The Musketeer (2001)

I doubt I need to explain the plot. It's Three Musketeers, nuff said. However this time, it has action choreographed by Hong Kong master Xin Xin Xiong (martials arts buffs among you may recognize the name).Neat production values and some interesting kung-fu/swashbuckling set pieces, like sword duels on the side of a tower or across ladders, aside, this is a really dull, lackluster version of the classic adventure (at least W.S' mess had some steampunk thrown in, and even Disney gave us the forever badass Michael Wincott and a rather amusing Oliver Platt). OH BOY, OH BOY, where to start? Well, the performances are flat-as- shot-tires all around, with the normally terrific Stephen Rea as a seemingly always monotone Richeleu being especially inexcusable. Mix that with thin characters that aren't engaging or lively in the slightest, and a plot that oversimplifies the story absurdly to focus solely on D'Artagnan, making the other Musketeers almost redundant, as well as even more lifeless (the witty repartee and banter, as well as 'All for One' friendship that almost every other version has? Completely Absent). And as if this cake needed more icing, the utterly generic score from the otherwise talented David Arnold (Stargate, Sherlock) that doesn't do much adrenaline pumping, nor has any real whimsy or levity to it.In the end, this is the text-book definition of 'unnecessary'. The concept of swashbuckling + kung fu should make for, at least, good cheesy fun, but when that is the ONE and ONLY thing your movie has going for it, you have officially failed as a film maker.

Hmmm... an attempt to combine swordplay with martial arts, a period swashbuckler from French literature with a Hong Kong style of action film-making. An odd fusion of influences, for sure. Many viewers will be turned off by the idea even before the credits roll, but I wanted to give the film a chance before judging it. Alas, this is one of those occasions where the mocking critics are proved right - The Musketeer is a huge disappointment, a dispiriting romp singularly lacking in wit, entertainment or any sense of meaningful narrative. It avoids a one-star rating simply because a couple of action sequences are interestingly choreographed and Tim Roth is good as a vile villain. On every other level the film is an abject failure.Raised by former musketeer Plachet (Jean-Pierre Castaldi) following the murder of his parents, D'Artagnan (Justin Chambers) grows up dreaming of becoming a musketeer himself. Unfortunately, by the time he is old enough and skilled enough to go to Paris to fulfil his dream, the musketeers have been disbanded by the scheming Cardinal Richlieu (Steven Rea). Richlieu is busily manipulating events in France, trying to create uneasy tensions between his own country and Britain and Spain, with help from his sinister one-eyed henchmen Febre (Tim Roth). Febre is the same villain who killed D'Artagnan's parents, and his blind eye is a direct result of an injury inflicted upon him by D'Artagnan as a boy. D'Artagnan manages to persuade some ex-musketeers to rise up and fight back against the political plotters controlling the country. Eventually, Febre becomes so drunk with power and bloodlust that even Cardinal Richlieu realises that he cannot control him, so he asks D'Artagnan and the musketeers to stop him. With the life of the Queen (Catherine Deneuve) and a young chambermaid (Mena Suvari) at stake, D'Artagnan attempts one last desperate bid to destroy Febre in his lair.The cast is an impressive one: Rea, Deneuve, Castaldi, Suvari - plus other faces like Nick Moran and Michael Byrne - are all established actors with a good body of work in their back catalogue. Alas, they are almost entirely wasted here - Gene Quinatno's hopelessly muddled script gives them nothing to do, since it's only interested in filling the gaps in as cursory a manner as possible between the action set-pieces. Only Roth does anything remotely three-dimensional with his character. It's peculiarly hard to follow what's going on much of the time, since all scenes involving exchanges of dialogue are clumsily fumbled. The fight choreography is at least pretty good, even if it does look rather amiss in a period swashbuckler like this. The climax, involving an elaborate series of stunts on ladders, is the highlight. Overall, though, The Musketeer is one big, unwieldy mess which never catches fire as a piece of entertainment.

The Musketeer is a film very loosely based on Alexandre Dumas' classic novel The Three Musketeers.It stars Catherine Deneuve, Tim Roth, Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea, Nick Moran, Bill Treacher and Justin Chambers.The movie was directed by Peter Hyams.The Musketeer was set in 17th-century Paris.A dashing swordsman named D'Artagnan finds himself at odds with the powerful forces taking over France. He sets out to avenge the murder of his parents and finds his country cleaved by chaos and civil unrest. His heart softens only for Francesca, a fiery peasant girl who claims D'Artagnan's heart on sight. D'Artagnan, after witnessing his unarmed parents slain by the evil Febre ,grows up wanting to be a musketeer, one of King Louis XIII's loyal protectors. Upon arriving in Paris, however, he finds that the Musketeers have been disbanded by order of Cardinal Richelieu, who is usurping the king's authority with the help of his lethal henchman, Febre.Traveling to Paris, D'Artagnan verbally spars with witless quip- spouting musketeers Aramis, Athos and Porthos. D'Artagnan heads off guarding the queen, who is traveling incognito as a commoner on her way to meet Lord Buckingham. The evil Febre, his leash held loosely by the evil Cardinal Richilieu, wants to kill the Queen in order to sow unrest and war, which would create opportunities to profit, a war between France and England.The Musketeer is a film that relies mainly of cheesy action scenes mostly on cheesy and unrealistic swordplay.Aside from that,it also has poor story that makes minimized Dumas' classic into a forgettable novel. Acting is decent and the editing presents somewhat a confusing story.Overall,The Musketeer is a MUST MISS film.

An adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's world, An action movie version made by an action team (Moshe Diamant (production), Peter Hyams, ... )This movie gives us, besides a certain originality of this adaptation, an umpteenth version, which falls very quickly in most easy screen writing "clichés". A story of revenge (murders of family members of the hero by the bad), Planchet a weapon master guide and finally just for serving as transition because once adult D'Artagnan, Planchet quickly found again his place as servant. Constance became Francesca?? Monsieur De Bonnacieux became a sewerman for facilitate the intrusion of companions in the palace, the queen wades through the sewers and plays a woman of the people ... The poor drama is expected to highlight the action scenes.Like a good action film and screenplay of action, too longer and too many action scenes come easily are the culmination of history. The control of the action scenes is widely demonstrated.Shot in the southwest of France's natural settings are well highlighted.An interesting distribution with the pleasant and reassuring presence of Catherine Deneuve, Jean Pierre Castaldi a surprising and very fit for Planchet one of his best roles I've seen, and especially Tim Roth always a credible and more than convincing with a large presence for play the bad guy.Note the role of Tim Roth, Febre, the name is reminiscent of the Count of Fere also alias Athos, D'Artagnan offers something quite unusual: a adventure of the three musketeers without Milady. Because Febre is Rochefort and Ms De Winter together, with all its pure evil thing of Ms. De Winter.Another title would have been welcome, "a story of D'Artagnan and the musketeers". The story was modified just for the intrigues of the era are just used as the backdrop for an action film. This movie is well directed and entertaining.The goal is reached, but despite the entertainment, D'Artagnan is a film that can easily be [email protected]