"The Three Musketeers: Milady" 2023

Brotherhood in Boots: a review of the movie "The Three Musketeers: Milady"

The second chapter of the hooligan fanfic based on the text by Alexandre Dumas-father is even more dynamic, but less mischievous.

Philologists and fans of accurate screen adaptations, diligently following the letter of the author, tremble! The second part of the new adaptation of the adventures of the Musketeers by Martin Bourboulon has been released: from the very beginning we recognize the title characters (even though they have gained a lot in age) and the place of meeting - the fortress of La Rochelle and the surrounding territories. Other memories of the syllable of the immortal novel and former screen adaptations will hardly help to understand the intricacies and movements of soldiers from the elite army of King Louis XIII. However, the audience was not left without textual support: at the beginning of the show there will be an interlude in the manner of the announcement "in previous episodes", which kindly reminds what happened to Athos (Vincent Cassel), Porthos (Pio Marmay), Aramis (Romain Duris) and d'Artagnan (François Civil) in the first part.

The conflict between Protestants and Catholics escalates to an open civil clash, King Louis XIII (Louis Garrel) dreams of peace, while everyone around him tries to ignite war with renewed vigor. D'Artagnan fidgets from one suspect to another, trying to figure out where the precious Constance (Lina Kudry) has been taken and who in the inner circle is targeting the palace coup and betraying His Majesty. Richelieu (Eric Rufe) cedes the eternal title of gray cardinal to my Lady Winter (Eva Green), who doesn't burn in fire, doesn't drown in water, and keeps secret documents behind the lacing of a tight corset.

If in the first part of the grimy action with the clinking of blades, clouds of gunpowder smoke and running horses interspersed with fun jokes and romantic escapades ardent in love d'Artagnan, "Milady" as if and does not stop at a gallop. The tape took air in the chest at the start and instead of a marathon on the main points of the novel chooses a sprint to the credits. It's like that shark from Woody Allen's Annie Hall - if it allows itself to freeze for even a second, instant death will follow. With the chosen crazy rhythm and density of events, the choreography of the battles looks just as exuberant, and the camera follows the movements of the musketeers without blinking. Mounted battles have been replaced by water battles with volleys of cannonballs, the siege of the fortress demonstrates the Musketeers' elegant stealth, and the English Channel is a far-fetched geographical obstacle: it's a well-known fact that a good horseman can't ride seven miles around.

Martin Bourboulon stayed true to the chosen genre of adventure battles with a comedic squint: for two hours in a row, the actors jump, leap and fall - it makes your head spin and there is no time to think about what is going on (and that's for the best). But against the background of the endless whirlpool of events, the magic of the brotherhood in boots is somewhat lost. The movie categorically lacks the smirks of Aramis, the humble musings of Athos, and the appetites of Porthos. On paper, each of the good old Musketeers is given an accompanying sideline: relatives are invariably involved in the case, but let's not bother to retell the fantasies of the motives - it's better to see for yourself. Alas, the dramatic turns in his personal life and even d'Artagnan's search for his beloved Constantation are drowned in dust, stomping, murmurs and noisy gunfights.

In the second round of the waltz of swords, Bourboulon stumbles most of all in the title. Milady, who is introduced in the title, seems to promise a new reading of the demonized heroine, who in the novel suffered a nightmarish fate - the failures of all of France fell on the shoulders of the accused. It seemed that for balance, the second chapter should present familiar and not so familiar events from the point of view of the nemesis and irresistible spy. Eva Green's obsessive pursuit of gain is indeed irresistible, but Milady seems to have become an even more conventional heroine than in the novel - it's appropriate to remember the nature of fanfiction. The ex-Countess de La Fere fights more confidently than the Musketeers, burns everything in her path and even in the most desperate situation dreams only of having a dagger in her hands. With all the hypertrophied invulnerability and seductiveness (the burning desire to kill is instantly replaced by a passionate thirst for intimacy), Milady appears on the screen quite rarely, and the chaotic movements of the femme fatale do not always coincide with the announced motivation. Bourboulon's frivolous approach to the text left room for maneuver - the stigmatized woman could appear in a completely different reading. But the bet on the revision of the image is not played out, and Milady has multiplied the nature of evil prescribed to her: on the screen is a deviless with a frenzied fire in her eyes and an extremely deep cleavage.

By design, the second chapter was supposed to be the final reboot, but the ajar plot door leaves the impression of the second part of an adventure trilogy - like "Lord of the Rings: Two Fortresses" or "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest". "Milady" is a success with audiences at home in France and shows strong collections - it is likely that in another year or two Bourboulon will return with a new fantasy on the universe of Dumas, but I would like to wish for more daring and unexpected interpretations of canonical characters.