Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Following the death of King Richard in France, Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) and his gang are heading home to England when they encounter the dying Robert of Locksley who was tasked with bringing the King's crown back to London. Robin promises the dying man to return his sword to his father in Nottingham. When he arrives in Nottingham, his life takes a precarious turn as he assumes the identity of Robert of Locksley and helps the new King defend the country against a French invasion.

Reimaging a classic hero is a daunting task and unfortunately the screenplay from Brian Helgeland doesn't impress. With Crowe and director Ridley Scott reuniting I expected to be blown away by the production but I felt like I was watching Gladiator 2 instead of a prequel of Robin Hood. Furthermore, the first act is confusing as hell and I felt no emotional connection with any of the main characters.

Video Highlights

• AVC/1080p encode on a BD-50 disc
• Solid black levels
• Muted color palette
• English countryside looks very inviting
• Strong detail

Audio Highlights

• DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack
• Engaging surround track
• Intelligible dialog
• Impressive dynamic range
• Celtic inspired score fills the room

While the screenplay didn't impress me, the audio and video quality befits the blockbuster budget.

Bonus Materials

• Director's notebook
• Deleted scenes (HD)
• "Rise and Rise Again" featurette (SD)
• "Art of Nottingham"
• Theatrical trailers and TV spots
• BD-Live, D-Box, and pocketBlu enabled

  I think this film would have been more entertaining if the screenwriters ditched the idea of a Robin Hood prequel altogether and instead aimed for a medieval adventure flick. In spite of the poor script the production value is outstanding with well shot action sequences and beautiful scenery and for this reason is worth a rental.

  Release Date: September 21, 2010
  Studio: Universal

  Movie: 6/10
  Picture: 9/10
  Sound: 9/10
  

  Review System

  Source
  Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player
  

  Display
  JVC DLA-RS1 projector
  Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

  Electronics
  Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
  Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
  Panamax M5400PM power conditioner

  Speakers
  M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
  M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
  SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

  Cables
  Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
  Best Deal analog-audio cables
  PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector
  

  Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics