By Peter Covino

Entertainment Editor

There are no men in green tights. And no lousy British accents, via actors such as Kevin Costner.

And even though the Universal Studios trailers want to make you very much think that director Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe are re-channeling Gladiator, Robin Hood is a unique  production.

Pretty much forget what Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHaviland told us, in probably the best- loved Robin and Maid Marion tale, The Adventures of Robin Hood. This fictional story shows us what Robin was doing before he wound up in that forest.

I’m thinking that Russell Crowe may actually be a bit old to be playing Robin in his pre-forest days, but in this story, he has been gone for 10 years, off with King Richard when he was doing his Crusades thing. Director Scott has also been down that road before with his Kingdom of Heaven.

There is no stealing from the rich and giving to the poor here. That may come later, if there is a sequel.

The Crusades are over and Robin Longstride (Crowe) is going home to England. But King Richard (Danny Huston) alas, is not.

Robin, and the men who will soon be his followers meet up with a dying knight, Sir Robert Loxley, with a wish: For Robin to return his sword to his father back in Nottingham.

And thus, the legend begins.

Robin masquerades as the fallen knight, to ensure safe passage back to England, and when he returns to England, the knight’s blind father (Max Von Sydow), wants him to continue the ruse. This also means he is now married to Loxley's widow, Lady Marion (Cate Blanchett). The ruse is necessary, because by English law, if the old man dies, and with Marion widowed, the family will lose all of their land. Robin also has some father issues of his own to deal with.

The 12th century is not full of good times. There is lots of suffering, all of it captured here. But Blanchett, as the new unwilling wife of Robin, provides some of the film's lighter moments.

The only other bits of levity are provided by Mark Addy as Friar Tuck, who is, as usual more interested in libations, rather than Luke or Leviticus or any other part of the Bible. Friar Tuck also is a beekeeper, a profession that helps him in his pursuit of making the honey liquor, mead.

King John also is in the tale. In past films, including the classic Flynn 1938 version, John takes power in England, after Richard has been captured back in Europe. Here John (Oscar Isaac) takes over legitimately, with the death of his brother. But he is still a pretty lousy king.

And that sets up the main premise for the film: with England in disarray, King Philippe back in France decides this would be a great time to invade the country.

Things get a bit silly at times, almost Lord of the Rings fanciful, when Marion shows up in armor as do some young orphans to take up the cause against France, but the battle scenes work well enough, particularly that great invasion force coming in from the sea.

Robin Hood is at its best for the realistic scenes of life in Medieval England. It is a very good looking and mostly entertaining film.

The story is a bit shallow at times, but it is definitely than sitting through that Costner film, one more time.

Critic's rating: B-

Robin Hood is rated PG-13.