Publisher: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Ages: three and up
Parental
Advisory:
None
Reuniting Disney's
big three, The Three
Musketeers is the company's latest, barely
feature-length, straight-to-DVD production
that happens to star Mickey, Donald and
Goofy. It's fun to see the trio along with other
old-time Disney characters in an animation
short that's been extended a bit too far, but it's a fairly entertaining comedy
and adventure for the family.
In a comic version of pre-revolutionary France, best buddies Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are small-time janitors who dream of becoming Musketeers. The evil Peg-Leg Pete, as captain of the Musketeers, wants the throne for himself. And with the sinister Clarabelle, Pete plots to take out Princess Minnie Mouse, who stands in his way. Powered by teamwork and friendship, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy take on Pete and ultimately save the Kingdom.
The production features comic songs that are spins on classical music by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and more, and there are lots of gags, funny bits and inside jokes to entertain the family and Disney fans. The production never manages to capture the fun of Disney's best work with these characters, such as that in the classic animated short Clock Cleaners. Perhaps Three Musketeers would have best worked as an animated short, instead of a feature that feels much like a stretch.
The DVD comes with extras. Most fun is the tongue-in-cheek audio commentary by Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Pegleg Pete as they discuss their performances in a scene. Also, the creative team serves lots of laughs in a The Making of the Three Musketeers "documentary."
In the end, The Three Musketeers is not the fantastic return of Mickey, Donald and Goofy, but an enjoyable diversion. In any event, it's good to see the big three back in action.
8/16/04 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
