Robin Hood - Men in Tights (1993)

Good, but the jokes are a little bland.

I know i will catch some criticism for this review, but o well. the movie is funny, but utilizes many cheap jokes, which i find takes from the actual comedy. another one of the few faults i've seen with mel brooks is that some his jokes can be seen a mile away. almost as if he's trying to force comedy instead of letting it flow.

robin hood is very hansom, and is probably one of the funniest in the cast, while chappelle (achoo) is funny as well. the rest are mildly amusing.

the fight scenes are done in a silly way, which is good. i also liked the way the movie acknowledges that it is a movie. they break the 4th wall frequently, revel in shots including stage handlers, and even pull out the script at one point.

main point is do i think its worth buying? yes. but don't expect this to be anywhere near as funny as young doctor frankenstein.

October 12, 2008

Movies like this make me very, very merry...

A film like `Robin Hood - Men in Tights' is really nothing more than good clean fun, in the lines of Mel Brooks other spoof films. It's more successful than some (yes, I didn't like `Blazing Saddles') and less successful than others (it's no `Young Frankenstein'). The film pokes fun at, none other than, Robin Hood, and in particular at the 1991 Costner vehicle `Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves'.

The film is littered with comedic talent and jabs at movie after movie, but it never feels overstuffed, which is nice because that is a very easy problem to run into. Cary Elwes is hilarious as Robin Hood. I love his comedic work (`Princess Bride' anyone) and here he does a brilliant mockery of Kevin Costner's turn in the `Prince of Thieves' film ("Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent!"). He is aiding immensely by a very talented cast of characters, from Roger Rees to Dave Chappelle to veteran comics like Isaac Hayes and Dom DeLuise (Patrick Stewart even graces the film with his presence).

The film pits Robin against the evil Sheriff of Rottingham and the laughs just spill out from there. Roger Rees is flawless as the Sheriff, creating a supremely hysterical villain we love to hate. Dave Chappelle provides some great comic relief (this was a pre-stardom Chappelle proving why he is the comedic genius he is today) and Tracy Ullman tears it up as Latrine, the witch who just wants a piece of man meat. Amy Yasbeck is beautiful if not a tad dull as Marian, but her beauty is what attracts Robin so I guess that's all she needed to be (and that chastity belt bit is hilarious).

I don't really know what all else to say aside from the fact that this is a rompfest. There is so much to enjoy here. Sure, it is not a perfect comedy, and it is not particularly smart (the gags are really all spoof related with nothing genuinely intelligent being mocked) but it works very well. Sometimes all you need is a good laugh, and this film provides them in spades (the singing and dancing bits are just the right touch of something extra to really set this film apart). Watch out for Dom DeLuise's wonderful prod at `The Godfather', sliding in a little bit of culture in this very funny spoof on everyone's favorite thief. September 26, 2008

robin Hood men in tights

There are songs that you will never get out of your head. Our whole family loves this movies August 25, 2008

I Thought This Was the Funniest Thing in the World...

...when I was in junior high. And now? Let's just say that Mel Brooks only hits one out of every 10 gags on the money, and them ain't good odds, folks.

Richard Lewis is a standout, while Cary Elwes and Dave Chapelle bring their unique charms to "Rottingham" Forest. You'll smile a lot, and maybe even laugh a few times. Fans of other Mel Brooks movies may be underwhelmed. Still, if slapstick comedies (such as "Scary Movie" and "Naked Gun") are your thing, this film is worth renting for an evening of good humor. August 12, 2008

Wonderful Silliness!

I enjoyed introducing my 12-year-old son to the humor of Mel Brooks with this classic take on Robin Hood. My son can't stop singing the song ("We men/Men in tights! ... ").

A classic comedy. July 11, 2008

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