Okay, I know what I said earlier about not liking overblown swashbucklers with fantastical fight scenes, but I take that back in one sense for the new Three Musketeer movie that came out! And here's why:
One, they didn't add any supernatural elements like Pirates of the Caribbean. There were no (ghost?) pirates and cursed gold. The characters relied on their own skills that might have been a little uncannily good, but hey, they were legends weren't they? There was an underlying Steampunk feel to the movie, which instead of being annoying to me, was rather interesting. Hey you can't go wrong with airships, can you?
Two, they actually put in some parts/quotes from the book! Is that not amazing? Especially for anyone who saw the 1993 Disney version that had hardly anything to do with the original story. The only reason I remotely liked the Disney version was because of the guy who played Rochefort. He was actually who I heard in my head when I wrote Jack Moore in my book Freedom Come All Ye. (So if you want to know what Moore sounds like, you're just going to have to watch that movie.) Also, it had a good humor/adventure to it like the books. My main plot complaint was that Buckingham was portrayed as the villain, but I can forgive that because it was very amusing to see elf/pirate hero Orlando Bloom play the baddie for once ;) Especially with that hairdo.
Three, they picked the best people to play all the characters. I have never seen a version of Musketeers yet where they got everyone right. And Matthew MacFadyen was the only person in my opinion who ever played Athos right. Athos is a hard character because I think he's a favorite and his character is one that if you don't have that slightly dark/melancholy feeling to his character he's ruined. Athos and D'Artagnan (also portrayed wonderfully by Logan Lerman American accent and all) are my favorite characters from the books so usually as long as they are portrayed well, I'm happy. But I got into the bargain Porthos and Aramis (if you want to know who played them, you can look it up) But they were great. And you wouldn't think Porthos would be a hard character to play, but whoever that was who played him in the Disney movie got it so bad that it was like Porthos got abducted my faeries. (no, I don't believe in aliens, only faeries ;) So I was happy with the good guys, but I also liked the guy who played Rochefort in this movie as well. He was throughly evil enough, and also King Louis was perfect. I always had to laugh in all his scenes, especially because he kind of looks like my character Giles in my book Ballad of the Highwayman though Louis is a better guy than Giles. And Constance (D'Artagnan's lass for anyone who has not read the books) was there only when she needed to be. No unnecessary girl stuff, so the female characters never got to be annoying besides Milady but she was the villainess, so you don't have to like her anyway.
So yah, this is my new favorite movie. I had some misgivings when I saw the trailers and stuff, but after I watched it, I was just simply amazed. This is probably the best Three Musketeers yet; not only because it's so action packed, but because they got the characters spot on and the plot line was not nearly as messed up as a lot of other ones. I think this was the film that put the Three Musketeer movie ghost to rest. Oh, and can we expect a sequel? =D
Go see this movie, everyone! And that's all I have to say right now.
Slainte, Hazel
I'm not sure I could ever see Matthew Macfayden in another role after seeing him as Mr. Darcy. ;) I may have to see this movie when it comes out on DVD. I watched some movie clips because I never trust trailers (the Sherlock Holmes trailer made it look stupid, and it wasn't), and it only served to deepen my misgivings. But thanks to your review, I may give it a try at some point.
ReplyDeleteI know, I didn't like the looks of the trailer for this one or the Sherlock Holmes movie, but they were both really good :) The new Sherlock Holmes looks good too. Which version of Pride and Prejudice did Matthew MacFadyen play in? I don't think I've ever seen him in anything else, though I might have as British actors seem to get around ;) I really did like him as Athos though. But yes, I think you should definitely give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI have serious misgivings about the second "Sherlock Holmes." I'm worried that Guy Richie will have tried to outdo the first one, and that could be an utter disaster. But we'll see in 26 days! *cross fingers* Matthew MacFayden played in the "new" version with Keira Knightely and Judi Dench.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you liked that movie! I have wanted to see it, but also wasn't sure it would be too good, but now I am reassured! I have heard two other people say it was amazing. Also, I love several of the actors in it, so I guess I'm just going to have to see it!
ReplyDelete@Mara: Well, we'll just have to see how the new Sherlock movie is. It does look action packed, but that's not always a bad thing as long as they keep a story line to it as well. I am excited because it has more of Moriarty in it and I always loved his dueling with Holmes.
ReplyDeleteHm, I'm not a huge fan of Keira Knightely because I thought she was pretty annoying in Pirates.
@Jenn: I think you would like it. :) Tell me if you get to see it!
Great review, Hazel! You aught to put this in the paper.
ReplyDeleteI should after the terrible review whoever it is who always writes them wrote. But from what I've seen from "real" people, there's a lot of fans for the new movie. I don't know what it takes to make these movie reviewers happy. They need to drink more coffee ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't like Keira Knightely, either - she was a terrible Elizabeth Bennett, and irritates me beyond reason in every movie I've seen her in. But aside from her, everyone else is super-well cast in that particular version of "Pride and Prejudice."
ReplyDeleteI'll have to see it sometime :) I hate it when they cast a movie and everyone is really good and then...there's the bad apple. That's what surprised me about the Three Musketeer movie. There was no bad apple!
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