Honestly, the Beyond Sherwood Forest movie is a fever dream of 2009 cable television. If you were flipping through channels back then, you probably remember the "Wait, is that a dragon?" moment. It wasn't your standard Robin Hood retelling. Most versions stick to bows, arrows, and a grumpy Sheriff. This one? It decided that what the 12th century really needed was a shapeshifting monster.
It's a Syfy original. That should tell you everything you need to know about the vibe. It has that specific, glossy-yet-budget-conscious look that defined the era's creature features.
What Actually Happens in Beyond Sherwood Forest?
The plot is wild. You've got Robin Hood (played by Robin Dunne), who is doing his usual "rob the rich" bit, but the stakes are completely skewed by the supernatural. The Sheriff of Nottingham isn't just a corrupt bureaucrat here. Instead, Malcolm—played by the late, great Julian Sands—is basically a dark sorcerer. He's got a secret weapon in the basement.
Enter Aline. She’s a girl cursed to transform into a massive, winged dragon.
Basically, the Sheriff uses her to hunt down Robin and his Merry Men. It turns the legend into a survival horror movie for about twenty minutes. Robin isn't just worrying about taxes; he’s worrying about being incinerated from the sky.
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The Smallville and Stargate Connection
If the faces look familiar, it’s because this movie was a "who’s who" of Vancouver-based sci-fi royalty.
- Erica Durance: Fresh off her iconic run as Lois Lane in Smallville, she plays a much more "action-oriented" Maid Marian. She’s not sitting in a tower waiting for a rescue.
- Robin Dunne: Best known for Sanctuary, he brings a sort of earnest, TV-hero energy to Robin.
- Julian Sands: He brings a level of gravitas that the script probably didn't deserve. He’s menacing in that classic, Shakespearian-trained way that makes even the cheesiest lines sound like a threat.
- Katharine Isabelle: The Ginger Snaps star plays the dragon-girl, Aline. She’s great at playing "tortured soul," which helps sell the weirdness of the transformation.
The director, Peter DeLuise, is a legend in the Stargate fandom. He knows how to work with a limited budget. He uses the British Columbia woods—standing in for England—to create a sense of scale, even if the CGI wolves occasionally look like they were rendered on a PlayStation 2.
Why Does It Work (Sorta)?
It’s easy to dunk on low-budget fantasy. But Beyond Sherwood Forest movie has a certain charm because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It knows it's a B-movie.
The dragon effects aren't actually that bad for 2009 TV. When Aline shifts from human to beast, there’s a physical weight to it that a lot of other Syfy movies lacked. There’s a scene where the dragon attacks the camp that genuinely feels tense. You’ve got these outlaws trying to fight a mythical beast with wooden arrows. It’s a total mismatch.
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The film also takes some swings with the lore. It introduces a "Dark Woods" beyond the regular forest—hence the title—which is filled with black magic and weird creatures. It’s less "History Channel" and more "Dungeons & Dragons."
The Julian Sands Factor
We have to talk about Julian Sands. He passed away in 2023, and looking back at his work in movies like this is bittersweet. He was an actor who never "phoned it in." Whether he was in an Oscar-winning drama or a movie about a Robin Hood dragon, he gave it 100%. His Sheriff is the best part of the movie. He’s cold, calculating, and just a little bit insane.
Is It Worth a Watch Now?
If you’re looking for Gladiator or the 1991 Kevin Costner epic, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want a nostalgic trip back to the era of "Saturday Night Specials" on cable, it’s a blast. It’s 93 minutes of pure, unadulterated fantasy schlock.
You’ve got:
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- Bad CGI wolves that look like fluffy nightmares.
- A surprisingly decent dragon.
- Erica Durance being a badass.
- A plot that involves "soul-linking" and ancient curses.
It’s a specific kind of fun.
How to Find It
The Beyond Sherwood Forest movie usually pops up on streaming services like Tubi or Plex because it’s a cult TV movie. You can also find it on DVD if you’re a physical media collector. It’s often packaged in those "4-Movie Fantasy Collection" bins at Walmart.
To get the most out of it, watch it with friends who appreciate the era of 2000s TV movies. Don't look for plot holes. Just enjoy Julian Sands being a villain and the absurdity of Robin Hood fighting a dragon.
If you want to dive deeper into this specific era of fantasy, look for other Syfy "reimagined" classics like Alice (2009) or Tin Man. They all share that same DNA: take a famous story, add a weird sci-fi twist, and cast every actor currently filming in Vancouver. It’s a formula that, while dated, still has a weirdly loyal following.
For those planning a movie night, pair this with the 2010 Robin Hood or even the goofy Prince of Thieves. It makes for a hilarious comparison of how differently people view the "Greenwood" legend. Just remember to keep your expectations in check—this is a movie where a girl turns into a dragon, after all.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night:
- Check Tubi or Amazon Freevee for current streaming availability.
- Look up Peter DeLuise’s other directorial work in Stargate SG-1 if you like the pacing and camera work of this film.
- Compare the "Aline" character to other "cursed transformer" tropes in 2000s fantasy to see how the VFX have aged.