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Literature Commentary: The Three Musketeers

31 Aug

(Originally published May 6, 2009)

In the unlikely event that my readers have NO idea what this book is about…”The Three Musketeers” follows the adventures of young Frenchman d’Artagnan as he and his friends (the titular Three Musketeers – Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) fight for the King of France and thwart the plotting of the malevolent Cardinal Richelieu. Through a series of exciting and harrowing events, d’Artagnan becomes a young man of honor and bravery, thanks in large part to the positive influence of the Three Musketeers.

This book is a must-read for every boy. Swordfight follows swordfight and peril follows peril, supported by a memorable cast of characters including the vengeful Athos, the jolly Porthos, the theologically minded Aramis, and the beautiful-but-deadly Milady de Winter. It’s a rollicking, exciting, and generally pleasant ride through late-medieval France. Even the numerous murders and deaths are treated as merely casualties of war. For most readers, “The Three Musketeers” is little more than a rip-roaring adventure story.

However, a few points of worldview analysis might prove interesting. While most of the characters operate from a personal code of ethics (centered around loyalty to “God and the King”) a few of the finer moral elements are less than laudable. Marriage, for example, is seen as a burdensome requirement easily circumvented (there is very little value placed on marital fidelity).

Example: The Queen of France is engaged in an illicit relationship with the Duke of Buckingham, and gives him a ribbon of diamond studs as a proof of her love. Cardinal Richelieu gets wind of this and invites the Queen to a ball, at which she is asked to wear the diamond studs (that she had just given away to Buckingham). If she appears without the studs, it will prove to the King that she has been unfaithful to him. Enter d’Artagnan and the Musketeers – who hurry to England to reclaim the diamond studs from Buckingham, and then return to France just in time to preserve the Queen’s honor.

Is this the right thing to do? By attempting to preserve the Queen’s honor, the Musketeers are helping to conceal her infidelity to the King. This is a perfect example of the kind of “situational ethics” that run rampant throughout “The Three Musketeers.” Certainly interesting to think about.

Oddly, it seems that absolute values DO exist in Dumas’ world – why else would he portray manipulative characters such as Milady de Winter in such an obviously negative light? – but the good characters have derived their own standards and ethical codes. D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers obviously have some fuzzy notions of right and wrong, but they are inconsistent in the principles they claim to uphold. Is this merely a sign of human weakness…or is it minimizing the consequences of sin?

From a literary standpoint, “The Three Musketeers” isn’t nearly as good as Dumas’ other famous work, “The Count of Monte Cristo.” There are fewer obvious “moral dilemmas” and the characters aren’t as well-developed. There are fewer plot twists and less suspense. Nevertheless, it is certainly worth your reading time, and could provide some interesting ethical food for thought.

VERDICT: 7.5/10
Not quite “Monte Cristo” but still worth your time.

 
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Posted by on August 31, 2009 in Classic

 

Movie Review: “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”

31 Aug

(Originally published May 6, 2009)

like superhero movies, revenge movies, and movies with swordfighting. Smoosh all three of those together and the end product will probably come out looking a lot like this summer’s most-anticipated action film – “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” I had the chance to take in this film last weekend after the Regional Invitational debate tournament, and figured I really ought to put down a few of my thoughts while I was still thinking about it. (If you were tagged in this review, it’s because you were either there with me at the movie theater, or because I thought you might be interested in hearing about it)

Since I haven’t seen any of the other “X-Men” films, I was a clean slate (or, as my debate friends might say, a tabula rasa :-P) going into “Wolverine.” I’d seen the explosive trailer that was released earlier this year, and was quite intrigued…especially considering that the character of Wolverine was an influence on the creation of “Soul Flare.”

The film follows the titular character, Wolverine (played compellingly by Hugh Jackman), a mutant with the ability to extend razor-sharp bone protrusions from his forearms. He and his half-brother, Victor Creed, are endowed with unnatural longevity, and fight in several major wars before being conscripted into an elite fighting force led by a certain Colonel William Stryker. Stryker’s fighting force is comprised of powerful mutants like Wolverine and Victor…but without any form of moral restraint. Eventually, Wolverine refuses to take part in the massacre of innocent Africans and disappears into the night.

He reappears six years later, working as a lumberjack. Stryker offers him the chance to return to his old job and track down his missing brother Victor. Wolverine refuses…only to find to his horror that Victor has embarked upon a bloody crusade of vengeance against his former companions, even going so far as to murder Wolverine’s lover. In despair, Wolverine accepts Stryker’s offer and becomes a powerful superhero – his bones strengthened with adamantium so as to render him virtually impervious to attack.

Things really take off after that.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” has some of the best effects and action sequences I’ve seen in any movie, ever. There is a lot of combat and action, but it is seamlessly integrated and beautifully choreographed. Within the first 20 minutes, viewers have watched mutants storm the beaches of Normandy, deflect bullets with twin swords, and take out security guards in a blur of kung fu flips and gunfire. Despite the over-the-top nature of many pivotal scenes, the action is never disorienting or unpleasant. The final battle, which takes place atop a nuclear reactor, is truly dazzling.

Fortunately, there’s more than just eye candy in “Wolverine.” The film is well acted and has some thought-provoking moments, including a few solemn reflections on the nature and consequences of revenge. Although not quite as rich in complexity and symbolism as last year’s “The Dark Knight”, “Wolverine” still contains a powerful and ultimately positive message.

You may not want to bring your younger siblings to this one…the “Matrix”-esque violence, although almost completely bloodless, is still pretty brutal. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend “Wolverine” to nearly all of my friends – both as a great action movie and a potent meditation on the nature of justice.

VERDICT: 8.5/10
A great summer action movie. Certainly worth watching.

Normalized Score: 6.9

 
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Posted by on August 31, 2009 in Sci-Fi

 
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