AGW entertainment writer Lynn b. went to a preview screening of a new romantic action film. Here are her thoughts on:

THE MUSKETEER

Universal Pictures

Hong Kong fight action in 17th Century France? When director Peter Hyams decided to combine swashbuckling swordplay with Chinese fight choreography he hoped to take the Musketeer film to a new level. Young Justin Chambers, who plays lead musketeer D'Artagnan, says "I had no idea it would be this tough. I trained for a month fencing, horseback riding, high-wire technique. The sheer physicality of the role was the most demanding part of it". That and dealing with "baddie" Tim Roth who last played the near-rabid Thade in Planet of the Apes, yipes!

When D'Artagnan (Justin Chambers) is a little tyke, he sees evil Febre (Tim Roth) kill his mom and dad when they can't pay their taxes. On growing up, he heads to Paris with his mentor Planchet (Jean-Pierre Castaldi) to join the king's musketeers only to find this once stalwart band of royal protectors, stripped of their commissions and their captain Treville, imprisoned by the scheming Cardinal Richelieu (Stephen Rea).

Joining with seasoned musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis, young D'Artagnan proves himself by helping break Captain Treville out of prison. Staying at a local inn, D'Artagnan meets and falls for beautiful Francesca (Mena Suvari), a chambermaid who is a favorite of the Queen (Catherine Deneuve). After foiling several of the Cardinal's plans to take over the throne and risking death to save the Queen and Francesca from Febre's clutches, D'Artagnan at last comes face to face with Febre and has his chance to avenge the deaths of his parents.
_______________

What's that new buzzword Hollywood keeps using? Oh, yeah, "re-imagined". Nothing is a plain old remake anymore. The Three Musketeers and Four Musketeers, (1974 and '75) starring Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Faye Dunaway and Racquel Welch are still my favorites for their great casts, witty humor and detailed character development. Even the version done in 1993 with Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, and Tim Curry was enjoyable in a more comic vein. Now we have yet another "musketale" with a new hook: Hong Kong action stunts.

The creative stunts choreographed by Xin Xin Xiong, are fun to watch, even if some are almost too supernatural and gravity defying for a reality-based film. One sequence involving ladders used as teeter totters and a scene in which several men on ropes hanging from a tower hop over each other as if forming a gigantic braid, are especially notable. However, director Peter Hyams, acting as his own cinematographer, chose to light his film with the murky, golden candles of the period and, as a result, much of the action is so dark that it can't be seen in much detail.

Older actors in the film are great. Tim Roth, in his creaky leather outfit,is evil without chewing the scenery as he did in the recent "Apes", Catherine Deneuve is a wonderful feisty and earthy Queen, much better than Geraldine Chaplin's vapid, wimp in the '70's versions. Stephen Rea is easy to hate as the flippant and scheming Cardinal. Younger actors don't fare as well. Mena Suvari looks the part but her accent keeps coming and going faster than the stunts and Justin Chambers who doesn't use any accent, comes off too bland to carry the film. What's with the accent thing anyway? I heard D'Artagnan pronounced at least 6 ways (and two of those were by Chambers!)

Story action was repetitive with D'Artagnan constantly picking fights (to get in that fight action) and breaking somebody out of…somewhere. More time should have been spent developing either the bond between D'Artagnan and his older mentor musketeers or building a more solid love story. And where's Lady DeWinter? Whether played by Faye Dunaway or more recently by Rebecca De Mornay, the character always added a pinch of flirty manipulation to the plot.

If you are a big fan of creative Chinese fight choreography, this Musketeer should appeal to you. However, for a better all around entertainment value, rent The Three Musketeers and The Four Muskeeters ('74 and '75) available on DVD and tape.

Rated: PG-13
Official Website: www.the-musketeer.com

Directed by: Peter Hyams
Screenplay by: Gene Quintano
Starring:
Justin Chambers as D'Artagnan
Mena Suvari as Francesca
Catherine Deneuve as Queen of France
Tim Roth as Febre
Stephen Rea as Cardinal Richelieu
Nick Moran as Aramis
Steven Speirs as Porthos
Jan Gregor Kremp as Athos