Young D'Artagnan wants to become a musketeer only to find them disbanded.  Cardinal Richelieu is out to incite a war between the British and the French that will give him a chance to take over the government of France.  The Three Musketeers (are recruited by Queen Anne) to go on a mission to get jewels taken by Milday (who betrayed them a year ago by giving plans to an airship to the Duke Buckingham).   They soon find themselves in a fight for their lives as they rush to save Queen Anne from Richelieu's plot to start a war. 

Director Paul W.S. Anderson focuses more on the action that happens in a Musketeer film while adding a steampunk twist.   THE THREE MUSKETEERS is a fun action romp which is interesting to behold in 3D (the second viewing of this movie is in 2D on DVD).   The airship battle takes it cue from the starship battle in STAR TREK 2: THE WRATH OF KHAN.    This adaptation of the often adapted novel focuses more on action than political intrigue.  Young King Louis is an inexperience young fool in love with  Queen Anne while D'Artagnan wants to win the heart of Constance (a lady in waiting for the Queen).   THE THREE MUSKETEERS is one of those fun action films you can turn off your brain and enjoy.  If you have watched films by Paul W.S. Anderson, you know what to expect including the ending that sets up a sequel (just like in the RESIDENT EVIL films).   

I enjoy adaptations of books.  The Three Musketeers has been the source of several adaptations.   Each one is a little different and I always feel a movie adaptation should never follow a book to the letter because it is just like saying here is the movie directed by the author and we don't have our own interpretation.   The latest version of THE THREE MUSKETEERS is a steampunk/ period action picture with actors you recognize from other genre related movies and shows.   You even have a little bit of homage to the RESIDENT EVIL series (Milla Jovovich has a close call with some wires).   I would see a sequel if they make one.  First, I want to see the next RESIDENT EVIL film.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Audio commentary with director Paul W.S. Anderson, producer Jeremy Bolt, and producer Robert Kulzer.   It is a nice complimentary piece to the featurettes on the disc.   They mention where they had to cut some stuff to fit the film's budget.

CAST & CREW featurettes (ATHOS, MILADY, ARAMIS, PORTHOS, D'ARTAGNAN, RICHELIEU, BUCKINGHAM, ROCHEFORT, PLANCHET, PAUL W.S. ANDERSON'S THREE MUSKETEERS) that focus on the key characters and Paul W.S. Anderson's version of THE THREE MUSKETEERS which has interviews with the cast and director Paul W.S. Anderson in addition to some behind-the-scenes footage. 

ACHEIVING THE LOOK focuses on the costumes (COSTUMES),  PRODUCTION DEISGN, shooting in 3D (A NEW DIMENSION OF MUSKETEERS), and using Germany as 17th Century France due to the architecture best matching the buildings of that time (UNCOVERING FRANCE IN GERMANY). 

17TH CENTURY ACTION has featurettes on the sword training (FENCING 101), 17TH CENTURY AIR TRAVEL, Milla Jovovich and her action scene in a big dress (MILDAY: MORE THAN A LADY), and the major action sequences (COOPER'S YARD SHOWDOWN and ON TOP OF NORTE DAME).

12 deleted and extended scenes show additional character bits cut for pacing reasons and an extended climatic swordfight which isn't as good as the final version in the film.

FINAL ANALYSIS:   THE THREE MUSKETEERS is a fun action adventure.  Plenty of extras on this disc for anyone who wants to watch behind-the-scenes stuff on this film in addition to deleted scenes.

this DVD review is (c)3-16-2011 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com