Footnotes in film books are likely to reduce this swashbuckling adventure down to a simple description: it was the first movie to star Leonardo DiCaprio after the phenomenal success of Titanic. As such, The Man in the Iron Mask automatically attracted a box-office stampede of Leo's young female fans, but critical reaction was deservedly mixed. Having earned his directorial debut after writing the Oscar-winning script for Mel Gibson's Braveheart, Randall Wallace wrote and directed this ambitious version of the often-filmed classic novel by Alexandre Dumas. DiCaprio... plays dual roles as the despotic King Louis XIV, who rules France with an iron fist, and the king's twin brother, Philippe, who languishes in prison under an iron mask, his identity concealed to prevent an overthrow of Louis' throne. But Louis' abuse of power ultimately enrages Athos (John Malkovich), one of the original Four Musketeers, who recruits his former partners (Gabriel Byrne, Gérard Depardieu, and Jeremy Irons) in a plot to liberate Philippe and install him as the king's identical replacement. Once this plot is set in motion and the Musketeers are each given moments in the spotlight, the film kicks into gear and offers plenty of entertainment in the grand style of vintage swashbucklers. But it's also sidetracked by excessive length and disposable subplots, and for all his post-Titanic star power, the boyish DiCaprio just isn't yet "man" enough to be fully convincing in his title role. Still, this is an entertaining film, no less enjoyable for falling short of the greatness to which it aspired. --Jeff Shannon [show more]
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Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play A sensational cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio Oscar-Winner Jeremy Irons John Malkovich Gérard Depardieu and Gabriel Byrne shines in this lavish action-packed and “wonderful movie (with) great performances”(Access Hollywood od ) It is a time of great splendourand even greater despair When the selfish excesses of France’s self-serving King Louis XIV (DiCaprio) go too far and his people are threatened with starvation retired Musketeers Athos (Malkovich) Porthos (Depardieu) and Aramis (Irons) vow to free a mysterious masked prisoner who may be France’s only hope for survival Only one question remains will their old comrade the legendary d’Artagnan (Byrne) help them – or destroy them?
In Paris, 1662, the three Musketeers have now retired. Aramis (Jeremy Irons) is a priest, charged alongside the corrupt King Louis (Leonardo DiCaprio) with finding and eliminating the leader of the Jesuits in France. He reunites with Porthos (Gerard Depardieu) and Athos (John Malkovich), when they discover that Louis is keeping his twin, Phillipe, imprisoned in an iron mask. Athos wants revenge for the death of his son, Raoul, after Louis recalled him to the front, while Aramis reveals that he is himself the Jesuit leader. However, their old ally, D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne), now Louis' personal bodyguard, refuses to join them.
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