Milady de Winter steps into the spotlight in this swashbuckling sequel. Picking up where the first film left off, our heroes Athos, Porthos and Aramis rejoin young D’Artagnan in facing new dangers. Though it seems Milady fell to her demise after a cliffside clash with Athos, this cunning spy is never so easily defeated.
We discover Milady’s motivations run far deeper than it first appeared. Whether working as a double agent for Cardinal Richelieu or pursuing vengeance against the men who’ve wronged her, this femme fatale proves herself a formidable force. No one crosses Milady and lives to tell the tale.
When D’Artagnan’s beloved Constance is kidnapped, he forms an unlikely alliance with Milady to find her. But can he trust this viper not to bite? Their quest leads them from fortresses under siege to the cliffs of Dover, with swordfights and daring escapes around every corner. Milady’s influences are felt in every twist and turn of conflict.
This sequel accelerates the action while diving deeper into its most enigmatic character. Eva Green commands the screen with her captivating and calculating Milady, ensuring this story is truly hers to command.
Dumas’ World Brought to Life Once More
The Three Musketeers: Milady picks up right where the first film leaves off. Young D’Artagnan remains determined to rescue his beloved Constance, who was kidnapped at the end of Part I. We find that despite tumbling from a great height, the cunning Milady also survives. Though wounded, her desire for vengeance against her enemies, including Athos, remains.
The kingdom finds itself embroiled in conflict as the long-standing tensions between Catholics and Protestants escalate. King Louis assigns his brother Gaston the task of attacking the Protestant stronghold of La Rochelle by sea. But dangerous plots against the throne continue. We see the king’s frustrating attempts to rule through scale models, while conspirators like the Queen and Cardinal Richelieu spin their webs of intrigue.
D’Artagnan’s search brings him into an unlikely alliance with Milady, as they must work together to escape the clutches of the Comte de Chalais and his henchmen. Though weary of each other, their fighting skills prove formidable. Elsewhere, Athos, Porthos and Aramis also face peril as the Musketeers become pulled into the growing conflict. Porthos pursues a matter of honor regarding Aramis’ sister, while Athos bears the weight of past mistakes.
The film sweeps us across France and even to the cliffs of Dover in England as plots intersect and secrets are revealed. Director Bourboulon once again crafts breathtaking action sequences and duels that immerse us in the story. Eva Green embodies the cunning and complexity of Milady with mesmeric skill. Through interweaving storylines of loyalty, betrayal and moral ambiguity, the film brings Dumas’ rich tale vividly to life once more. Its pulse-pounding conclusion leaves the door open for further installments in this reimagined world.
Cinematic Swordfights and Epic Backdrops
Director Martin Bourboulon brings new life to the swashbuckling action of Dumas’ classic tale. He crafts elaborate scenes with fluid long takes that immerse us in the story. When D’Artagnan duels while trapped in a winding stable, the camera swirls around the fighters at ground level.
We feel the desperate struggle, dodging blows and swinging our own blade. Another thrilling sequence follows our hero fleeing along castle walls, with the lens plunging into the river alongside him. Bourboulon places us right in the danger alongside the characters.
He transports us not just to 17th century France but precisely recreated worlds within it. Sweeping vistas of La Rochelle under siege carry the grandeur of their historic scale. Inside fortresses and country manors, meticulous production design fills each chamber with period details. Even glimpses of landscapes rushing past as Musketeers race to missions reflect painstaking location filming. Bourboulon nurtures our sense of exploring the homeland and history that shaped Dumas’ original work.
This care in depicting setting matches the passion brought to combat. Bourboulon stages extended swordfights as dynamic ballets, sleek camerawork flowing with the duels. Minor edits only call more attention to actors committing fully to precarious lunges and parries.
Such dynamism owes much to Bourboulon’s direction, keeping cinema’s power to immerse and excite alive even in historic genres. Under his guidance, Dumas’ legend lives and breathes onscreen with formidable verve.
Eva Green Brilliantly Captures the Complexity of Milady
Eva Green owns every scene she’s in as the cunning Milady. The role was clearly written for her talents and she sees past the surface of this supposed villain. Green brings a fierce intensity and wounded vulnerability to the character that keeps viewers guessing her true motives.
While Milady has wronged others in the past according to the story, Green hints that her character’s bitterness stems from mistreatment by men. She conveys a fiery spirit trying to regain control of her life through whatever means prove useful. Despite treasonous acts, it’s hard not to feel sympathetic towards her situation and root for Milady to find freedom on her own terms.
Her interactions with D’Artagnan are a highlight, their emotions captivatingly playing out through charged stares and tense exchanges. Green masters the art of seducing without truly giving herself away. She draws the young musketeer in while keeping others at arm’s length, strategizing her next moves.
