Product Description

IN A WORLD THREATENED BY WAR, ONE YOUNG MAN COMES OF AGE AND DECIDES TO AVENGE THE BRUTAL MURDER OF HIS PARENTS. AN IMPRESSIVE MASTER OF COMBAT SKILLS, HE FINDS THE OPPORTUNITY HE'S LOOKING FOR WITH THE ELITE FIGHTING FORCE OF THE INFAMOUS MUSKETEERS. AFTER YEARS OF DISGRACE, HE REUNITES THE GROUP.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16474 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 2002-02-26
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 104 minutes

Amazon.com
Adapted from the Dumas classic The Three Musketeers and set in 17th-century France, The Musketeer focuses on young D'Artagnan (Justin Chambers), who revives the musketeers in a campaign against Cardinal Richelieu (Stephen Rea) and his vile henchman Febre (Tim Roth), who killed D'Artagnan's parents 14 years earlier. The heroes must rescue the abducted queen (Catherine Deneuve) and her comely confidante Francesca (Mena Suvari), with the obvious highlight being D'Artagnan and Febre's inevitable showdown, which trades "All for one, and one for all" for ludicrous swordplay on teetering ladders. The film gets a trendy boost from Hong Kong action choreographer Xin Xin Xiong (Time and Tide, Double Team), but the results are decidedly mixed. While director Peter Hyams achieves convincing period atmosphere (lighting by torch and candles, etc.), he's burdened by a lifeless script and a bland leading man. The Musketeer is lightly entertaining, but another viewing of Rob Roy will provide greater satisfaction. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Depends on what you want.
If you want Dumas's original story in cinematic form, you'll be disappointed. It's been done, and done, and done again, even by Mickey Mouse. This director has chosen not to trudge down the same old rut. Instead, he's created a story parallel to and interlaced with the classic.

As long as you can take this movie for itself, it's fair entertainment. Deneuve is a lovely as ever; her mature, regal look fits the queen's role perfectly. This is a 21st century flick, so there have to be chase scenes - even though it's horse and carriage stuff, the chase scenes are completely up to date. The adventure and intrigue carry the story along well, with a comedic edge that keeps it from turning into a grim parody.

If you want a light swashbuckler, you came to the right place. If you really wanted the classic Musketeers - well, it's been done and done again. You'll just have to keep looking.

//wiredweird

All for one, one for all? I don't think so...
Ewwww! Had to go soak my head in the sink after this one. The Musketeer is one of the most feeble films I've had the displeasure to see in a long time (and I like a lot of films that are generally deemed "stinkpots." This one was low even for my deplorable taste.) Despite what is going to be a nasty review ahead, you might love this film anyway if you adore all swashbucklers and swordfighting films. So keep this in mind as you read further.

The Musketeer is an adaptation of Dumas' Three Musketeers. I'm not rating this film badly because this subject has been filmed excessively --I love retold classics and we can always use a good swashbuckler. I don't even mind that this is "Musketeer Lite" (with only 1 Calorie, I mean, Musketeer instead of the three or four we usually are served up. Your favorites, Pothos, Aramis and Athos are present, but are usually drunk or being disaffected during most of the film.)

What makes me want to demand satisfaction from the producers of this travesty is the miserable script, stupid direction, sloppy editing and shoddy acting. While Stephen Rea (Cardinal Richelieu) and his minion-from-Hell Febre (Tim Roth) were admirable villains, our hero D'Artagnan (Justin Chambers) was pathetic. Obviously, the casting director wanted Johnny Depp, who wisely steered clear of the script or was hiding behind a velvet curtain when this role was being passed out. Justin Chambers looks like he's making a real effort to be a Depp copy, but his lack of acting ability and slurred diction proved that cloning is years away from being able to be successfully implemented.

Catherine Deneuve is nervous but adequate as the French queen (however, in a number of scenes she is visibly looking at the director with a Gallic twist to her eyebrows and a French word nearly on her lips beginning with "m." ) The exceptionally pretty Mena Suvari is a nice touch as the ingénue Francesca. She gets most of what would have been the good lines. Too bad her delivery was about as punchy as a tax court case summation.

Even worse were the special effects from Hong Kong's action-meister Xin Xin Xiong (rhymes with "wrong".) This looked like a bad copy of "Crouching Tiger" with "stuntman-on-a-string" action in the sword fights and what could have been good but was merely stupid and unrealistic dancing on the ceiling. BUT, if you love special effects, lots of swordplay and fighting, you might love this film just for these scenes alone. The good news is that on the DVD, you can fast-forward to these scenes, indulge your bloodlust and skip the rest of the gar-BAHZH.. I love swordfighting but not enough to love this film.

The setting was supposedly in Paris and other parts of France, but done mostly in Luxembourg. This added to the unconvincing effect, though the donjons, palaces and scenery were lovely European postcards. It just wasn't France, except for some spots filmed in Toulouse. Which rhymes with "you lose."

All for one and one for all? Not a chance. This film is definitely "All for NONE."

Disappointing
This has to be one of the most disappointing films I have ever seen. So, if you're expecting the film to resemble Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers, the classic novel on which the movie is based, you will be sadly mistaken. (Dumas, on the other hand, must be turning in his grave.) The opening credits should have been a clue for what was to come because instead of being pulled into the film I felt as though I were being lulled to sleep. I don't know what the director or editor was thinking by flashing pictures on the screen during the opening credits because for a moment there I thought I was watching a slide show.

The script itself was far from intriguing because it droned on much like the monotone delivery of leading actor Justin Chambers. Worse still, because Chambers didn't have a French accent he couldn't even pronounce his own character's name, D'Artagnan, correctly. So, the authenticity of the movie was immediately questioned because of this glaring oversight. (Chambers began his career as a model. Surely he could have invested some of his money on a vocal coach.)

Speaking of unconvincing-the fight scenes were highly forgettable not only because of the choreography, but because of the directing. The sequences felt so rushed that the audience barely had enough time to absorb the choreography. In addition, a few of the stunts reminded me of the gravity defying feats often seen on episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess. The most hilarious spectacle, however, had to be the final fight scene-a laughable duel on teetering ladders. I thought this was supposed to be a period piece, not a fantasy movie.

The only thing that made the film tolerable was the convincing 17th century atmosphere that was created by the constant use of torch lighting, the beautiful wardrobe collection, and the sets. Other than that, the screenplay was bland, the leading actor was unexciting, and the fight scenes were unsatisfying. (I still can't believe it was released on DVD. Can anyone say, "Straight to video"?)