Movie A Day 5: Robin Hood: Men in Tights

Hello again, when I think of Mel Brooks, I think of Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, or Blazing Saddles. One film however has always stuck out to me in his filmography. Robin Hood: Men in Tights has gotten a bad rap over the years, with only a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some even say this is when Brooks finally jumped the shark as he only directed one more movie after this. I feel Robin Hood: Men in Tights has gotta a undue reputation throughout the years, here's why

"I lost. I lost? Wait a second, I'm not supposed to lose. Let me see the script."

Overview:  A spoof of Robin Hood in general, and 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' in particular. 

Plot and Pacing: I'm not sure what Mel Brooks wanted this film to be. On some levels, it succeeds and effectively spoofs the story and the genre in general. On the other hand, I think the early 90s got the best of him, especially by including that horribly dated rap sequence. I'm a fan of breaking the forth wall on occasion, but they seem to go to the well far too many times here. The other musical sequences work well here and they're spread out rather evenly. My main complaint is that it seemed like it was trying to be too much like Blazing Saddles, sometimes referencing the movie outright. The movie is paced just right though, never feeling sluggish despite its hit or miss joke ratio.

The Players: Cary Elwes seems right in his comfort zone in yet another period film. His casting is pretty great and he seems to be having fun with the role. I'm a huge fan of the choice as booking Richard Lewis as the king, his new york accent somehow is ironically perfect for the role. Roger Rees is pretty great himself, effectively playing the foil to Elwes' hero. A young Dave Chappelle has a nice supporting role as ahchoo. Mel Brooks did very well to cast this film and his finger prints are all over it.

Verdict: I'm pretty conflicted on this film. It's hard not to compare it to Brooks earlier, more focused works. Viewed by itself though, Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a solid addition to the spoof genre. Give it a look if you're a fan of Mel Brooks. It's available on Netflix Instant Streaming. Until next time.

6/10

Join me next time as I follow Mel Brooks (again) in To Be or Not To Be