Scott decided, I think, to get away from the whole campy thing in tights business and wanted to make this 'real'. So there is sweat and dirt and rats at the cheese and even bad teeth, which is fair enough, but it is also joyless.

We never even get to see Robin steal from the rich and give to the poor. That's because the film is a prequel in search of a sequel. With any luck, we won't get one.

Its $200-million budget is on the screen. This is a big-scale ambitious period epic in the 60s grand tradition. It seeks to retell a well-worn tale, to put old wine in a shiny new bottle.

Give me a Robin Hood that can beat the crap out of the Kevin Costner hero I grew up wearing a VHS tape out on and I'm good to go.