THE RETURN OF THE MUSKETEERS
A film review by Jerry Boyajian
Copyright 1990 Jerry Boyajian
I actually saw this film. It's just been released on video in Britain. I'd been hearing mumblings that it was a very poor follow-up to the other films, and that's why it never got released to theaters here. Sad to say, it's true.
A few facts first. It *is* an adaptation by George Macdonald Fraser of TWENTY YEARS AFTER, rather than an original sequel, and it's directed by Richard Lester. The cast members returning from the previous films are York, Reed, Chamberlain, Finlay, and -- surprise upon surprise -- Christopher Lee (it was only a flesh wound :-) -- no, that's not a direct quote). Oh, and Roy Kinnear of course, though it should be noted that he died in a horse accident while this film was being made (the film is dedicated to him). Jean Pierre Cassell reappears as well, though not as Louis XIII, but in a brief role as Cyrano de Bergerac. And I *think* that the actor playing Cardinal Mazarin is the same as the one who played M. de Treville in the first film.
The other two major cast members are C. Thomas Howell as Athos' adoptive son, the Vicomte de Bragelone, and Kim Catrall as the vengeful daughter of Milady de Winter.
The trouble with the film is that it's completely listless. Everyone plays their roles as if they don't really want to be there. It doesn't have half the adventure or humor of either of the previous films. The most amusing piece in the film is the little-more-than- a-cameo performance by Cassell as Cyrano, and what makes it even more aggravating is that that bit doesn't seem like it even belongs. Catrall did an excellent job in the fencing department, but as a villainess, she's no Faye Dunaway, and just wasn't convincing. Howell did well, but it seemed as if he felt he was just a hanger on rather than a true part of the proceedings.
No doubt that if the film is released on video in the US, anyone who is a Musketeers fan will feel obliged to rent it. I feel bad about not recommending it, but...I don't recommend it.
--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, "The Mill", Maynard, MA) UUCP: ...!decwrl!ruby.enet.dec.com!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%ruby.DEC@DECWRL.DEC.COM
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