Passion. Drama. Comic relief. Suspense. If you are looking for these qualities in a movie, then The Musketeer is not the movie to see. Granted, it is not one of the worst movies I have ever watched, but The Musketeer will most likely not be remembered as one of the classics.Set in the mid-1800s, the story is about a young warrior named D’Artagnan, played by Justin Chambers, who played a starring role in Barry Levinson’s Liberty Heights. Chambers basically plays the stereotypical role of a “rugged hero,” set out to become a Musketeer, avenge his father’s death, and so on.

Throughout the movie, D’Artagnan has to rely on the help of the other Musketeers. His mission is to protect the king from a corrupt palace official, and the musketeers aid him in his quest. The storyline has potential, but the way that the story came out was disappointing and left me feeling slightly dissatisfied.

For example, one scene in which D’Artagnon and the other Musketeers raid the palace to save the king from assassination is done rather poorly. All the Musketeers have to do to get in the palace is to jump some guards and steal their clothes. It makes it seem as if raiding an imperial palace is as easy as raiding an unlocked supply closet. I know that movies can tend to be somewhat unrealistic, but this is a little too much. I felt an extreme lack of suspense at a part of the movie that could have had me on the edge of my seat.

Yes, there is even a stereotypical love scene. D’Artagnon meets a woman named Fransesca, played by Mena Suvari (the cheerleader in American Beauty). The rapport between D’Artagnon and Francesca is corny, mediocre at best. And, of course, in the final fight scene, D’Artagnon has to save Fransesca’s life. How romantic.

The movie is not all bad. The role played by the villain is fairly convincing. The villain, Febre, is played by Tim Roth, who had major roles in both Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. Roth plays his role as villain well, making the audience believe that he is truly evil. His casual way of taking peoples lives is chilling, yet makes him an enjoyable character in the movie.

The fight scenes are pretty good. The final fight scene with Febre (Tim Roth), and D’Artagnon (Justin Chambers) is filled with skilled fighting moves and swordsmanship and mesmerizing special effects. At one point, D’Artagnon and Febre were fighting on shifting ladders, which keep moving up and down and tossing both characters around during the fight, adding a whole new dimension to it. Predictably, D’Artagnon comes out victorious.

Basically, if you are looking for a good action flick to watch on a guys’ night out, then The Musketeer is the movie for you. But don’t expect anything spiritually enlightening. This movie is worth the cost of the ticket, but it is not a must-see.