In fight scenes, her agility and ferocity are captivating. Green brings a feral grace to Milady, striking back with all the pent up rage from past difficulties. She never half-commits to a role and always makes her character’s desperation feel real. Whether manipulating others or battling for survival, Milady never feels one-dimensional in Green’s capable hands.
Through it all, Green ensures Milady remains an enigma even for those rooting for her. She peels back just enough layers to gain understanding while keeping that mystique. It’s this complexity and charisma that make Milady the most compelling part of this adventure – and prove that with an actor of Green’s caliber in the part, a villain can capture our hearts as powerfully as any hero.
Musketeers Meet Their Match
The capable supporting cast give these swashbuckling adventures real depth and color. Vincent Cassel, Romain Duris and Pio Marmai slip back into their musketeer roles with ease, bringing warmth and humor that bonds us to these daring heroes.
Cassel in particular breathes tortured life into noble Athos, his pained past haunting eyes that see much. As Aramis and Porthos, Duris and Marmai find laughs between sticks, their brotherhood the sturdy heart our escapades rely on.
François Civil continues growing into the ambitious but unsure D’Artagnan, fueling each flick with that youthful fire and skepticism that drives the plot wild. Lyna Khoudri brings effervescent charm as his love Constance, keeping our interest in her predicament hooked. King Louis himself, in Louis Garrel’s mercurial hands, adds an offbeat wit that cuts through political intrigue. Even shorter scenes give these talents room to shine.
New faces impress too – Ralph Amoussou’s courageous musketeer brings diversity, while Eric Ruf endows Cardinal Richelieu with a cunning to outwit any scheme. But at every turn, it’s Green who threatens to steal the final fight, imbuing Milady with a fierce complexity that challenges every ally and view. With supporting sections this rich, our musketeers may have finally met their match on screen where it counts.
Swashbuckling Spectacles at Sea and on Shore
What fan of action and adventure wouldn’t relish the feats on display in The Three Musketeers – Part II: Milady? Director Martin Bourboulon pulls out all the stops in crafting stirring set pieces that feel exhilaratingly real.
From the opening moments, the camera is in constant motion, keeping viewers right beside D’Artagnan as he races desperately along castle walls. When danger comes, we follow his breathless plunge into the water below. It’s moments like this that draw us deeply inside the story. Bourboulon favors lengthy shots that immerse us in the action, from nimble knife fights to an amphibious assault atop churning waves.
The climactic battle truly is epic in scale. We experience the musketeers’ daring tactics from within the rolling surf. Cannon fire booms while soldiers scramble up ladders onto the besieged fortress. Through it all, the camera maintains composure, allowing us to take in each pulse-pounding movement. Later, the camera sweeps majestically over lines of troops and cavalry clashing in a sprawling landscape.
Even smaller skirmishes are executed with gusto. One standout duel transpires in a darkened stable, the camera lowering to the fighters’ eye level amid flying fists and flashing blades. Every blow feels hard-earned, every at risk of being the last. With its lively direction and realistic stuntwork, The Three Musketeers – Part II: Milady ensures its actions scenes are true spectacles that put the excitement and danger of 17th century adventures on full display.
The High-Flying Sequel
This follow up soars even higher than the first film. While maintaining the rip-roaring adventure and dueling exploits we enjoyed last time, Milady deepens the story in complex ways. Green fully commands our attention with a mesmerizing turn as the cunning femme fatale. Bursting from the pages of literature and the screen, she remains a tantalizing enigma until the end.
Bourboulon’s sweeping choreography once more immerses us in the breathless action. The Musketeers prove their daring at sea and on land while new challenges test their mettle. Intrigue swirls ever tighter around the royals as shifting loyalties and shadowy plots endanger the realm. Just when it seems peace may be attained, darker forces emerge to inflame old wounds in the conflict between factions.
Through it all pulses a heart seeking justice and the woman he loves, propelling our young hero into the fray time and again despite the mounting risks. Their fairy tale hopes hang by a threat, facing threats more dire than any dreamt in fable. If resolution is to be found, it will be hard won on crimson fields where France’s fate hangs in the balance.
This gallant series brings history bounding to life with a vigor that outstrips its peers. Fans will find much to adore and long for the next call to action should these patriots ride again. Their courage and code make them champions for any age.
The Review
The Three Musketeers - Part II: Milady
Bourboulon's swashbuckling sequel is a glorious adventure that outstrips its rich source material. Maintaining the esprit and visual flair of its predecessor, Milady elevates the stakes through deeper characters and twists that keep viewers raptly engaged until the curtain falls. This is epic storytelling at its most fun and immersive.
PROS
- Engrossing characters and performances
- Sweepingly choreographed action scenes
- Rich production values and costumes
- Inventive reimagining of plot points
- Pulse-pounding suspense and intrigue
CONS
- May be hard to follow without seeing first film
- Pacing lags in the middle
- Some historical details take liberties
- Fails to develop side characters fully
