gudaulin

Fans of Dumas' might not agree, but "The Three Musketeers" is at best "just" period-conditioned consumable reading, excessively naive and heavily romanticized. Directors attempting to adapt the book were aware of its limitations and the resulting risks for today's audience, often opting for exaggeration and comedic stylization. Martin Bourboulon takes a different approach, opting for a "serious" adventure-romantic treatment lined with a star-studded cast and solid production design. It's arguably the "dirtiest" and most raw treatment of the material I've encountered so far. Despite all efforts, it falls short. It encounters similar pitfalls as directors of recent Bond films, trying to imbue their hero with deeper psychology and adding more artistic elements, yet still ending up with an overblown action movie featuring an invincible hero who dispatches scores of opponents without batting an eye. Here, in the confrontation scene with the cardinal's guards, the quartet of heroes handles six times the numerical superiority without a scratch (and moreover, in a disadvantageous situation of surprise and encirclement!). The action fight scenes are mostly shot in a confusing manner, but the positives clearly outweigh the negatives. Eva Green as Milady and Vincent Cassel as Athos are reliable highlights. Overall impression: 80%.

Incorrect, caustic to sarcastic humor, crazy situations, and above all, entertaining characters that quickly draw you into the world of illegal bookies and their clients with varying degrees of gambling addiction. If you ever had any illusions about the human species, you'll quickly forget them under the influence of what you see. It's mostly about human weaknesses and money, but now and then it gets grittier and becomes a matter of life and death. No mercy is shown for people at the bottom of society or for making corpses, because it's a dirty business and Ray and Danny certainly aren't small players with a pitiful nature; they wouldn't survive in that cruel world. Cold-blooded pragmatism, calculation, and ingenuity are what keep the successful duo on course, while their dangerous opponents meet an ignominious end. I enjoyed every episode and firmly hope that the second season will maintain the high standard. Overall impression: 90%.

The influence of Tim Burton is evident; at first glance, the slightly morbid and quirky artistic aspect of the project influenced by the Gothic style stands out. A major plus is the casting of the interesting and charismatic Jenna Ortega, who seems to have been born for the role of Wednesday; she perfectly fits the role of an eccentric, captivating outsider and enjoys her role, rightfully dominating the series, and giving it a "spark." The project is limited by a screenplay that clearly indicates from the beginning that the target audience is teenagers. While in the first half there was more appeal for other age groups and I enjoyed the episodes more, the second half emphasizes its commercial nature for "teens," and the descending impression isn't saved even by the finale. Nevertheless, considering Ortega's constant presence on set, I have no problem justifying giving it a fourth star. Overall impression: 75%.