Mickey, Donald, Goofy: Los tres mosqueteros

I picked this up from the video store not expecting much, but I really was surprised. This is sure to become an instant classic. As usual, Disney has the characterization right-on -- Mickey's the straight, normal guy, Goofy's the clumsy goofball who surprisingly has brief moments of genius, and Donald's the loudmouth with a bad temper. Pete was his usual bad self, and his scenes had me cracking up. For example, when he's preparing for a shower at the beginning, he says to himself, "I've been looking forward to this all month!" The songs are based on melodies from classical music, so they're tolerable and stick in your head afterward. Thank goodness for that, because Disney's music has slipped down the drain in the past several years. The comedy is a little slapstick at parts, but has the classical charm of the old cartoons we grew up on. However, as one reviewer said, the turtle guy at the beginning is a little boring, but the rest of the movie more than makes up for it.

All in all, this story of three underdogs really is worth viewing. It is excellent for kids and adults will actually be able to giggle at some parts and enjoy it, especially since it is reminiscent of old Disney cartoons. I was so impressed that I had my adult brothers watch it, and they were impressed and giggled through the whole thing. This movie is proof that Disney still has the ability to make good movies and that Disney's original characters are still capable of starring in their own films. Highly recommended!

Walt Disney's classic cartoon characters are back for a feature-length adventure. This hour-long direct-to-video 'toon features longtime Disney favorites Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto, as well as Peg-Leg Pete and even Clarabelle Cow. These characters all started way back in the 1920s and 1930s, and it's nice to see them dusted off and brought to life on-screen these days, and not merely used to adorn merchandise.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS (2004) is not, as one might expect, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's classic story (previously adapted by Disney in live-action in 1993), but is an original adventure that uses Dumas as a jumping-off point. (Mickey, Donald, and Goofy aspire to be musketeers after a childhood encounter with the Dumas heroes.) Set once upon a time in seventeenth-century France, the movie's got Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as misfit musketeers trying to protect Princess Minnie while the duplicitous Captain Pete plots to become king.

The film is fast-paced and cartoony, with lots of gags to keep kids' attention. There's swashbuckling action and some peril, but the henchmen are as hapless as the heroes in this cartoon, so it's entirely kid-friendly stuff.

The music is conspicuously recycled from old classical tunes and other pre-existing (public domain?) songs, including several straight-up Gilbert & Sullivan songs in the climactic scene at the opera house ("Pirates of Penzance"). It seems like a cost-cutting measure for a direct-to-video release. As this movie is clearly aimed at children, one wonders how many of them would realize that the songs are set to famous classical tunes. (And does that matter?) Maybe this will be their first time hearing the music, and they'll forever afterward think of these lyrics. But on the other hand, maybe it's a fun way to expose young audiences to classical music for the first time.

There's an air of postmodernism about the way the film handles Disney's classic cartoon gang, to freshen them up for today's kids. For example, while scribbling "Mickey + Minnie Mouse" in her diary, a lovestruck Minnie realizes that she and Mickey have the same last name. (It's fate!) And, in another scene, Mickey confesses that he doesn't understand a word that Donald says. There's even a scene with Minnie and Daisy eating fast food in the royal carriage.

As the three unlikely musketeers, Mickey is "too small", Donald is "too cowardly", and Goofy is "too dumb". Mickey, primarily a corporate mascot at this point in his career, is bland, bland, bland. Scaredy-cat Donald and idiot Goofy are marginally more interesting, but Pete steals the show as the fourth-wall-breaking villain. Daisy Duck is given a modernized edge as dreamer Minnie's wise and more pragmatic lady-in-waiting. Clarabelle is a henchwoman, for some reason (probably just lucky to be included), but she's got personality and is fun to watch. A French-accented turtle acts as singing narrator throughout the story, and is annoying.

While it's encouraging to see Disney put its classic characters to use, this particular film is rather limp. The breakneck comedy seems designed to entertain antsy children, and it may well do so, but for more seasoned audiences, the gags fall flat and the "all for one" story is not very compelling.

When people hear the words direct-to-video, they groan, though actually most of them aren't that bad. Two or three of them are awful, like Cinderella 2, but this one belongs up there with one of the more entertaining films.

The animation is not that bad at all. Most of it is very colourful, though in the more sinister bits it is a little flat. I liked the songs also, with some very funny lyrics(and random in some of them)set to the works of classical composers like Beethoven and Grieg.

The story, while not very faithful to the classic tale, is very nice, and goes at a fast pace. Although, the film could have done with being 5 to 10 minutes longer. The plot has some funny twists, with Captain Pete plotting to kidnap Princess Minnie and take over as ruler. A bit over-familiar, but it is decorated with some very funny sword fights, and a very funny scene in the opera house.

