The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan
Cert: 15 | ★★★★★

Martin Bourboulon directs this star-studded adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel. Dumas’s book has had countless film and TV adaptations throughout the years, ranging from live-action to numerous animated incarnations.

But now it’s time for French cinema to reclaim one of its best and enduring stories in this fast-paced and hugely engaging interpretation.

The Three Musketeers D-Artagnan (12)

Drama at the palace for the musketeers (Pathe)

The setting is France, 1627. D’Artagnan (François Civil), a young nobleman, rides to Paris in the hope of joining the musketeers, a group of soldiers loyal to the king. D’Artagnan finds himself involved in a violent scuffle and is left for dead.

His attackers, led by a mysterious young woman (Eva Green), have been hired by the duplicitous Cardinal de Richelieu (Eric Ruf) to help bring down the king and his queen (Vicky Krieps) .

After recovering from his ordeal and finally making it to the court of King Louis XIII ( a magnificent Louis Garrel), D’Artagnan meets Athos, Aramis and Porthos (played by Vincent Cassel, Romain Duris and Pio Marmaï) under less than ideal circumstances.

The Three Musketeers D-Artagnan (2)

Eva Green (Pathe)

The young man also falls for the beautiful Constance (The French Dispatch star Lyna Khoudri), who also happens to be very close to the queen.

Bourboulon, whose 2022 Eiffel biopic left a lot to be desired, here delivers one of the best adaptations of Dumas’s work yet.

He employs just the right amount of humour and attention to detail to create a truly exhilarating romp full of exciting twists and intricate fight scenes, which is delightful from start to finish.

It’s good that a second installment is on its way.
Remember Francois Civil’s name as we are likely to see a lot more of him in the future.