THE THREE MUSKETEERS is one of those franchises that seems to be in a constant stage of reimagination and reinvention. And I think the reason for that is that the source material is never really taken all that seriously.
Essentially the Musketeers’ franchise exists to showcase to throw a bunch of good looking guys onscreen wearing period clothes and swinging their swords around for an hour or two (DOUBLE ENTENDRE ALERT). There’s a bit of intrigue, a bit of romance and everyone has a good time.
But unfortunately I’ve never seen what I consider to be a definitive take on the Musketeer story. Instead the franchise only seems to exist in order to shoehorn any number of artistic interpretations onto its beefy frame. You might say that proves the story is flexible and open to a number of different readings. I’d say that you were wrong.
Anyway, the 2011 version is apparently informed by a combination of steampunk and 3d action film sensibilities (hand flap-screen-booga-booga). Its mindless good fun and it will leave absolutely no impression on you after you finish watching it. So. Enjoy?
I went in expecting B-Movie schlock and that's what I got. So I was happy to disconnect my brain for an hour and a half and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteBut like you said, it's nothing special.
And it's not REALLY the Three Musketeers. I maintain the closest anyone has come to doing a GOOD version of the characters was THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK...and that was the 3rd part of the books tale anyways. But at least it treated the subject matter with SOME reverence.