The voice talents are top notch, especially Jim Cummings as Pete. In fact all the characters were very well-done, but the short duration didn't allow the script to fully develop.

Anyway, despite the flaws, I really liked it, so I will award a 7/10, for the humour and the characters. Bethany Cox.

Everything in this movie forces you to be utterly impressed; seeing the old heroes ride - together - again, the colors, the drawings, the animation, the wit, and the songs, especially the songs. As a musical, it's very distinct. Rare to watch a movie where the melodies or the songs are from older ballet, opera, or symphony. It's like relating the past with the present, new dealing with the classics, and - most importantly - a way to make the kids, or the less caring about music viewers, know about classics, getting used to them.

Look at the list this time: "All For One and One For All" (from Orpheus in the Underworld). "Love So Lovely (from The Nutcracker, and Romeo and Juliet Overture). "Petey's King of France" (from In the Hall of the Mountain King). "Sweet Wings of Love" (from Johann Strauss's Blue Danube). "Chains of Love" (from Carmen). "This Is The End" (from Beethoven's 5th Symphony). "L'Opera" (from The Pirates of Penzance). I wrote it as I read it in Wikipedia, since the IMDb doesn't have a full, more accurate, list of the original sources.

Making the songs from other older works didn't give us interesting soundtrack only, it rather brought back golden ages in music, and saluted Disney's milestone Fantasia. Having that apart is a delight, so how about its colorful time too. Director (Donovan Cook) has done a perfect job. I can't see anything wrong with the movie. (David M. Evans) and (Evan Spiliotopoulos) wrote a wonderful script (loved the narrator / troubadour turtle touch in particular). Maybe old-fashioned a bit, but with some amount of fun. I don't know about you, but the movie's traditionalism did enjoy me. On one hand, the "good old" Disney's feature cartoon films are so missed since years (The Pixar effect no doubt). And on the other hand, this innocence and simplicity are forever. In a word, here.. Traditional wins!

The nostalgic creation, concerning reusing, remixing, or reproducing classic songs or pieces of music, can be noticed through the last 15 years in movies. Remember (Everyone Says I Love You - 1996), (Moulin Rouge! - 2001), (Happy Feet - 2006), (Across the Universe - 2007), (Mamma Mia! - 2008), and obviously there was (Mickey, Donald, Goofy The Three Musketeers - 2004) in between. However, the thing to bother is that why that last one wasn't released in theaters worldwide instead of that shy, or embarrassed, V release?! According to the level of many straight-to-video movies; V could refer to "vile" more than "video" by the way!

It could be a lot of reasons; it's an old story (AREN'T ALL OF THEM?!), it should have used some hip touches, or more action for that matter?. There was no star involved, naturally due to the signature voices of the used leads, so you can't bring (Tom Cruise) to do Goofy (or you can?!), and there weren't other characters to have stars for them in the first place. Moreover, it's a cartoon in a world that has gone graphic, having - in their makers' viewpoints of course - no chance in front of movies like (Finding Nemo) in the same year. Clearly, the look at it as pure mercantile project deterred it from owing a release. I hope it's a production matter, not a contemptuous manner which labels some heroes as outdated or old news!

V or not, this is a great movie. It's a tribute to the classic Disney, the classic music, and the classic novel of (The Three Musketeers). Some perfumes don't drain away. And a portion of "classic" is so needed in the nasty noisy world of 2000s. It's just the feeling of sorry that I didn't, don't, and won't have the pleasure of watching it on big screen ever!

I was visiting my grandkids last week and after a long day of activities, and a family supper, my daughter asked me if I wanted to go down to the T.V. room and watch a movie with the kids.

At that moment it sounded like the worst idea I had heard in a long time. I had visions of watching some 3D flying robots or some brightly colored animated ponies. So, imagine my surprise when they said they wanted to watch their Mickey Mouse movie.

I've been around a long time and I can remember seeing Mickey shorts at the theater when I was a boy, and I had no idea that the kids today even knew who the little mouse was. In addition, I hadn't heard about any Mickey Mouse movies in a very long time, so I was intrigued to see what this movie that the kids all wanted to see was all about.

And let me tell you I sat down on the couch with my grandkids all around me and we all laughed at Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, as they barreled through their own wacky version of the Three Musketeers tale. The girls loved the Princess Minnie most, while the boys like the swash-buckling swordplay. We all like the fun music, with the very funny words.

I wondered if this had been some old movie that got lost in the Disney vaults, it was that good, and had such a timeless feel.

If you want to see a nice little family film that everyone in the house can have some fun with, I recommend this new Mickey Mouse movie to you and yours with full enthusiasm.

I'm Tex Nickle and I'm telling you that "Mickey is still Kickin'"