The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan

This review may contain spoilers!

 

The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' famous novel 'The Three Musketeers' and depicts the story of D'Artagnan, a young man hopeful of joining the King's Musketeers. In his journey to becoming a musketeer, he allies himself with the famed three musketeers and gets embroiled in a political conspiracy to set Catholic France into war against the Protestants.

 

This movie felt like a return to the type of movie going experience I crave. Growing up, I was surrounded by blockbusters that really immersed you in their world, often blending a significant amount of practical effects with CGI imagery and placing a good script at the centre of it all. The writing didn't have to compromise itself to become a 'blockbuster'. I think of the epic period blockbusters like Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie or the Pirate of the Caribbean series; that to me is what watching The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan was like. This movie sets us with a young protagonist who is incredibly charismatic and wields a strong moral compass; from the first scene, we see him as an honour bound fighter for justice. The journey he takes us on is one filled with ambition and adventure, we see him untie with those who make the Musketeers great and learn to live by their code. I loved how the film muddled itself into sinister intrigue; putting Athos in great peril by framing him for a crime he didn't commit or scandalising the Queen of France with only the Musketeers to save her. The movie really handles suspense and mystery quite well, often placing us a little ahead as an audience wanting to see our heroes work it out and succeed. There is also a really charming romantic sub-plot that just feels authentic and sweet, it's the definitive cherry on top.

This movie looks phenomenal from start to finish, with a real effort made to put practical imagery and effects first at every turn. The way this film is shot is really varied and creative, scenes feel bold and stark, leading to a serious dramatic edge. But the fight scenes? The fight scenes move with a wild, yet sharp focus that often provides interesting perspective to battles. Visually, this is currently my favourite collection of fight sequences in a film so far this year. The music really has a bit of weight to it, feeling as bold and heroic as its protagonists. There were whole tracks that felt on the level of Hans Zimmer, but they were crafted by an extremely talented individual known as Guillaume Roussel.

 

François Civil, who played Charles d'Artagan, is a triumph of a protagonist; Civil's ability to be so entirely charming and cocky in equal measure without compromising his hero's identity is astounding. Romain Duris, who played Aramis, feels born to play this part; Duris is very seductive in his manner while also maintaining a gentlemanly demeanour. Pio Marmaï, who played Porthos, is a boisterous role that lives large in his scenes; Marmaï is an exuberant figure who also manages to ground the heroic Musketeers. Eva Green, who played Milady, is a true snake of an antagonist; every scene with Green feels like danger waiting to strike. Louis Garrel, who played Louis XIII, is a just monarch struggling to hold to his nature; Garrel is immensely likeable as the King which makes his road to succumbing to jealousy all the more heartbreaking. Vicky Krieps, who played Anne d'Autriche, is such a naturally regal figure; Krieps plays a quiet vulnerability rather well at various points in the film. Lyna Khoudri, who played Constance Bonacieux, has incredible chemistry with Civil; the sharp dialogue delivery and the way they play off one another results in an amazing romantic sub-plot. Eric Ruf, who played Cardinal de Richelieu, works extremely well as the shadowy antagonist of this film; Ruf plays into a duplicitous figure in the midst of a scene very well. Marc Barbé, who played Capitaine de Tréville, is wonderful as the stoic yet kind leader of the Musketeers; Barbé feels like a leader torn between duty and his greater dedication to doing good. 

However, the best performance came from Vincent Cassel, who played Armand de Sillègue d'Athos d'Hauteville. This role is rarely the central nor pivotal focus of the film; Athos is often the Musketeer most content not dominating a scene. But Cassel's seasoned experience makes Athos a quietly intriguing character to watch. He cuts a very traditionally noble figure, a man of high honour who puts everyone before himself. Cassel also knows how to present a man being chased by his own inner demons, leaving Athos quite the haunted figure at times. His rapport with his fellow cast mates is wonderful, and the four leads of this film really bounce off one another very well. Athos' trial is one of my favourite scenes of the film, how willing he is to put what is right even before himself makes this Musketeer one of my favourites to watch.

The first act is a bit of a steep buy in at first, you are delivered a lot of political exposition alongside character exposition that makes the storytelling feel a bit dense. It's not easy to muddle through all the information and find the joy of the story, but as we progress towards the end of act one and the start of the second act it finds its groove. I adore Athos in this, but his ties to a Protestant family and his secret past are quite clunky in their delivery. There needed to be some more work to find fitting points of delivery for this. I also wish the film wasn't so hell-bent on plugging Part 2, the sequel push as the film came into the final act really took away from the impact of the ending.

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, who played Duc de Buckingham, is an interesting if not safe performer; his appearance is fleeting and doesn't land with the same impact as other romantic storylines. Gabriel Almaer, who played Benjamin de la Fère, never makes a strong impression upon the story; he fits awkwardly and doesn't even have much chemistry with his onscreen brother, Cassel.

France is currently making the type of blockbuster that American and British screens are starving for, and this is the proof. I would give The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan an 8/10.