The Three Musketeers (2004) Movie Review

While it bears virtually no resemblance to the classic story, Disney's direct-to-video rendition of The Three Musketeers is probably its best DTV outing in a decade. If they'd thrown a little more budget at it, this one could have even merited a theatrical release.

In this rendition, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are janitors who lobby for jobs as musketeers in the service of the princess (no idea where the king and queen might be) of France (well, animated, animal-populated France), and it isn't long before they get their wish. The mini-film (about 65 minutes long) gets just about every other traditional Disney character into the film in some odd role or another -- most notably the Beagle Boys as the villains of the film and Minnie Mouse as the princess. It isn't long before Mickey and Minnie are making goo-goo eyes, while the heroes have to foil Peg-Leg Pete's plot to steal the throne for himself, with the aid of the precious Beagles.

Featuring traditional classical music with kid-friendly lyrics added, it's a nice departure from Phil Collins and the singing of Off Broadway wannabe divas. My own two-year-old had a modicum of interest in the DVD, though frankly she was more enamored with the stuffed Mickey Mouse that comes with the DVD. A handful of adult-friendly gags (such as the recurring bit, stolen from the Mel Brooks playbook, where a musical ditty is played every time anyone mentions the word "opera") will please those bored by the rather rote story line. The disc also includes deleted scenes (storyboarded and crudely animated for the most part), plus the usual kids-only add-ons.

Aka Mickey's 'The Three Musketeers'.

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