A swashbuckling take on the old Musketeers' story, this one focusing in on Dartanion and an incident that might pre-date the good Cardinal's fall. Die-hard Dumas fans shouldn't take the variations from the theme too seriously, this is ment to be some good old fashioned fun, and since there have already been all too many movies of the original version (I think the one with Tim Curry as the Cardinal to be the best) then such a new story is only logical.

Tim Roth makes a good villian, and between this and that Ape movie it's looking like he could be Tim Curry's replacement the role of villians with bite (though Tim Curry still has more attitude and flare). The guy playing Dartanion gets a bit too serious with the roll though, and should take lessons from the legendary Erol Flinn and put some more care-free hutzpa into it. As far as the other Musketeers, well in thgis version they are mnerely side characters so I guess someone forgot to tell them to care much about their rolls.

Overall though, this is a very good swashbuckler, and full of fight and adventure, and if I ever find the soundtrack I'm getting that too. Creative fight scenes that don't look too much like the old bungy chord effects off of Crouchcing Tiger and add a nbit to the heroism. The ending opens it up for a sequel, but then that would just be Dumas' olf story and we've already been there many a time before.

A good end-of-summer bout of fun before Hollywood gets too serious with itself in the Fall Oscar race.