Too much of everything

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Excellent but underrated film

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I've not seen this film. I only wanted to commend the reviewer kelley-8 who, in a review posted on 1 September 2001 - at the very least a full year before Keira Knightly made her breakthrough in Bend it Like Beckham, said "The actress who played Gwyn is beautiful and should have a long career." I was so impressed reading this. Of course, Knightly went on to become a famously successful Hollywood actor as Elizabeth Swan in Pirates of the Caribbean, but also got to play famous literary roles such as Anna Karenina and Elizabeth Bennett (in Pride and Prejudice). For such brilliant insight, someone should buy that man (or woman) a drink or six. :)

We rented this movie because my 5 year old daughter liked the DVD cover featuring a "girl with the arrow". She had trouble following the storyline on her own - but I watched the movie with her and answered her questions. With the combination of a female heroin and lots of action, she really enjoyed the movie. Her 10 year old brother (who loves more advanced movies such as "Lord of the Rings") also enjoyed the movie.It's exactly what I expect from a Disney movie - interesting characters, lots of action and a simple plot line. A good family movie.

I saw this movie on THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF Disney, and was immediately enchanted by it. In fact, I wrote to Disney repeatedly about how I could acquire it for my own collection, and got it at a Disney store, I think. I thought the actors were all good, but I especially liked Stuart Wilson, who played Robin Hood. He reminds me of Errol Flynn, who I thought played that part best in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, made by MGM in 1938. The actors who played Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham were quite good, and I thought Kiera Knightley and the guy who played Prince Philip were excellent. I'm glad the movie was made, because I always wondered what happened to Robin and Marian after King Richard's return. If I would be asked who should see it, I'd say anyone 12 or older, as it includes references that are sexual.

** out of ****I'm still not sold on the talent or starpower of Keira Knightley, the teenage British actress who took audiences by storm in 2003 by appearing in three critically acclaimed films, Bend it Like Beckham, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Love, Actually (of the three, I only found Beckham truly enjoyable). Princess of Thieves, apparently her first lead role (which she received probably because of her resemblance to Natalie Portman), is a decent outing as far as Disney television movies go (which are usually total crap), but it could have been one corker of a swashbuckler.The film tells the "what if" tale of Gwyn (Keira Knightley), the headstrong daughter of the Prince of Thieves himself, Robin Hood (Stuart Wilson). England is in a current reign of terror under the rule of Prince John (Jonathan Hyde), who has usurped the throne in his brother's absence due to the Crusades. News of the true King's imminent death arrives, leaving the throne in the hands of his son, Philip (Stephen Moyer). But Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Malcolm McDowell) conjure a plan to murder Philip, thus leaving the kingdom to John's hands.Robin Hood is assigned to escort Philip to safety in England, a task Gwyn is eager to take upon herself, but is promptly refused by her father. Upset, Gwyn dresses in masculine clothing and sets out to prove she has what it takes to match any man in battle. Matters are further complicated when she bumps into Philip, who poses as a valet to keep his true identity hidden and safe. Princess of Thieves is a TV movie, meaning I should probably go a little easier on it when it comes to aspects involving production values and special effects. But I can't ignore what I see, the movie clearly suffers from a lack of budget. Faraway shots of castles are obviously painted backgrounds and Prince John's army appears to consist of approximately two dozen individuals, not exactly a number that would set fear into the hearts of enemy soldiers.But when it comes to matters of acting and pure entertainment, the film is mostly on decent to solid foot, with the lead performers mostly impressive and the film moving at a fast and perfectly watchable pace. It's a movie you could gladly show your kids, who will probably adore it, and you yourself could also watch along without too much fidgeting. It's no surprise the best performances are delivered by seasoned thespians Malcolm McDowell and Stuart Wilson, but Keira Knightley is also competent as Gwyn, even if she remains an actress of very limited range. Still, she's got the rebellious, "kick ass chick" down. Knightley looks well over twenty in this picture, even though her actual age was probably closer to fifteen (wonder if she'll always look six years older than her real age) and I can't even begin to fathom how she could possibly pass for a boy when her looks are so feminine.It's unfortunate Knightley has no discernible romantic chemistry with lead Stephen Moyer, who's kinda bland at first, but is also occasionally charming as the handsome Prince Philip. Would you be surprised if I told you the movie includes a pointless subplot that's mired in teen movie cliché, with Gwyn's goofy-looking best friend sporting a crush on her even though her affections are for the prince. Would you also be surprised if the goofy best friend decided to take an arrow meant for the prince even though they were standing twenty feet away from each other, meaning the prince also had ample time to avoid this arrow he saw being aimed at him (lots of trees for him to hide behind)? To put it simply, they should have just excised this "love triangle" portion of the story entirely.As a swashbuckling adventure, Princess of Thieves is mostly a failure, with terribly choreographed battle scenes that are miniscule in scale. And because the movie is aimed at kids, the running time is well under ninety minutes, resulting in a rushed feeling throughout the film, particularly in the second half, with the Sheriff inexplicably in the rebels' hands in the blink of an eye (all this happening off screen) or the sudden appearance of the rebel army outside the enemy castle gates. There are still a handful of enjoyable moments within all the action, particularly the scenes involving archery. I especially liked the archery tournament, even if its outcome was blatantly predictable.But it's hard to ignore what a movie this could have been. With several more million dollars, larger and more convincing sets, full-blooded sword-clashing battles, and more intense romantic chemistry, this could have been one hell of a medieval adventure. But this is Disney, and any film made directly by this studio has obvious limits and expectations that have to be met, even if they hinder the simmering potential. Princess of Thieves is adequately disposable entertainment, but for a truly fun, funny, and romantic tale of a dashing prince falling for a beautiful commoner, see the far superior Ever After instead.