you're looking for something to watch while holding the hand of your date, avoid this movie at all cost. If you're baby-sitting several kids, or are just bored out of your mind, this movie is flawless. Other than that, it seems to be just average. I've seen better, but I've seen much worse *cough*Attack of the Clones*cough*

This film is not worth your time. I watched it when it premiered on TV out of a lack of anything better to do. And I remember thinking very clearly that the lead actress was strikingly attractive, but a very weak actress. Since then, Keira Knightley has proved that my initial impression might was far too hasty. In fact, her performance in Pride & Prejudice is absolutely Oscar-worthy. But her performance is not worth sitting through this mess. It is a weakly conceived, cheaply made film, and has none of the inherent pleasure of the original Robin Hood legends. The acting is, without exception, overwrought. And many of the scenes are simply painful in memory (like the bad-guy speech right when he is prepared to kill an aging Robin, which gives the secondary hero an opportunity to regain his sword. Are writers never going to tire of that scene?) Robin Hood enthusiasts and Knoightley fans alike should pass this one over.

Everyone fighting against Prince John have a lot of passion for their cause. It's also great that they depict Gwyn and even the aging Robin as people who have a lot of spunk. "You have egg on your beard" says Robin to John while being tortured. That's a crack-up classic. The humor was done very well in this movie and it's a shame that it's underrated. I can't remember anything else that I should praise it for but it's a shame that I didn't tape it.