"The Man in the Iron Mask" - The Sword is Mightier than the Pen by Homer Yen (c) 1998
TMITIM does a couple of smart things to ensure that potential movie-goers will at least think about seeing this film. First, it's a story that soothes us with the familiarity of Aramis, Athos, Porthos and D'artagnan - the legendary four Musketeers. Little introduction is needed about these men, and we can quickly jump into the story. Louis XIII, the great King whose throne the Musketeers served, has died and has now been succeeded by his arrogant and cruel heir, Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio). The original three Musketeers have now retired from service and now live relatively quiet lives. D'artagnan, still an active Musketeer, is now Captain of the young king's bodyguards.
Louis XIV is not a well-liked King. His selfish actions result in deep resentment by the people. He is the target of numerous assassination attempts. He is also greatly disliked by the retired Musketeers, who believe that this is a leader truly unworthy of a Musketeer's devotion. However, their ire for the king puts them at odds with D'artagnan, who has sworn an oath to protect the king with his life. Nonetheless, the original three know that France will never prosper unless a change is made. A bold plan is devised, and it's success rests on the Man in the Iron Mask, a mysterious figure that was imprisoned years ago and almost forgotten. The three Musketeers must first devise a way to free him and then execute their plan. If they succeed, they could alter the future of France. But, their biggest obstacle is D'artagnan.
The other attractive element is that the film puts together an all-star ensemble. Co-starring Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, and Gabriel Byrne as the Musketeers, it has tremendous international star power and mass appeal.
Yet, despite all these positive points, the story never comes close to reaching the legendary status of the Musketeers. One thing that was unsettling was listening to the actors lines. At times, they spoke using the 'Dialect of Infinite Wisdom' (where one speaks so slowly as if to simulate awesome intelligence), which was void of any conviction or passion. At other times, the banter was so tongue-in-cheek that it seemed to purposely anchor itself in swashbuckling commercialism rather than dramatic greatness. Still, at other times, the dialogue seemed so forced that actors looked like they were straining not to look or sound foolish. Additionally, there were some extraneous subplots and some totally off-the-wall surprises that made me slap my forehead or cock an eyebrow.
Written by Randall Wallace, the same person that wrote "Braveheart", I really expected a powerful drama that would explore the rift between D'artagnan and the Musketeers; the motivating nature behind the young king; or even the possibilities that present itself when an impostor with ambitions of sheep-tending assumes the almighty throne. Yet it seemed content on just being an action-adventure film about old heroes that reunite to bring back an era that had been forgotten.
I felt that a potentially great film was squandered. TMITIM is an uneven production that was glorious at some points but unfocused at others. I did, however, enjoy Gabriel Byrnes as D'artagnan, who desparately tried to find a balance between his oath to the king and his ability to live up to the code of the Musketeers. And the climactic ending is a rousing finish that shows how good this film could have been. But for much of this film, we needed a fifth Musketeer. His name could have been Pathos!
Grade: B-
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