The Man in the Iron Mask Review
by James Berardinelli (berardin AT cybernex DOT net)March 13th, 1998
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: **1/2 OUT OF ****
United States, 1998
U.S. Release Date: 3/13/98 (wide)
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Mild and infrequent profanity, non-explicit sexual situations, non-graphic violence)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, Gabriel Byrne, Anne Parillaud, Judith Godreche, Peter Sarsgaard, Hugh Laurie
Director: Randall Wallace
Producers: Randall Wallace and Russ Smith
Screenplay: Randall Wallace based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky
Music: Nick Glennie-Smith
U.S. Distributor: United Artists
During the heyday of his career as a writer, Alexandre Dumas penned three novels about a quartet of the best-known characters in European literature: Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan. In 1844, Dumas published THE THREE MUSKETEERS. The next year, he followed this with TWENTY YEARS LATER. Finally, between 1848 and 1850, his serialized THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK came to print. Like all the best historical fiction, this trilogy uses real characters and real events, but imagines and re-invents relationships and circumstances. The resulting narratives are complex and entertaining, featuring ample quantities of swashbuckling adventure while focusing on well-rounded characters and murky politics.
While THE THREE MUSKETEERS has been adapted more than a dozen times for film and television, this new version of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK is only the sixth (the last was 1979's THE FIFTH MUSKETEER). The writer/director is Randall Wallace, who scripted BRAVEHEART for Mel Gibson. The problem with this movie is that Wallace has attempted to squeeze a 500-page book into a 130-minute motion picture, something that can't be done without major sacrifices. The resulting product is high on melodrama and low on the character depth and political machinations that are the novel's strengths. THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK is also surprisingly devoid of gripping adventure. Hardly a gun is fired or a sword drawn until the climactic half-hour.
Although the basic plot follows that of the novel, the central characters, older versions of the Four Musketeers, have been simplified into generic heroes. Their motives, as presented in the movie, are superficial. Athos (John Malkovich) has invested all of his hope and faith in his son, Raul (Peter Sarsgaard). Porthos (Gerard Depardieu) is enjoying a life of debauched revelry. Aramis (Jeremy Irons) has become the military leader of the Jesuits. And D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne) remains the devoted captain of the Musketeers. The story, which transpires in 1662 France, blossoms from a rift that grows between the older three men and their former protégé. D'Artagnan's unquestioning loyalty to the cold, self-serving king, Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio), places him at odds with Porthos, Athos, and Aramis after the king sends Athos' son to the front lines of a battle so that he can woo Raul's fiancee, Christine (Judith Godreche). And there is yet another player, the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask, who languishes in prison, his face hidden from his captors because of his eerie resemblance to King Louis.
Dramatically, the film is weak, and plays more like a soap opera than a screen adaptation of a classic novel. The costumes and set design are impressive, but they're all just window dressing. The plot has the hit-and-miss feel that one might expect from any attempt to cram so much material into such a limited running time. The political background, which includes riots by the starving common people, border wars, and religious power plays, is given short shrift – a line or two here, a quick scene there. The characters aren't all that interesting, since much of their complexity has been stripped away to make them more familiar and appealing to today's movie-going crowd. (For example, the Aramis of the book comes close to being a villain, but the Aramis of the movie is unquestionably heroic.) The unfortunate result is that the first 90 minutes, which are primarily intended to be dramatic, come across as rather dull. Only in the final half-hour, when we are treated to several displays of derring-do, does THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK come alive.
In the wake of his popularity explosion resulting from TITANIC, Leonardo DiCaprio will prove to be THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK's chief drawing card. He plays two roles (Louis and the masked man), but fails to do either especially well. The somewhat stilted and occasionally- ripe dialogue doesn't roll easily off his tongue and, for the most part, he gives the impression that he's playing dress-up. Those who found DiCaprio inadequate in ROMEO + JULIET will likely cringe at his work here. Equally ineffective are the two female leads. Judith Godreche, who was strong in RIDICULE, is reduced to a lifeless mannequin as Louis' mistress, Christine. And Anne Parillaud, who hasn't been impressive since LA FEMME NIKITA, offers a flat interpretation of Queen Anne, Louis' widowed mother.
Fortunately, the veteran actors playing the Musketeers are far better, and they have the lion's share of the screen time. Malkovich is as delicious as ever, and it's refreshing to see him in a role where the primary characteristic is nobility rather than psychotic behavior. As D'Artagnan, Gabriel Byrne successfully essays a character who is increasingly conflicted and uncertain about where his true loyalty lies. Gerard Depardieu is delightful as the somewhat-fatuous Porthos. And, as Aramis, Jeremy Irons gives his most lively performance in a long time.
Ultimately, the negatives in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK nearly counterbalance the positives. While the last half-hour is exhilarating and recalls the best swashbuckling movies, the film takes a little too long to get there, and, along the way, is only moderately successful as an historical drama or an adventure. DiCaprio's name will undoubtedly give this picture a box-office boost, but his two characters aren't the movie's focus – the aging Musketeers are. And those who are interested in learning how their stories end will find greater satisfaction in reading Dumas' novel than in sitting through this thin adaptation.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli
e-mail: [email protected]
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