Contributed By Melvin Lim
Set in the Victorian era sometime in the 17th century, The Three Musketeers takes viewers on a joyride through the scenic towns and cities across Europe. While many films based on the historic text Les Trois Mousquetaires by Alexander Dumas have been made in the past, director Paul W. S. Anderson brings something new to the table with this latest adaptation—an injection of visual flair and swash-buckling action.
The young and reckless D’Artagnan (Logan Lerman), along with three former Musketeers (Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson and Luke Evans), must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent Milady (Milla Jovovich) and her villainous employer, the Duke of Buckingham (a thoroughly greasy-looking Orlando Bloom) from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war. Unfortunately, despite the fact that they are supposed to be charming Frenchmen, none of the Musketeers are able to muster up a decent French accent; well, maybe except for Ray Stevenson.
The drama can be rather exhaustive especially if you are already trying your best pick to process all the 3D visuals. However, the costumes and set designs are gorgeously rendered (no doubt to fully exploit the 3D format in which it is released), as are the fight scenes, with the stunt choreographer churning out cool sequences featuring the rapier—the choice weapon of the era instead of the sword and also the signature tool of a Musketeer’s arsenal.
All in all, Anderson has managed to give the overly adapted classic a modern twist—The Three Musketeers is nothing short of an exhilarating joyride of espionage and exploration.
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