The Three Musketeers (2011)
Certified: U
Duration: 110 minutes
Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich, Matthew MacFayden, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Mads Mikkelsen, Gabriella Wilde, James Corden, Juno Temple, Freddie Fox, Til Schweiger, Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz
KRS release
A slice of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a whiff of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, a dash of Assassin’s Creed, the swashbuckling of Pirates of The Caribbean and special effects make this updated Three Musketeers quite an entertaining night out.
This film comes complete with silly dialogue and only the bare thread of a plot that still owes something to Alexander Dumas’s original work. It also makes the best possible use of the 3D technology at hand, much better than most other films being currently released in 3D format.
The Three Musketeers is set in an alternate 17th century with air dirigibles and steampunk in its atmosphere. Logan Lerman is young Gascon D’Artagnan who has arrived in Paris to become a musketeer just like his father. Here he meets with veteran musketeers Athos (Matthew MacFayden), Porthos (Ray Stevenson) and Aramis (Luke Evans) who are now all washed-up.
Their rival is Cardinal Richelieu (Christoph Waltz) whose schemes are very dangerous for France and the king’s reign. Mads Mikkelsen has the role of the dastardly Comte de Rochefort who humiliates D’Artagnan. Meanwhile, Milady de Winter (Milla Jovovich) is brought in to steal a necklace that belongs to Queen Anne (Juno Temple). This can lead to war for France and also the end of King Louis XIII (Freddie Fox) reign. Embroiled in the events one will also find the roguish Duke of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom) and D’Artagnan falling in love with the Queen’s handmaiden Constance (Gabriella Wilde).
Logan Lerman lacks any sort of charisma and delivers all his puns with deadpan tone; however, he more than makes up for this with his acrobatic skills and sword-fighting stances. Matthew MacFayden is all so serious while the jovial Ray Stevenson will elicit quite a few smiles and laughs. Luke Evans is barely noticeable and is left in the shade by his comrades. Mads Mikkelsen is delightfully bad while Christoph Waltz as the continuously scheming cardinal provides quite a few smiles. Orlando Bloom seems to be having a whale of a time being so pompous. All in all, the cast fits in well with the comic and swashbuckling elements of the film.
The star of the show has to be Resident Evil’s favourite knuckle buster Milla Jovovich who happens to be the wife of dictor Paul Anderson. She adds quite a great touch of glamour. In one particular scene she sets off a diamond necklace heist which is really well-shot. Dressed in garters, she fights it off with all the musketeer guards and even gets her own Entrapment-style scene. Donning a mean and sexy corset she is intent on continuing to play the usual videogame heroine mode to her fans’ pleasure.
The film has quite an opulent look to it. Shot mostly in Bavaria, scenes of palaces and countryside give this film a very rich and colourful palette. What it lacks in storytelling capacity, it more than makes up in show-stealing entertainment. One scene has two airships clashing it out over Paris while another scene has four musketeers duelling against 40 soldiers of the cardinal.
Mr Anderson, who was never known for his subtlety, keeps things going at a steady pace as he turns in a film that is much better than anyone expected from him. He turns the 3D factor into a major protagonist with the audience having to avoid cannonballs and duck swords. The film sports plenty of slow motion action sequences with Mr Anderson borrowing to good effect the fighting style that was so cinematically- effective in 300.
The Three Musketeers leaves itself open to a sequel which I would gladly see.