Overview: From Errol Flynn to Disney, Hollywood has long been fascinated with the legend of Robin Hood. Helmed by director Kevin Reynolds (Waterworld, The Count of Monte Cristo), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves pays homage to the past while transforming the famous outlaw of Sherwood Forest into a movie icon fit for the 1990s.

Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner, Waterworld) returns from the Crusades to find his father dead and vows revenge. With his Moorish companion Azeem (Morgan Freeman, Unforgiven), he joins a band of peasant rebels to do battle against the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman, Die Hard) and win the hand of the fair Maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, The Abyss), cousin of the absent King of England.

This grand, swashbuckling adventure in the classic tradition is brought to life by an all-star supporting cast, including Christian Slater (True Romance), Brian Blessed (Flash Gordon) and a memorable cameo from Sean Connery (himself a former Robin Hood), plus an instantly recognizable score by Michael Kamen (Highlander) - not to mention a chart-topping Bryan Adams theme song. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves dazzles in a stunning 4K restoration, accompanied by a king’s ransom of bonus features.

4K Blu-ray Verdict: Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves is an all-star rehash of one of cinema’s oldest and most popular stories. Kevin Costner takes the title role and proves to be handsome enough and swashbuckling enough to do justice to the role during the action scenes. However, during the film’s quieter moments, Costner’s American accent grates a little amid the Sherwood Forest surroundings, if truth be told, sorry.

The story doesn’t particularly need explaining, but for people who have lived on Mars for their whole lives here it is. Robin of Locksley, a young soldier, returns from the Crusades to find the city of Nottingham and its surrounding area terrorized by the evil Sherrif of Nottingham (Alan Rickman).

Robin takes refuge in the nearby Sherwood Forest, where he gathers a band of woodland outlaws who are always stealing money and treasure taken by the Sherrif and giving it back to the poor. His dashing antics impress Maid Marian (Mary Elisabeth Mastrantonio), a childhood friend, and he quickly becomes popular with the poor and honest folk who nickname him Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves.

The film is very old-fashioned, but it occasionally gives away its 1991 release status with modern touches (the fancy camera-work in which the camera is seemingly fixed upon an arrow as it is fired at a target; the introduction of a Moorish warrior character [Morgan Freeman] to broaden the film’s cultural reference; Rickman’s self-deprecating pantomimic turn as the wicked Sherrif).

On the whole, it is an entertaining film with a good balance between the action and the romance. The best performance - surprisingly - comes from Michael Wincott who oozes menace as the Sherrif’s despicable cousin Guy of Gisbourne. There are some quite significant factual errors, the best (and by best I mean funniest) of which is when Robin and his Moorish companion stand at the foot of the white cliffs of Dover and Robin tells him: By nightfall we will dine with my father! Quite a feat, since Nottinghamshire is about 200 miles away and this pair are travelling on foot! [B.R.]

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
4K restorations of both the theatrical and extended cuts from the original negative by Arrow Films
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation of both cuts in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary with director Kevin Reynolds and actor Kevin Costner
Audio commentary with actors Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater and writers/producers Pen Densham and John Watson
Here We Are Kings: Making Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, a multi-part documentary featuring interviews with Densham, Watson, director of photography Douglas Milsome, editor Peter Boyle, costume designer John Bloomfield and many more members of the creative team
Robin Hood: The Myth, the Man, the Movie, an archival 1991 documentary hosted by Pierce Brosnan
One-on-One with the Cast, archival 1991 interviews with Costner, Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Slater and Alan Rickman
Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” performance at Slane Castle, Ireland
Music soundtrack cues
Theatrical trailer
TV spots
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet featuring writing on the film by Jackson Cooper and Mark Cunliffe
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by José Saccone
Six postcard-sized artcards

Official Purchase Link

www.arrowvideo.com