‘The Three Musketeers: Part One — D’Artagnan’ Reviewed
by Tito W. James
The Three Musketeers: Part One — D’Artagnan, directed by Martin Bourboulon, is a French-language period piece that adapts the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas. The swashbuckling adventure genre has long been seen as inherently posh or campy. From Martin Campbell‘s The Mask of Zorro to Pirates of the Caribbean, swashbuckling movies have largely been lighthearted fare aimed at families.
Bourboulon’s The Three Musketeers benefits greatly from a grittier and grounded approach, elevating the genre by returning to its highbrow literary roots. The Three Musketeers is alive with action, intrigue, and elaborate costuming. The musketeers played — expertly by Vincent Cassel, Roman Duris, and Pio Marmari — are rougher and more morally grey than we’ve seen in previous interpretations. Francois Civil‘s handsome and heroic D’Artagnan acts in perfect contrast to these more dubious musketeers.
Having played Morgan le Fay and Artemisia, Eva Green is no stranger to playing badass villainesses. She gives another powder-keg performance as Milady, who is always one step ahead of the protagonists and conducts espionage from within the shadows. Given that Part 2 of The Three Musketeers will give her more focus — we have much to look forward to.
The film really shines in its approach to action and fight choreography. The first swashbuckling battle with all of the musketeers is done in long takes that brilliantly blends clarity with stylization. The action feels viscerally violent, like a scene from a war zone rather than the polite sword fights we’ve grown accustomed to. Bourboulon also makes sure that each fight sequence is tied to character emotion and character development. This commitment to the craft is worth studying and emulating in other films of this genre.
Bourboulon’s The Three Musketeers is a triumph that reinvigorates and faithfully adapts a seminal work of literature. From its stellar cast to its thrilling action scenes, The Three Musketeers is a cut above the rest.
