Image courtesy of AV Club
OKAY, so Kevin Costner is kinda ridiculous in this movie: his “accent,” his blow-dried hair, his not-British-ness. He makes Christian Slater look like Daniel Day-Lewis. But hot damn, I LOVED this movie as a kid! Yes, I had ALL THE ACTION FIGURES.
(And secretly, I still love it. Watched it with my husband a couple of years ago, and even though we made fun of it in places, we got caught up in the story, in the adventure, in the fabulous over-acting of the fabulous Alan Rickman. *sniff* RIP, Sir. Also, THIS COMMENT on the AV Club article I linked above sums up my feelings about this movie EXACTLY. Just go read it and relive the Prince of Thieves memories.)
This move is not high art. It’s a big Hollywood blockbuster from an era when big Hollywood blockbusters were a bit goofy. And yes, it is dated. But it’s fun. And it’s larger-than-life. There is something exhilarating about it, despite the silliness and awkwardness. I got the movie soundtrack as a Christmas present last year, just to relive old memories, and I swear, as soon as that opening fanfare kicked into gear, my heart was soaring and I wanted to go sword fighting and adventuring and storming the castle right then and there (and yes, The Princess Bride will be a future Thing That Shaped Me post).
I’ve noticed over the last few years that swashbuckling action-adventure movies like Prince of Thieves not only don’t get made (unless the movies include Pirates and Caribbeans), but that things that do get made (various Robin Hoods, the latest King Arthur attempts, etc.) are all either too bloated, too ironic, or take themselves too seriously. Everything nowadays is done with grim “realism” (something that Prince of Thieves somewhat ushered in, with its more “gritty” aesthetic). Everything is either uber-serious or coated in irony.
There’s nothing wrong with seriousness or irony. In fact, the sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean could use a bit more seriousness (and a little less irony). But Prince of Thieves is serious without being pretentious; big without being bloated; sincere without being (too) sappy. It wears its big heart on its equally big puffy sleeves. And yes, it’s corny. And yes, Costner is not really very good at big speeches or British accents. But the look of the film is fantastic. When I played imaginary Robin Hood adventures as a kid, in my mind’s eye, I was seeing THIS version of England, with its lush forests, gurgling brooks, stony castles, and sunlit glades.
I’m listening to the Prince of Thieves soundtrack right now and my soul is roused. For all its “grittiness” at the time, Prince of Thieves is really a sweeping classic adventure. I’m curious if a film like that would work today. Could a story with that much sincerity and bigheartedness and over-the-top cheese survive our jaded culture? I’m not sure. It’s a flawed film that rightly deserves some snark. But all I know is that “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” is coming up next on my stereo, and I’m gonna listen to it and love it without a hint of irony.
