Starring: Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry Directed By: Stephen Herek Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Walt Disney Video Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Letterbox Region Code: 1 Release Date: August 24, 1999 Running Time: 105 minutes Theatrical Release Date: November 12, 1993
Description: Nab the star-studded comedy-adventure that dazzled moviegoers everywhere! It's the action-packed tale of three loyal swordsmen (Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt) who are joined by an eager recruit (Chris O'Donnell) to protect the King of France. Together, the foursome battle enormous odds in their attempt to defeat an evil royal advisor (Tim Curry) and a seductive envoy (Rebecca De Mornay) plotting to overthrow France's crown -- fighting against both time and scores of enemies! You'll cheer out loud when these exciting muskeeteers face danger, fun, and adventure at every turn -- proving they are the greatest swashbucklers who ever lived!
Well, They Got The Names Right... I'll do my best to make this review fair. It will be hard, because I dearly love the Musketeers novels, and this movie has very little in common with any of those.
As my title suggests, most of the names are spot-on accurate... but that's almost where the similarity between this film and its source material ends. A few bits are also retained, and some general characterizations (Athos drinks, etc.), but the actual plot events are completely done away with, as are the deeper portrayals of character. Richelieu is no longer the genius, subtle, behind-doors politician, but becomes Snidely Whiplash v.2.0. Constance Bonacieux loses her last name, her husband, her lines, her importance to the plot, and is thrown in as an afterthought. The Musketeers themselves lose a considerable amount of depth and vigor -- Oliver Platt is hardly the jolly giant that Porthos needs to be (instead presented as mostly a clown, here), and D'Artagnan himself becomes an unsteady, uncertain child instead of the fearless, reckless, arrogant and hot-tempered youth of the novel.
All of this said... the movie is... decent. It's fun enough, I suppose, to see guys sword fighting, spilling out one-liners in true 90s film fashion. Rebecca de Mornay is beautiful (and is an inspired casting decision, regardless of how they treated her character), Tim Curry plays Whiplashelieu to the hilt, and Kiefer Sutherland is an ideal Athos.
If a person comes to this movie with no knowledge of the novel, or is able to somehow forget it, they'll probably be entertained. It's still not *great* cinema, but that's understandable as it never aspired to be. It wanted to be a fun, popcorn-chomping romp, and at that, it does its job. Or, at least 3-Stars worth of it.
Still, I have to wonder a little bit. If you have a wonderful property to work with like Dumas' novel, the budget and the talent to pull it off in reasonable fashion, why would you completely throw out the story (and almost completely throw out the characters) that has made it so famous and so lasting, and replace it with a generic action script? The original is long and complicated, and I understand the difficulties inherent to condensing it to a 90 minute feature. Maybe this film played it safe, in offering up the usual Hollywood-fare. But playing it safe can only ever bring limited success, and whatever its box-office at the time, this film doesn't hold up that well a decade and a half later.
For those truly interested: read the book, instead. It is better in every way.
Great Adventure Great adventure movie for any age and a perfect introduction for anyone to the wonderful Alexandre Dumas. Stars galore, romance, death, sword fights, fist fights, wagon and horse chases, there's nothing this movie doesn't have!
I love this movie! I love this movie! We had it on VHS and tried to watch it, but the tape had worn out. We were really sad! I quickly hopped on the computer to look for it on DVD, and found it without problem at Amazon.com. I couldn't wait for it to come in the mail, we watched it that day. It is a good combination of drama, comedy, and action. It is child freindly, my whole family loves this movie.
The Three Musketeers Though it doesn't follow the book very closely, it is extremely entertaining. My wife especially enjoyed the way Porthos is portrayed, she says Porthos reminds her of me.
Good fun! See all your favorite TV stars, when they were young and plucky: Keifer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, the vet doc from Gray's Anatomy. This is a good choice for date night: adventure & action for the guys, & wit and romance for the girls. It's funny, fast-moving, & well-acted and written.
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