Jimmy L. 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.

mwcrunner This movie is based on the old story of the 3 musketeers and Mickey, Donald and Goofy are those musketeers. In this movie it is their mission to protect the kingdom of which Queen Minnie rules. Also as always Mickey steals Minnie's heart and they are still the best fictional couple ever. Donald and Daisy make a great couple in this too and Goofy has Clarabelle the Cow. Of course Clarabelle was a villain in this until Goofy steals her heart. As always in this Mickey cartoons Pete is the main villain and plans to kidnap Minnie and take over the kingdom, but Mickey, Donald and Goofy stand in his way and save the kingdom. Mickey, Donald and Goofy make very fine heroes at the end of this and everyone lives happily ever after, except for Pete of course. Of course you know that in the old Disney Channel show Goof Troop he has a wife named Peg and a son named PJ who also appears in a Goofy Movie. This Mickey movie is definitely worth watching.

Prismark10 Overlong Disney cheapquel made for DVD and based on the Dumas tale, The Three Musketeers.Mickey, Donald and Goofy are the Musketeers wannabees in a film where there is spirited use of music but little else. The movie opens with a narrating turtle where our three aspiring heroes plus Pluto are street urchins robbed by masked bandits and saved by the Royal Musketeers who they now want to emulate.They work as janitors in the palace, dreaming of becoming musketeers but each have flaws. Donald is cowardly, Goofy is goofy and Mickey is too small.Minnie Mouse is the Princess of France but Captain Pete has plans to take over the kingdom and our hapless trio spring into action.There is very little spark or wit in the film. You know its not too good when my son started playing with his Nintendo hand-held when watching it on TV.

marcus_stokes2000 *The Three SPOILERS* A young turtle gets the chance of his life as for a fortuitous accident, he gets to narrate a TV Special.The story he decides to tell is one of how Donald, Goofy and Mickey, after having been saved by the Three Musketeers as kids, made their life goal to become Musketeers themselves.Sadly, Captain of the Musketeers (who all look remarkably like Goofy) is none other than Pegleg Pete, who quickly deems them too chicken (Donald), too stupid (Goofy) and too short (Mickey).Soon after, though, he makes them Musketeers and instructs them to protect Princess Minnie and her Maid of Company Daisy.Why? But because he's counting on their incompetence to be able to kill the Princess and become King himself! So, to save the Princess and the Kingdom, our three will have to grow up and act quickly...It's an enjoyable movie, even though they over-exaggerated Donald's lack of courage. Ideal especially for kids.The Three Musketeers (Donald, Mickey and Goofy): 8/10.