Trailer Wednesday: Three Musketeers, Midnight in Paris

I don’t think our trailer options today could get more opposite. The first is Paul W.S. Anderson’s nothing-less-than-explosive take on “The Three Musketeers” (to be presented in 3D) and Woody Allen’s film for 2011, which extends his recent European streak to Paris.

—

The Three Musketeers (in 3D)

Just because the director of “Resident Evil” was making “The Three Musketeers” didn’t imply that we should immediately assume we’d get a “Resident Evil”-like version of “The Three Musketeers,” but it appears that’s exactly what we have on our hands. This initial teaser shows nothing but over-the-top sci-fi action done in period clothes with lots of sword fights and even Milla Jovovich as M’lady De Winter doing her best “Matrix” moves.

The cast proves quite interesting beyond Logan Lerman as D’artagnan and the rather low-profile actors as the Musketeers. You have Mads Mikkelsen as Rochefort, Orlando Bloom as the Duke of Buckingham and Christoph Waltz as Cardinal Richelieu. I can only hope they’ll give the film some gravitas, or should I say gravity, because it looks like most everything takes place in midair.

“The Musketeers” will have to wait for Oct. 14, plenty of time to finish those shot-in-3D effects.

The Three Musketeers Trailer

—

Midnight in Paris

I was crossing my fingers for a revitalized Woody Allen after enjoying “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” a few years back, but “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” made absolutely no waves last year and “Whatever Works” was kind of a throwback to the old Woody days.

Now we have “Midnight in Paris” which like “Stranger” and “Barcelona” depicts Americans abroad, this time in Paris. Once again, a whole ensemble of familiar faces but ones Woody has never worked with star in the film. I figured Scarlett Johansson would have become Woody’s muse of the 21st Century, but she hasn’t, unfortunately.

I will happily take Rachel McAdams, however, who re-teams with “Wedding Crashers” love interest Owen Wilson in a story of an American couple staying Paris thanks to McAdams’ father’s business. Bogged down by intellectuals (namely Martin Sheen), Wilson’s character goes for “walks” at night and discovers the spontaneous nightlife of Paris, but doesn’t tell the suspicious McAdams what he’s doing.

Like many of Allen’s films, “Midnight in Paris” will premiere at Cannes on May 11 and be released in limited fashion on May 20 in the US.

Midnight in Paris Trailer