Disney's The Three Musketeers (Double-Face DVD )

Loved the dvd. Too bad it came in two. But all is good

As a massive fan of ALL Musketeer films, I would recommend this to anyone who is also a fan (or not!). Full of humour, action, suspense, a period film you can use your imagination in, watch with your family on a Sunday afternoon, while enjoying their company and the drama in the film! A Good Modern version of the famous tales of The Three Musketeers!

... it is let down by the fact that you have to turn the disc over half way. Considering the version I have is the 2005 re-release of the film and considering it is Disney (meaning that it was initially more expensive than most films) it is a true disgrace that this was not produced on the duel layer format. This film is 100 minutes in length and, considering that duel layer has been around for nearly 20 years, could easily have fitted on one side of the disc.Firstly, it doesn't follow the book, but - so what - I can think of many films that have ignored the text that the idea came from and have been none-the-worse for that.We open our story with a young and brash D'Artagnan (Chris O'Donnell - the vet out of  NCIS: Los Angeles , Grey's Anatomy, School Ties,  Batman Forever , and the awful  Batman & Robin ) fending off the challenge of a duel from the foppish and outraged brother of an unseen conquest (played to camp perfection by the be-wigged Paul McGann -  Withnail and I ). Seeing the outraged brothers friends approaching he flees for Paris to become a Musketeer like his father.In Paris things do not go well for the Musketeers (the King's guards) as Cardinal Richelieu (played superbly by the incredible Tim Curry -  Clue , The Rocky Horror Picture Show , The Colour of Magic) has sent out an order for the Musketeers to stand down. The King played by a young Irish actor Hugh O'Conor, is not too happy about this but unable to raise the courage to overrule his Cardinal the Musketeers are abolished and told to turn in their swords and return to their homes, Musketeer Headquarters is raided and the emblems of the order are destroyed.On arriving in Paris D'Artagnan heads to Musketeer HQ only to discover a man crouched by the fireplace looking though the ashes. The man tells him that the Musketeers are no more and tries to leave, D'Artagnan gets in his way and after a brief conversation about manners a duel is arranged for noon. As he leaves the building D'Artagnan sees the outraged brother has followed him and he tries to evade him, in doing so he collides with a man and drinks are spilt, and a duel is arranged for 1 pm. Proceeding along the road D'Artagnan finds he has been used to cushion the fall of a man fleeing the husband of a woman, a third duel is arranged for 2 pm.Come the time of the first duel D'Artagnan discovers that the men he has challenged are all Musketeers. As the Cardinal's guards arrive to arrest the three Musketeers (here, one of my favourite lines of the film is delivered by Oliver Platt) and the Musketeers introduce themselves to D'Artagnan. Athos (Kiefer Sutherland - 24,  Young Guns , Flatliners, etc), Porthos (Oliver Platt -  Flatliners ) and Aramis (Charlie Sheen - Spin City, Young Guns).The Cardinal hatches a plot for complete control and despatches Milady DeWinter (Rebecca De Mornay -  The Hand That Rocks The Cradle ) to London to make a deal with the Duke of Buckingham.So the chase begins.Oliver Platt is a joy to behold, his comic effect seems effortless, shame the same can't be said for Charlie Sheen's efforts. Kiefer Sutherland also seems effortless in his role as the quietly spoken, deep thinking Athos. Tim Curry excels himself as the villainous Cardinal, so much so that Michael Wincott (Alien Resurrection) pales by comparison to the outstanding Tim Curry.Interestingly during filming Tim Curry was offered the role of the Doctor in the Doctor Who Movie [1996], due to conflict in schedules he was unable to take it and the role went to Paul McGann.I like this film a lot; it is one of those that goes in my bag when I have to go into hospital, even if I do have to turn it over as the action starts.Once again the US film companies show that we in the UK are second class citizens; especially insulting is the need to turn the disc over halfway through a chase seen. You do get subtitles, but nothing else - not even duel layer.

Despite adverse criticism by some viewers,this is a wonderful version of Dumas`s story; the plot is given free rein, and why not? The stories and characters are meant to be flexible. All the film-makers had to do was adapt their own style to the basic idea.The spectator will no doubt find this DVD enjoyable, simply because he/she is not allowed to "think"; the battle scenes are well-staged and the excitement never flags.Some perfomances are worthy of note: Tim Curry`s portrayal of Cardinal Richelieu is outstanding, and Rebecca De Mornay as Milady de Winter: wonderful! Such beauty! Such sensuality! Such evil! In particular,the eroticism she displays in her meeting and seduction of the boy D`Artagnan (Chris O`Donnell) is breathtaking; and her subsequent move to stab him is undoubtedly a substitute for the sexual act. There are pleasing glimpses of Milady`s bosom, but this is not allowed to become pornographic, and the viewer will probably deeply regret her early demise. One false note: the boy-king is somewhat miscast.It was a great surprise to find that this is a double-sided DVD, but do not let that discourage you, for you will not find this a great problem.If you should find the American accents "jar" somewhat, there are language options, and you can do as I did: listen to the dialogue in French or Italian!Thoroughly enjoyable.John Harman

An absolutely awesome film, very entertaining and child friendly.It's just annoying that it's a double sided dvd, meaning you have to take out and flip the disk in the middle of the film.I wish they would make it available on Blu-Ray.

This is an entertaining take on the famous musketeers - it doesn't keep to the Dumas storyline but it has some entertaining ideas. I was rather disappointed with some of the casting. I really didn't like Tim Curry as Richelieu - the original Richelieu was not quote the nasty slimy creep that we see in this movie and I just wanted him to "go away". Of course we aren't supposed to like Richelieu as Dumas depicted him as something of a baddie, but on the other hand, most people know from the real history that Richelieu was first minister of France and a very good one too whilst Louis XIII was not a very competent king and needed a very good first minister. It is thought that the real Richelieu may well have made passes at the Queen, and this was one reason she did not like him.I felt Porthos and Athos were cast quite well, but the d''Artagnan actor seemed far too young. For sure the original in the book is 18, but this one looked about 12! I think a more adult haircut would have helped a lot. King Louis is also acted by a very young man or so he looks - a teenager? He also looks far too childish for the part. The actor for Aramis doesn't look the part at all - the character is supposed to be very elegant, always beautifully dressed, whilst this actor is far too brawny and ordinary-looking so it jarred on me. But if can ignore his looks (which are not in the least unpleasant, just for me "wrong for the character") he acts the part very well.In view of the look of this d'Artagnan and this king, and a few other aspects, I wondered if this movie was made mainly for teens - but nonetheless, I am sure the young at heart of all ages will enjoy it. An entertaining, lighthearted family movie.