The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan: An action-packed throwback. Photo / Supplied
The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan: An action-packed throwback. Photo / Supplied
Like Robin Hood, Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers has had many screen adaptations dating to the silent era. Mostly, they’ve been British (the hit 1973 comedy caper) or Hollywood (the 1993 Brat Pack one), which gives the latest a point of difference. It’s the first French feature of the Dumasswashbuckler in more than 60 years. It’s a mostly faithful take on the tale and, needless to say, these Gallic musketeers feel more authentic than Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen and co did back in the 90s.
Director Martin Bourboulon (Eiffel) has assembled a fine cast, and his cinematographer, Nicolas Bolduc, shoots every scene as either an exciting, whirling camera dance or an exquisitely lit painting. Historically, it’s pretty on point, too – Louis Garrel is great as the weaselly King Louis XIII, as is Vicky Krieps as his inscrutable queen.
One rainy night in 1627, a weary Charles D’Artagnan (François Civil) arrives in Paris in his quest to join the King’s Musketeers. The quartet’s meet-cute is well known: a series of comedic mishaps leads D’Artagnan into duels with the highly principled Athos (Vincent Cassel), the randy Porthos (Pio Marmaï) and the god-fearing Aramis (Eiffel star Romain Duris). Instead of dying by the sword, the fanboy joins forces with the trio in a fight against political corruption and treason.
Like the 1973 UK one and its 1961 French predecessor, this adaptation is a two-parter (the second, Milady, is due on August 29), which predictably leaves this two-hour film with a few situations unresolved and some subplots wrapped up a bit too easily. Nonetheless, helped by its costuming and locations, D’Artagnan is enjoyable as an old-school romp, with moments of wry humour and an added dash of darkness. It’s easy to see how this action-packed throwback became a big box office hit at home.
★★★½
The Three Musketeers D’Artagnan, directed by Martin Bourboulon is in cinemas from August 8.
