Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Sometimes wildly original, sometimes plays to its 90s shtick, and other times a literal copy of Mel Brooks' earlier works. Men in Tights is jumbled and awkward but still entertaining enough to satisfy. Elwes, Chappelle, Rees, and Lewis turn in some memorable performances but they sadly don't help some of the other performances. While not bad, some just come across as awkward or stale. All in all the film is a fine endeavor and I can see how it has become a cult classic, as a fan of Brooks I was just expecting a little more, but I'm happy with what I got.

Robin of Locksley, known as the most skilled archer of the land, has just returned to England after fighting in the Holy Crusades, where King Richard the Lionhearted is also fighting. Robin finds that much of what he knew of England has gone to ruin, including his longtime family home having been taken away, all at the hands of the evil Prince John, Richard's brother who has assumed the throne in Richard's absence. If you loved movies like Naked Gun and Hot Shots Robin Hood: Men in Tights it's definitely the movie for you, it's insane, it's hilarious and packed with really great perfomances from it's cast. Definitely another great film spoof from 1993 and we had quite the many!!

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) ** (out of 4)After breaking free from a prison, Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) returns to his homeland where he and a group of men decide to take down Prince John (Richard Lewis) and the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees).I remember watching ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS on its opening night in theaters and there were very few laughs from the packed crowd. After the movie when everyone was walking out you could hear the disappointment from people who were expecting more from Mel Brooks. Somehow this film ended up getting a rather strong following once it started to be shown on television but I still don't see what the cult following is all about.I will say that the film looks beautiful and for the most part I think it's entertaining. Brooks certainly knows how to craft a movie but I think the comedy landscape had passed him by. Films like AIRPLANE and THE NAKED GUN series took comedy into a different direction as jokes were constantly flying and the stuff that we saw in these later day Brooks film just couldn't match that. The jokes here are very slow as they take their time to deliver and more times than not you get people speaking to the camera and none of that is funny.There are a few laughs scattered throughout the film but you expect a lot more from a Mel Brooks film. I did think the cast was fine including Elwes as Robin Hood. Lewis and Rees are both fine as is Amy Yasbeck, Isaac Hayes, Dave Chappelle and Mark Blankfield as the blind man. The cast are up to the task but sadly there's just not enough laughs in the screenplay to make the film work.

Robin of Loxley returns to England from Africa only to find that king Richard has been replaced by his unworthy brother, prince John, who taxes his people to starvation. Together with his new friends, he must put an end to this tyranny, regain his family properties and win the heart of the beautiful maid Marian.This movie is a parody to Robin Hood and his adventures. It laughs from one end to another of anything related to the prince of thieves. It follows the original story (sort of) doing nothing more than mocking everything from the characters to the decor or even the plot itself. It's the sort of movie which rarely manages to be funny and entertaining without making a fool of itself. I'm glad to say that it's one of the best in what it tries to do. A true comedy which I watched several times and without any doubt I will see it many times from now on. It puts a smile on your face no matter what mood you're in. Simply wonderful!