Show j Prince of Thieves strikes again Andrew Wade Staff Writer OR what seems like almost years F FOR theatres have been exhibiting a trailer announcing announcing an- an r. r the return of Sherwood Forests Forest's most infamous Robin denizen Hood Prince of Thieves He has indeed arrived and you may confidently toss aside any preconceived notions of an Errol like Flynn-like adventure f A This liberal version in Jerusalem 1194 AD A.D. as a bearded Robin Hood Kevin Costner awaits his demise in a dungeon But Buti i in swashbuckling fashion and with the help of Azeem the Moor deftly handled by Morgan Freeman Robin is able to escape and return f to England Upon his arrival Robin discovers 1 n r J a. a t i iJ J y 1 t rr 4 7 A his homeland has been ravaged by the unscrupulous unscrupulous unscrupulous un un- un- un scrupulous Sheriff of Nottingham Alan Rickman Rickman Rickman Rick- Rick man In order to restore order and have phenomenal office box-office receipts Robin must act This is the modern modem Robin Hood not the hearty rogue Errol Flynn immortalized in 1938 Kevin Costner's portrayal is full of doubt sensitivity you anxiety know a kind of guy But it is during the physical action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion that Costner truly shines give him a abow abow abow bow and arrow a quarterstaff a broadsword or even allow him to swing from a rope before letting this Yankee attempt an Old English accent Ouch While following Robins Robin's travels we are introduced introduced introduced in in- to several familiar characters and some are not so familiar The most notable introduction is Azeem Robins Robin's man-at-arms man who at times holds the screen so firmly that the movie may have been appropriately Moor Other memorable performers are Rickman well known for his nefarious Hans Gruber in inDie inDie inDie Die Hard as an top the Sheriff of Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham and Mary Elizabeth as the willful Maid Marian Also not to be forgotten forgotten forgotten for for- gotten are the Merry Men Will Scarlett Christian Slater Friar Tuck Michael McShane McShane McShane Mc- Mc Shane and Little John Nick Brimble who provide Robin with solid backing Remarkably even though the weakest link linkin linkin linkin in this celluloid chain happens to be Robin himself and the script adopts much poetic licen license licence e the film has a satisfying sense of adventure adventure adventure ad ad- venture making it worthy of a viewing J i |