This is a bit of an odd one compared to the others because at first, it seems the movie isn't taking itself seriously at all, but that changes towards the end. I'll go into more detail on the tonal shift later, but it creates an interesting viewing experience where I found myself not all that invested at first, but as time went on I got more into it.
Robin Hood is about a sly fox who is not only the best Archer in the land but an outlaw who robs the rich to feed the poor. He is pretty much the archetype of a lovable rogue, and he does this role very well. With his sidekick Little John, Robin Hood is constantly witty and easily outsmarts his foes. To be honest, this is the start of where the movie is a bit hard to invest in, and that is he is too far above his enemies. No matter the situation, Robin Hood never really feels like he's at risk of losing.
The more you get to know the villain, Prince John, the less of a threat he feels like. He's dumb, incompetent as a ruler, and can't even fight. The only thing he does is overtax his citizens while King Richard is off on a crusade. Don't get me wrong, there are some funny bits with him, but as a villain, he largely fails most of the show. His desire for power is a little bit too on the nose, I kind of throw him in the same camp as Cruella. But something kind of happens at a certain point, the more he fails against Robin Hood the more it's taken out on the people of Nottingham. He is so cruel and petty, and his reaction grows more vicious as time goes on, and he only has one trick in his basket. Taxes may not sound like much at first, but given how simplistic the movie is it doesn't need to explain it, the Sheriff just keeps taking more and more of the people's money. James may only have one trick, but it's a pretty terrible thing to do when you just keep doing it.
That's where the threat of the movie comes in. It's not that James is a threat to Robin Hood, it's that he's a threat to every other person who can't fight back. And Robin Hood thwarting him time and time again isn't enough to get over the problem. The movie becomes not about defeating Prince John, to be fair that's relatively easy. The movie is about surviving Prince John until King Richard returns.
This is where the movies seeming light-hearted nature works to their advantage, people aren't constantly joking, singing, and dancing because their lives are wonderful, they are doing it because they need a distraction from the state of their home. I don't know how much of this was intentional, but this is kind of a darker story than it appears at first, and that darker tone makes the ending all the more uplifting in away. And I love the show doesn't feel the need to spell this out for the audience and lets you piece it together yourself.
Aside from that though it's pretty much what you would expect. A lot of good musical numbers, a lot of fast-paced action and comedy, and a lot of witty lines. It's a movie that I wasn't too big on when I was younger, but re-watching it now and putting in more thought I appreciate what this movie does. I look at it a lot more highly now than when I was younger. Worth a watch.
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