Earlier in the year the first part of the two-part film adaptation of Alexandre Dumas‘ 1844 novel The Three Musketeers amazed me. It was a proper blockbuster-style action-adventure film that kept that French movie feel. Martin Bourboulon (Eiffel) directed both and the cast remains the same with Ralph Amoussou (Split) and Camille Rutherford (Blue is the Warmest Colour) joining Vincent Cassel, Eva Green, Romain Duris, Pio Marmaï (How I Became a Super Hero, Undercover), and François Civil (Call My Agent!, Frank).

Previously on The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan, a spirited young Gascon, is left for dead after trying to save a young woman from being kidnapped. When he arrives in Paris, he tries by all means to find his attackers. He is unaware that his quest will lead him to the heart of a real war where the future of France is at stake. Allied with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, three musketeers of the King with a dangerous temerity, D’Artagnan faces the dark machinations of the Cardinal of Richelieu. But when he falls madly in love with Constance Bonacieux, the Queen’s confidante, D’Artagnan truly puts himself in danger. For it is this passion that leads him into the wake of the one who becomes his mortal enemy: Milady de Winter.

Premise: D’Artagnan is forced to join forces with Milady to save Constance, who was kidnapped before his eyes. But as war is declared and Athos, Porthos, and Aramis have already joined the front, a secret from the past shatters old alliances.  As the King falls further and further under the control of Cardinal Richelieu, D’Artagnan and the Musketeers are the last bastions before chaos. But, drawn into a plot that threatens to put the country to fire and sword, fate presents them with a terrible choice: will they have to sacrifice those they love to complete their mission?

Review: This movie is just as well made as the first one is, makes sense since it’s one big story filmed as one movie, yet part two goes deeper into the political intrigues and the psyche of some of the characters since part one was more of their introduction. It is a bit less humorous and more dramatic, and it introduces a few characters. One of these characters is Hannibal (portrayed by Ralph Amoussou), he’s not in the movie a lot but I was worried to the point of almost being distracted from the movie because he’s a black actor in a medieval story that had been adapted so many times that people think they know the story well. I was afraid the movie would be dismissed by people who’d have a problem with him being in it. I’ve seen some people having a problem with Porthos being portrayed as Bisexual in part 1, which would have been a surprise for me if I hadn’t reread the source material in which that is very much implied. However, when it comes to Hannibal it’s based on the true story of Louis Anniaba, the prince of Assinie and France’s first Black musketeer. I’ve never heard of this story and I’m glad that this movie is introducing me to it.

The film ended up being richer, fresh, and powerful. The action scenes are a bit more raw, and the story is complex and quite intense. Eva Green is great in the role of Milady de Winter, Part Two really is her movie just like Part One was more focused on D’Artagnan. Both parts quite seamlessly blend together but the last quarter of this movie seems a bit rushed, summarized to then end on another cliffhanger. So this movie ends up feeling like an episode of a saga, and not an ending to one. As much as I would love another movie with this cast I kind of wish this movie had more of an ending.

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