The Three Musketeers (2011)

To my knowledge I don't think there's been a decent film version of The Three Musketeers since the 1973 version starring Reed, Chamberlain, Finlay and York. The 93' version with the Brat Pack was rubbish and to old fashioned, while the Man In the Iron Mask focused more on the king instead of the three swashbucklers. So, with such low expectations on the films, it only helps you sit back, enjoy and not think too hard about Paul WS Anderson's version of Alexandre Dumas 1844 novel.

To start with Anderson and his team of writers decided the one thing missing from the novels were huge airships. These airships have machine guns, flamethrowers and huge cannons. Anderson also thought it wasn't enough for the Three Musketeers to be good at just sword fighting. No, no, no they also have to have a specific set of skills (one Musketeer seems to think he's Batman while another thinks he's James Bond). Milla Jovoich's Milady thinks she's in the Matrix or Resident Evil. James Corden's 'comic relief' sidekick is pointless, unfunny and does himself no favours if he wants a decent career in the movies. Elsewhere, Orlando Bloom's performance wouldn't look out of place at this years pantomime and Logan Lerman's D'Artagnan is smug, charmless and petulant. Yet, somehow, and I know I shouldn't have, but I enjoyed this film.

I can easily put this down as one of my guilty pleasures of the year. It's got over the top action, which includes a superb sword fight between D'Artagnan and Rochefort (Mads Mikkelsen) on the top of a Cathedral. The Musketeers are well cast with Matthew Macfayden, Luke Evans and Ray Stevenson enjoying an easy chemistry together. Christopher Waltz is always worth a watch and he doesn't disappoint as the villainous Richelieu. It's enough for me to welcome a sequel that is likely after the events that occurred towards the end of the film.

Look, I can understand why other film critics hated this film. It has stupid dialogue and the majority of characters are rubbish. But this is still a fun film that never gets boring and doesn't take itself too seriously. Unlike other films this year (yes you Green Lantern).