Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The Three Musketeers

Some actors seem to have a habit of winning roles in movie franchises that are unable to take off. Logan Lerman is one of them. As D’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers he could lead a number of films as the daring protégé to the swordsmen, but box office numbers so far put those sequels in doubt. It is disappointing since Musketeers is a fun family action film in the vein of other successful period flicks. The plot follows the four leads as they tread the line between two separate enemies, played by Christoph Waltz and Orlando Bloom, and try to keep France from an impending war with England.

The film was never going to be revolutionary or a trophy contender because of the grand scale. So that points the movie toward a family release. However, the violence is a bit too graphic to get parents on board. So ultimately the film is labeled a flop. It’s not that simple though. There are a number of ridiculous technology moments with blimps and wheels of automatic canons. These scenes are campy, but not unbearable as they lead to dramatic battles. The characters are fun with adequate actors and a few high quality performances. Matthew MacFayden, Luke Evans and Ray Stevenson, who are the musketeers, all do well even though their characters have little development.

So the common person seeing The Three Musketeers will likely find it fun, dramatic and exciting. Though digging in to it will reveal weaknesses in the script, overblown theatrics and one fight scene too many. Ending on a cliffhanger, a sequel would be welcomed to right the ship a bit and develop the characters. Though I know I’m a little more lenient with the studio’s money than they are. And I must not be the only one who found it odd had having Christoph Waltz play a Frenchman. (7.4 out of 10)

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