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[bjlong]

So I just watched Robin Hood, and I'm just now realizing that there are two distinct movies that happen during the film.

The first movie goes from the opening to about the point where Robin starts to remember his father. This is a fairly well-written movie, despite some silliness with trying to get the point across that Merian is attractive, damnit. There's fairly good historical accuracy for a movie, and a good basis for enjoying the film.

The second movie is where all the writing falls apart. Characters forget faces, and then very important events in the past. The plot boils down to "kill the French who were posing as English, but now have decided to stop doing that for no real reason." The historical credibility is absolutely crushed, then stomped on. (For example, France invades England with WWII style barges which not only didn't sink, but were propelled by oars.) The movie pretends to tie up some loose ends, but really ends up asking more questions than it answered. (Why don't the wronged nobles just start the civil war they were threatening? Why didn't Robin just go to the 'Green Wood' in the first place, if it's so great? Why did they have a lit candle at the signing of the charter when it was daylight out? Who's running Nottingham now? And more!)

I'm sure other people have seen this movie, and are just waiting, waiting I tell you, to say how much they loved it and how I'm wrong. So do so! Convince me that this movie was solid throughout. 

[alway]

Heh, I've only seen the trailers myself, but the WW2 barges really did strike me as odd. But then I remembered similar barges from LoTR (movie 3, fall of Osgiliath), which, while not really helping credibility any, did at least say they weren't the only ones using such odd set design.

[Karnewarrior]

Pirate 1: Cap'n Sparrow, we're coming into port!
Sparrow: Sound the Horn!
TOOT TOOT!
Sparrow: Ahh, the sound of progress. :]

[Nikov]

Troy and 300 did the only good depictions of ancient amphibious landings; Troy had them basically run a galley aground, and 300 was pulling into a harbor and unloading by smaller boats. I never heard of anything like the Higgen's boat (not a barge) being used before WWII; it was a completely revolutionary vehicle and exactly why American landings went well. Seeing it elsewhere is always a jarring anachronism for me, although the special effects demand of ramming a huge 14th century cog into a beach likely influences the choice to choose something viewers will find familiar and a hell of a lot cheaper to show. Because face it, a bunch of stupid rowboats full of knights is a boring scene.

[LeoLeonardoIII]

I rather like it. Knights and their peeps and equipment and such paddling through the mist. Some land, then others. They come upon a few peasants and slaughter them before they can flee and raise the alarm. They gather up and steal toward the castle. A brave squire mantles the wall using a ladder they brought in pieces and overpowers the gate guard, letting the whole attacking force in. MAD FIGHTING in the halls! The villain escapes through a secret passage to the stables, taking the princess (or treasure) with him! Horseback chase scene! The villain is shot with an arrow, turns around in the saddle to get smacked in the face with a branch! Unhorsed, he grabs the princess (or treasure) and staggers back, falling off the cliff into the waterfall. Nobody could have survived that! The princess (or treasure) is snagged on a branch and the hero pulls her (or it) up at the last moment!

Yeah, you can tell a story without Higgins boats. They managed for several millennia before.

[darkflagrance]

Troy and 300 did the only good depictions of ancient amphibious landings; Troy had them basically run a galley aground, and 300 was pulling into a harbor and unloading by smaller boats. I never heard of anything like the Higgen's boat (not a barge) being used before WWII; it was a completely revolutionary vehicle and exactly why American landings went well. Seeing it elsewhere is always a jarring anachronism for me, although the special effects demand of ramming a huge 14th century cog into a beach likely influences the choice to choose something viewers will find familiar and a hell of a lot cheaper to show. Because face it, a bunch of stupid rowboats full of knights is a boring scene.

The Osgilliath orcs were only crossing a river. You don't need a massive warship or transport to pull that off. A shallow barge, cheaply and quickly constructed from the forests lining the river, is sufficient.

Besides, the orcs don't break suspension of belief for me, given that they possess gunpowder and represent exploitation of technology.

[bjlong]

The thing is, the forces were only half on the beach, and there was really no good reason for the movie to call forth the amount of WWII imagery that they did. Rowboats unloading before the scene would have been a fine montage, and worked just as well in the movie. Better, even--I wouldn't have lost suspension of disbelief.

That said, yes, fantasy stories generally get passes in these sort of anachronisms for me, as the writers are telling a story that never happened, and so can choose to do anything that sounds remotely plausible. Historical fiction has to have some semblance of historical accuracy, though, so that we can believe that this was a story that might have happened or actually did happen. But maybe I'm making this distinction that I shouldn't make.

[de5me7]

i havnt seen it

do the french cross the channel on sed barges? that would be funny

and i agree that cateblanchette is not attractive. Theres nothing wrong with her is suppose, she just isnt.

I spent 2 hours of bengimin buthole trying to convince my self that the two main characters were actually in love or even attracted to each other but never quite getting there.

[Virex]

Troy and 300 did the only good depictions of ancient amphibious landings; Troy had them basically run a galley aground.

Homer describes it as such in the Illiad and mentions the fact that the greek ships are actualy grounded on the beach on several occasions (unless my translation was realy gimped), so it's pretty safe to assume that was standard procedure during that era.[/quote]