Paul C
For an 80’s made for TV movie, This is top shelf. If it was motion picture it would be pretty good. Thoughts provoked in the story apply in relevance as much in 2025 as they do in 1982. Can’t believe it’s almost 50 years old. Well cast; cheesy dialogue; it has makings of cult classic. Just hasn’t caught on.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/27/25
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Audience Member
I suppose it’s nice to watch a movie that takes a look at the events that we typically see in Robin Hood movies, but from a different perspective. While Robin Hood appears in Ivanhoe, he is a bit player in the plot, and barely even gets a speaking role. The film still contains many of the same hallmarks of a Robin Hood tale, but I didn’t know exactly what was coming, which was a nice change of pace. This film certainly has the feel of a made-for-TV movie in everything from the cheesy dialogue to the lack of cinematic shots and lighting. The whole thing looks a bit flat and boring. I’m impressed that they were able to stage some of the bigger battle scenes, but I will say the tournaments look about as good as a visit to a Medieval Times restaurant. There’s a lack of authenticity to the whole thing, and I think a big part of that was the cheap-looking set design and costumes. I can often forgive a film that looks a little mediocre when it tells a compelling story, but I felt that Ivanhoe also lacked in the storytelling department. For starters, the title character is not even a main character in his own movie. I was a bit shocked how much of the film he spends moaning in a bed after an early injury. Because of that, it is quite easy to lose track of who might be the protagonist at any given time, and there are more antagonists than necessary for this kind of story. The romance was a mess, and the attempts to make this love triangle interesting fell utterly flat. A big part of that problem is that Lysette Anthony was probably the worst actor in the entire film. Aside from her, it is kind of astounding that they had so much talent for a TV movie, but it mostly went to waste as they were all spouting cliched and predictable lines. I will say that Ivanhoe has enough going on that it wasn’t boring, which I can’t always say about TV movies like this one. It’s not something I’ll need to revisit, but I don’t regret watching it once.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/05/21
Full Review
Audience Member
I've never read the original novel upon which the film is based, but I have some idea of what it was about. From what I've heard, it was a novel that took you back to days of castles, knights and kings, and that's exactly what this made-for-TV epic does. Ivanhoe also proves that not all made-for-TV films are dubious in quality. In fact, despite its fairly bloated runtime, the film proves to be an engaging medieval tale, even if it has a habit of glossing over some of the grimmer realities of medieval life. The biggest strength of this film is its engaging performances, delivered by a cast of talented actors. The film also provides a convincing atmosphere, which is bolstered by the set pieces, the music, and the fairly well-aged visuals. In my opinion, it's a very engaging film that lures you in very good performances, a very good medieval atmosphere, and a rather compelling story. At times, it felt like it really was a medieval fantasy coming alive, and that's always the mark of a good movie.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
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Audience Member
Rather mediocre performance and the plot focuses more on Brian-Rebecca than Ivanhoe himself, but the actress playing Rebecca radiated class, beauty with personality, perfect casting & great execution.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
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Audience Member
Nicely done and entertaining.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/10/23
Full Review
Audience Member
An extremely dated tv production remake of Walter Scott`s "Ivanhoe". the most memorable about this film has to be the stunningly beautiful Olivia Hussey.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/15/23
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