[Elfsea] My take on "The Musketeer"

[Spence and Robin Mabry]

After the demo on Friday night, during which Robin and I had planned to see
"The Musketeer", we did get a chance to see it Saturday night (and, yes, I
think we might have been better off being out there around 9:30 on Saturday,
because there was an amazingly large crowd - even to see the movie).  Well,
what did I think of it?

It appears that the screenwriter knew a little bit about the story (but had
never read the novel).  He knew that someone named D'Artagnan wanted to be a
Musketeer and that he goes to Paris, where he meets up with Aramis, Porthos,
and Athos.  There is an evil Cardinal Richelieu who wants to rule France but
is thwarted by the Queen and some Englishman named Buckingham.  And, oh
yeah, there is lots of sword fights and derring-do.  That's about all he
knows of the story and, boy, did it show.  Dumas' name should only be
associated with this movie is the very loosest since possible because the
story line has nothing to do with the novel.

That said, a couple of comments:  Tim Roth's character could have been
played better by Adam Richman with a combination of his roles as the
terrorist from Die Hard 1 and the Sheriff of Nottingham from Men in Tights.
Plus, Roth's character, a complete fabrication, is dressed in a very punk
17th century French style (black leather that looked almost cast for his
body.  I liked the gorget (sp), though.

And the scene not to be missed is Aramis trying to play a butcher and has to
slaughter 2 little ducks (what he does is so funny) and Athos as a baker who
knows nothing about baking (he wanted to be the butcher).  But then,
croissants don't bleed.

My advice - wait until you can see it free in the privacy of a friends home
where you both can get drunk.  It might make sense then.

Ceatta