This is a semi-regular feature I plan to do. Review some old movies that pretty much just came and went in the theaters, or maybe even went straight-to-dvd, that I think were really good, and need to be seen by more folks.
First up is 2001’s THE MUSKETEER.
If you have read the book, or seen any of the various film/tv adaptations that have been made throughout the past several decades, then you already know the basic story. Set during the time of France’s King Louis XIII, a young man named D’Artagnan travels to Paris, seeking to join the legendary Musketeers, and ends up uncovering a plot by the treacherous Cardinal Richeliue, to overthrow the King & Queen, and assume the throne for himself, with the aid of his evil eye-pactch wearing henchman, Febre. With the help of three Muskeeters, Aramis, Athos, and Porthos, D’Artagnan fights to stop the conspiracy, and save France.
Some of the minor details change throughout the various re-tellings, but that is pretty much the story here, and is easy to follow.
The thing that makes this particular film stand out to me, are the sword-fights. It is like nothing you have ever seen in a Musketeer film. Apparently they hired some expert stunt co-ordinator from multiple classic Chinese martial arts films to choreograph these fights, and it comes out incredible.
We’re talking about super-fast swordplay that looks real, despite the obvious improbabilty. You cannot even tell how much are the actors, and how much are stuntmen. Key fights are an early scene in a tavern, where D’Artagnan takes on three swordsman @ once, and the final climatic battle between him and Febre, which takes place partially on several tall ladders.
Justin Chambers stars as D’Artagnan, and therefor carries most of the film, and is featured in all of the fights. The man does a really great job, not only in the fights but just as an actor. I’m not familiar with this man, or his work (when I first saw the film, I thought he was Skeet Ulrich, because they look so much alike, in my opinion), but I’m surprised we don’t see him more often. Mena Suvari also does a fine job as a Lady In Waiting while Nick Moran, Steve Speirs, and Jan Gregor Kremp play the famous Musketeers rather well. Stephen Rea plays the treacherous Cardinal Richelieu, with an understated sneeer of villainy, which makes it believable that he could manage to fool so many into thinking he is noble (unlike other Musketeer films I have seen, in which the Cardinal is usually played as if he is so blatently evil that you’re left wondering why the King hasn’t had him executed already).
But the true star of this film is Tim Roth as Febre. Roth is a fantastic actor, especially when playing a bad guy. He’s jut born to be bad, and his Febre is bone-chillingly evil. Watch the scene where he sticks a knife to a little girl’s throat, and tell me you’re not convinced that he would kill her in a heartbeat.
So I highly recommend this film, not only if you’re a fan of The Three Musketeers, but also if you’re a fan of martial arts films. I think you’ll enjoy it. Two Thumbs Up!
The Muskateers can be rented via Nextflix or purchased via AMAZON.COM
iBLOGalot 
I saw parts of this on cable years ago, but I don’t think I ever saw the whole thing.
LikeLike
You should give it another look, when you can. It’s awesome.
LikeLike
Unfortunately, I cannot agree with your review, my good man. I did indeed see this film years ago, due to my love of the DuMas novel, but I was not impressed.
Oh, the fight scenes were splendid, as you say, however that was the only redeeming quality of this film. It was as if the film was simply a collection of swordfights, strung together by only the barest thread of a plot.
LikeLike
Well, to each his own.
LikeLike
I saw this. Loved the fight scenes.
LikeLike
Oh my gosh, this movie was terrible. Bad,…wooden acting all around, with a pitiful story to match. There were maybe 3 bits of witty dialogue, the rest was just the a cliched plot worn out and reused too much. D’Artagnon(Justin Chambers) was last seen as the Italian Country Bumpkin in the Wedding Planner, and frankly he acted better in that movie, because his role was kept to a minimum. I love it when they make Frenchmen talk with crisp American accents. It all makes it seem so much more realistic. Mena Suvari is completely superfluous to the movie. But I guess she needed a job and there has to be love interest right? Nobody else is even worth a mention. Basically D’Artagnan’s parents are killed by Tim Roth. He grows up and wants to be a musketeer, so he does, becomes a hero, kills Tim Roth. The End. The only thing that was good in this movie were the swordfights. The swordfights were very well done, but it’s just that the acting was so bad, u had trouble believing that someone with zero character could be so good with a sword. Also the end scene where they fight on and off ladders was painful to digest.
LikeLike
Never saw this, but I love Justin Chambers on Greys Anatomy.
LikeLike