The Three Musketeers -Review

Swashbuckling Musketeers featured in must-see film

Posted Nov 3, 2011 By Mark Haskins emcstlawrence.ca


MOVIE: The Three Musketeers

STARRING: Logan Lerman, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Matthew Macfadyen, Mila Jovovich, Christopher Waltz, and Orlando Bloom

DIRECTOR: Paul W.S. Anderson

RATING: PG-13

EMC Entertainment - Intrigue, adventure, evil machinations, romance, sword fights, and just a hint of steampunk, The Three Musketeers has it all.

After a failed mission where they were betrayed by Milady de Winter (Mila Jovovich) the Three Musketeers, The King of France's elite warriors, find themselves out of favour. As it seems their country doesn't need them Porthos (Ray Stevenson), Aramis (Luke Evans) and Athos (Matthew Macfadyen) have found other pursuits. Mostly brawling with and embarrassing Cardinal Richelieu's (Christopher Waltz) guards. That is until they meet D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman).

D'Artagnan has come to Paris to become a Musketeer like his father. In the short time since he's left home D'Artagnan has had a run-in with The Cardinal's enforcer Rochefort (Mads Mikkelsen), and managed to insult each of the Three Musketeers. D'Artagnan was just about to duel Athos when 40 of the Cardinal's Guard showed up to arrest them. Unfortunately for the Cardinal's Guard they didn't bring quite enough men.

With the introductions out of the way The Musketeers take D'Artagnan under their wings. From there it isn't long before they find themselves embroiled in the intrigues of the court. The Cardinal, using Milady de Winter as his agent, hatches a plot to implicate improprieties between the Queen of France and England's Duke of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom). This would plunge both countries into war, and allow the Cardinal to seize the throne. It's up to The Musketeers to expose the plot, clear the good name of the Queen, and save France.

I absolutely loved The Three Musketeers. The wild gadgets, the costumes, the backdrops, the intricately-filmed sword fights, and the dazzling special effects were all gorgeous. It's a stunningly beautiful film, but it isn't all just eye candy. The story is tightly written full of wit and humour as well as action and adventure.

The cast is exceptional. Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, and Matthew Macfadyen are perfect as the Three Musketeers. They give the kind of performances that makes it hard to imagine anyone else playing their roles. I was thoroughly impressed with Logan Lerman who, as D'Artagnan, has just the right blend of arrogance, heroism, and wit. As manipulative, power hungry villains go Cardinal Richelieu ranks near the top, and I can't think of a better actor than Christopher Waltz to step into the role.

Milady de Winter is perhaps the most dangerous double agent and assassin in Europe. She's a force to be reckoned with as much as she's an object of men's desires, and Jovovich plays the part like she was born to.

When I hear the name Orlando Bloom I don't think villain. However, Bloom is outstanding throwing himself into the role of Buckingham with an undisguised zeal.

While it is a little odd that no one in the film seemed to have a French accent The Three Musketeers is still very much a must-see film.

Mark Haskins' column is a regular feature of the EMC.