It's got all the classic elements for a great story: an evil but handsome villain,
the chance to root for the underdog, four feisty musketeers, fencing, intrigue,
romance, and suspense. All in all a terrific if rutted adaptation of the
classic. The story takes place in 1662 France where the common people are
starving due to the arrogance and deceit of the newly crowned King Louis XIV
(Leonardo DiCaprio).
The King cares only for his own pleasure and enjoys twisting and manipulating people
to his advantage, including the only one of the original four musketeers to
still bear the sword for the crown, D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne), who is now his captain. Aramis
(Jeremy Irons) has become religious priest. Athos (John Malcovich) is the father of
Raoul, a strapping young
musketeer, and
Porthos (Gérard Depardieu) is still chasing anything in skirts.
All have a strong
hatred for Louis except D'Artagnan, who believes one day Louis will become the man he was
born to be. Louis starves his
people, arouses anger amongst the nobles and lusts after Christine, the innocent recipient of Raoul's affections. Borrowing a
sin straight from the Bible, Louis has the lad sent into the heat of battle in
the hopes he will be killed and brings Christine to the palace as his
mistress. Arthos is furious and becomes the king's greatest enemy. They
learn of an underworld conspiracy headed up by an anonymous enemy and
Louis asks his priest Aramis to uncover the conspirator and kill him. The
priest agrees, but when he draws together his three friends and colleagues in former
conspiracy, the audience is shocked to discover he is at the heart of the
rebellion. His quest is for the one man who can save
France... a man Louis himself fears... the man in the iron mask.
D'Artagnon remains loyal to his king despite and will fight to
the death to save him. Biblical elements play a large part in this story of honor and redemption but
it's flawed in many ways. One such element is the slaying of a man in order to
take his wife as a mistress -- does the name "David" ring any bells?
Both Porthos and Louis take pride in their seduction of numerous females but
D'Artagnan declares, "I think it is possible for a man to love one woman
all his life and be the better for it." When Porthos interrupts a
praying Aramis with an embarrassing spiel about the pleasures of
women's breasts, the priest reminds him there are "more important things in
life." Forgiveness, willingness to give your life for another, and doing what's
right no matter what the cost make up the good side of this film, gorgeous
scenery, an incredible score, and breathtaking period costumes notwithstanding. However,
The Man in the Iron Mask also falls
victim to sexual humor, implications, and violence.
Porthos is the most abominable character (take him
away and
the rest are all worthy of praise with minor cravats), running a brothel and
frequently playing around with various women. He is found rolling around in the
hay with not one but three young milkmaids, as well as flirting with other buxom women, and bears his rear end to the camera when he attempts suicide.
(Aramis is the one redeeming piece of humor in this otherwise irritating and
offensive scene, when he laces his long fingers together and remarks sweetly that
there's no worry about the man hanging himself, as he sawed the beam in the barn
in half.)
King Louis is portrayed as a lust-driven maniac and is seen in bed with various
mistresses but always after the fact -- never in the act. He tells one young woman as he leaves the room, "By
the way, you'll be leaving in the morning." Christine falls to his lust when he escorts her into her room after their
first evening together. He loosens her gown and seduces her with kisses; we then
find them together in bed with her bare side (and part of her breasts)
visible to the camera as he watches her sleep. Later they are again in bed (both fully
clothed) but she stops him and actually admits she has
sinned against the memory of her would-be-husband, as well as God. The
gowns are
often dangerously low and all the woman on-screen (with the notable
exception of the Queen) show excessive amounts of cleavage. There are vague sexual
references like Louis finding enough women to fill his bed; the King boasts about his many passionate affairs.
it is later
revealed a musketeer was involved in an affair with a married woman.
Violence is prevalent but not overly gory; frequent stabbings, sword
fights, and shootings, as well as the aftermath of suicide may shy away more
cautious teens.
The story is engrossing, the climax suspenseful, and the music darkly haunting.
The costuming is gorgeous, the swordplay brilliant, and the castle worthy of
notice. I found myself wishing I could step into the film and wander the secret
passages. Unfortunately, the good cannot quite entirely redeem the bad; the lax
morality of a main character and the prevalent crude humor sour the soup. It's a pity Hollywood chose to enhance the 'good guys'
as being 'bad guys' in the sense of morality; none of the musketeers
are portrayed as overly moral; Porthos is more
dislikeable than anyone and unworthy of respect. My personal favorite
was D'Artagnan, with Aramis coming in a close second. Their passion, faith
in God, and compassion are uplifting. While it's revealed
neither have lived flawless lives, we cannot help but love them. An flawed
adaptation with a good heart. All for one, and one
for all!
THE
MAN IN THE IRON MASK
All have a strong
hatred for Louis except D'Artagnan, who believes one day Louis will become the man he was
born to be. Louis starves his
people, arouses anger amongst the nobles and lusts after Christine, the innocent recipient of Raoul's affections. Borrowing a
sin straight from the Bible, Louis has the lad sent into the heat of battle in
the hopes he will be killed and brings Christine to the palace as his
mistress. Arthos is furious and becomes the king's greatest enemy. They
learn of an underworld conspiracy headed up by an anonymous enemy and
Louis asks his priest Aramis to uncover the conspirator and kill him. The
priest agrees, but when he draws together his three friends and colleagues in former
conspiracy, the audience is shocked to discover he is at the heart of the
rebellion. His quest is for the one man who can save
France... a man Louis himself fears... the man in the iron mask. 
Porthos is the most abominable character (take him
away and
the rest are all worthy of praise with minor cravats), running a brothel and
frequently playing around with various women. He is found rolling around in the
hay with not one but three young milkmaids, as well as flirting with other buxom women, and bears his rear end to the camera when he attempts suicide.
(Aramis is the one redeeming piece of humor in this otherwise irritating and
offensive scene, when he laces his long fingers together and remarks sweetly that
there's no worry about the man hanging himself, as he sawed the beam in the barn
in half.)
Violence is prevalent but not overly gory; frequent stabbings, sword
fights, and shootings, as well as the aftermath of suicide may shy away more
cautious teens.
The story is engrossing, the climax suspenseful, and the music darkly haunting.
The costuming is gorgeous, the swordplay brilliant, and the castle worthy of
notice. I found myself wishing I could step into the film and wander the secret
passages. Unfortunately, the good cannot quite entirely redeem the bad; the lax
morality of a main character and the prevalent crude humor sour the soup. It's a pity Hollywood chose to enhance the 'good guys'
as being 'bad guys' in the sense of morality; none of the musketeers
are portrayed as overly moral; Porthos is more
dislikeable than anyone and unworthy of respect. My personal favorite
was D'Artagnan, with Aramis coming in a close second. Their passion, faith
in God, and compassion are uplifting. While it's revealed
neither have lived flawless lives, we cannot help but love them. An flawed
adaptation with a good heart. All for one, and one
for all!