Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers Blu-ray Movie Review

All for one! And one for... eh. What else ya got?

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 10, 2014

Disney loves August. I don't quite understand the trifecta of late summer, Blu-ray and family entertainment, but the Mouse House has once again settled on August as the month du jour, unleashing another deluge of new releases. Four Walt Disney Animation Studios feature films are making their BD debut -- Fun and Fancy Free (1947), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Hercules (1997) and Tarzan (1999) -- as is the nearly forgotten RKO Radio Pictures feature The Reluctant Dragon (1941), live-action classic Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), direct-to-video DisneyToon movie Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004), brand spankin' new sequel Muppets Most Wanted (2014) and DisneyNature's latest natural history documentary, Bears (2014). For those keeping count, that's nine films spread across seven Blu-ray releases. Whew. Most studios would space it out. But Disney? Open the floodgates, gentlemen. Given the second, sometimes third tier nature of most of the films, though (save Muppets Most Wanted), it isn't exactly overwhelming. Most fans will pick and choose their favorites. Only a select few completists will have to find a way to purchase all seven in bulk.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers is the black sheep of the bunch. Produced by DisneyToon Studios, it's a fun little adventure for kids I suppose, but even at 68 minutes, it overstays its welcome. Nerve-grating songs, third tier animation, flat-footed jokes, a looser than loose adaptation of Alexander Dumas' classic novel (and a mediocre one at that), and other missteps add up to an average, perhaps even subpar outing for the iconic trio, and there isn't much here anyone, young or old, will find all that memorable.

Best buddies Mickey (Wayne Allwine), Donald (Tony Anselmo), and Goofy (Bill Farmer) are small-time janitors with big dreams of becoming Musketeers. Their lives are turned upside down when Peg-Leg Pete (Jim Cummings), captain of the Musketeers, and his sinister lieutenant Clarabelle (April Winchell) use them in a dastardly plot to rid the kingdom of Princess Minnie (Russi Taylor), the only mouse standing in Pete's way of the throne. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy may not look like heroes, but they have a surprise for Pete. Powered by teamwork and friendship, they soon learn that they can accomplish anything if they work together.

DisneyToon director Donovan Cook and writers Evan Spiliotopoulos and David M. Evans cram a lot into a surprisingly small scale "Three Musketeers" adaptation; even by direct-to-video animation standards. Instead of a grand class struggle, a battle between loyalty and corruption or a clever twist on a familiar tale, we get a generic "believe in yourself" story of three commoners who rise to prominence in the most unspectacular of ways. Piled on top of that are three separate love stories (one for each of our heroes), three separate internal crises, a kidnapping, a conspiracy, a couple of smalltime crooks, and a climax wrapped in a stage play, all narrated by a singing turtle reading a comic book. (Yep, you read that correctly.) So much going on... and yet so little actually happening. Mickey, Donald and Goofy amuse, but only a bit. Not enough to prop up the movie or make it funnier or more exciting. Again, The Three Musketeers is primarily aimed at young kids, and to that end delivers. Beyond its target demographic, or those who absolutely adore Mickey and company, there isn't much here to justify a purchase.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Disney's crisp, clean, faithful 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation is about as close to perfect as I imagine it could get. Aside from a bit of noise and extremely minor artifacts that creep into a handful of shots, there really isn't anything to criticize. Colors are rather bright and washed out on the whole, but that's a product of the original animation. It isn't a distraction, though. Primaries are still pronounced, black levels are satisfying, contrast is consistent and detail is terrific. The animators' line art is nice and sharp, without any significant ringing or aliasing to report. Likewise, fine background textures are intact, without exhibiting any problems that might hinder the integrity of the image. The Three Musketeers isn't a stunning animated production, so don't expect a miracle here. But as encodes go, this one is exceptional.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The same sentiment applies to Disney's decidedly solid but ultimately forgettable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. While nothing is technically "wrong" with the mix, the movie's sound design isn't all that impressive. Even so, voices are intelligible and competently centered, LFE output lends notable oomph to action scenes and swordfights, and the rear speakers are active enough to create a fairly involving soundfield. It isn't the stuff of feature animation, but as direct-to-video productions go, it certainly gets the job done. I don't have any real complaints.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Cast Commentary (SD, 5 minutes): In place of a filmmakers' commentary, or even a feature-length film commentary, we get a scene-specific commentary with Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Pete. In SD no less. It isn't funny, witty or inventive either.
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 5 minutes): This collection of unfinished, storyboarded deleted scenes features optional commentary with DisneyToon Studios Vice President Brian Snedeker.
• Get the Scoop (SD, 10 minutes): A Three Musketeers behind-the-scenes featurette.
• Disney Song Selection (HD, 7 minutes): Five songs for your children's karaoke pleasure.
• Get Up and Dance (HD, 2 minutes): A dance-along for the kiddies.
• Sing-Along (HD): Hidden within the Disney Song Selection is a Sing-Along track for the film.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hm. Cut it down to twenty minutes and Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers might make for a semi-decent television special. As is, there's just too much, with too small a payout, and all of it is too pedestrian to warrant such a high price point. Had it been bundled with a better animated film, it would have been a welcome bonus feature. As a standalone release? Even with an excellent video presentation and a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, I'd have to say "no thank you." There are far better titles to add your collection; many of which arrived from Disney on the same day The Three Musketeers made its Blu-ray debut.