Rating of
2.5/4
It is what it is!
MovieAddict - wrote on 04/01/13
This version opens with Alexandre Dumas' famous trio of swashbucklers – Athos (Matthew MacFadyen), Aramis (Luke Evans) and Porthos (Ray Stevenson) stealing airship blueprints by Leonardo Da Vinci in Venice. They are betrayed by their partner in crime, Athos's lover Milady De Winter (Milla Jovovich), as she hands the blueprints over to her partner in crime, the Duke of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom here kinda reminds me of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow but it's all good ). The Musketeers are disbanded by Cardinal Richelieu (Christoph Waltz) back in France and Athos and his buddies become disillusioned and bitter (especially Athos, whose heart is broken). Soon the three friends are joined by a young peasant named D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman), who travels to Paris to become a Musketeer, like his father once was.
Meanwhile the youthful King Louis XIII (Freddie Fox) is deeply in love with his new wife and totally not interested in politics so the Cardinal wants to take advantage and seize power from the young French king. This diabolical plan can only be averted if the musketeers retrieve the royal family jewels from the Duke of Buckingham back in England.
This leads to swashbuckling adventure, and the intrigue and pomp of Louis XIII's court, all shot in 3D. Christoph Waltz plays the scheming Cardinal Richelieu and is a treat to watch. But, it is his henchman the one eyed Captain Rochefort that grabs more screen time and action and is played by Mads Mikkelsen, the bond villain from Casino Royale (2006). Regarding the airships, while it was different and more sword play would be preferable, they added a modern twist that I found refreshing. If you are looking for a brainless action movie with some nice costumes then this might be your pick.
