The Three Musketeers (2011) - Movie Review

Another take on the French author Alexandre Dumas famous novel. But is it any good?

Synopsis

The hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Who's In It

Logan Lerman - Playing the role of D'Artagnan. Not seen him in anything since Percy Jackson & The Lightening Thief. Looking like a Zac Efron wannabe in this though

Orlando Bloom! The bad guy, Buckingham. Sporting the most ridiculous hair I've seen in a movie in ages (see below)

Milla Jovovich! Brings a bit of her Resident Evil style slow motion action sequences to the role.

Christoph Waltz! Excels as Cardinal Richelieu by bringing a little Col. Hans Landa to the role

Matthew Macfadyen - Athos the musketeer. Good to see this Spook getting into movies

Mads Mikkelsen! is great as Blooms henchman.

James Corden - the British comedian brings a certain wit to the film.

Helmet hair

What I Thought

The movie starts well with what feels like a scene taken directly out of the video game Assassins Creed where Athos exits the water in a canal and dispatches guards with all the dexterity of an assassin himself.

There are a number of decent slow motion sequences in sword fights scattered through out the movie which add to the visual style. Slow motion it also used to good effect in a number of other action sequences, namely one which can be seen in the trailer below of Milla Jovovich dodging spike balls being fired from hidden holes in walls as she slides underneath them.

The movie is largely a fantastical imaging of the time period. The flying war machines look good but its all quite heavy on the CGI. The weapons used through out and on the air ships look good but just don't fit with the time period. I can see what director Paul W.S. Anderson was trying to do by jazzing it up though.

The Palace of Versailles, where part of the movie setting takes place, looks absolutely stunning. It is however a substitute, a German palace, the Fürstbischöfliche Residenz in Würzburg, Bavaria.

Men's high heels were so in circa 17th Century France

Christoph Waltz is truly brilliant as one of the bad Cardinal. You don't really feel like he never really gets going or a chance to shine, as his plans are no doubt scuppered at the end of the movie.

There are also some artistic scenes featuring models and maps that represent battles to drive the narrative along.

D'Artagnan also gets a bit of a romantic involvement. The Three Musketeers is just all a little cheesy though.

Memorable Quotes

• "What would you like me to put on your tombstone? Little shit?"
• "I suggest you stick to swordplay. In the battle of wits, you sir are unarmed."
• "You should have apologized to my horse."

Rating

2/5

An easy going Sunday movie with friends, and plenty of action, that doesn't require you to think too much.

Trailer

Gives you a good idea of what to expect from The Three Musketeers

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