The Three Musketeers – Part 1: D’Artagnan is lofty and gritty simultaneously, like a ruffled shirt covered in sweat and manure. It almost resembles a spaghetti western over how authentically all the ornate 17th-century finery is encrusted with filth. Compared to recent blockbuster attempts, an unmistakable edge is achieved here, like the difference between the first Indiana Jones movie and the last one. It makes you wonder if all the Star Wars franchise needs is a new coat of rust and more time greasing up in the Cantina.
It’s been a long time since Nine Inch Nails sang about the perfect drug. Eva Green is exactly the drug we have been waiting for. Her Milady character is the Darth Maul of the movie, except she delivers on all the promises that Lucas did not. Green loads her cinema villainy up with so much venom that she tattoos herself to your nervous system. What was just a hint of sinister in so many Tim Burton films explodes here like a supernova of live tarantulas. Her character development is the most fascinating as she is shrouded deeper in mystery the more we find out about her.
“Eva Green is exactly the drug we have been waiting for.”
Also notable is Louis Garrel as King Louis XIII. Garrel rocks his monarch vibe. He commands respect with an iron riff in a velvet shove. Cassel is magnificent as the “bad boy” musketeer. If you need a reason to be reminded why he is one of the greatest French actors who ever breathed, slide your gaze over here. The other two musketeers provide instant action figure representation. Romain Duris is badass as the devout Christian, and Marmai nails his character’s bisexual appeal. Tying the whole thing together are the dashing young lead couple. Civil nails D’Artagnan with the right amount of cockiness and vulnerability to where you are always rooting for him. Lyna Khoudri, as Constance Bonacieux, is wonderful as always, showing why she will keep starring in movies until the moon falls off the sky.
The Three Musketeers – Part 1: D’Artagnan shows why the world still needs legends to be unspooled on the biggest screens possible. This movie is how you tentpole.
The Three Musketeers – Part 1: D’Artagnan is available on Paramount+.
"…the ideal cure for today's tentpole malaise."
