Almost inevitably dubbed Young Swords, this fiercely-paced version of the Dumas classic, full of crashing, clangorous action, suffers from its players. Kiefer Sutherland and Charlie Sheen make the 1973 Athos and Aramis, Oliver Reed and Richard Chamberlain, seem positive gems of casting. As in the 1973 film, a vein of humour runs through the proceedings. But the blame for its falling flat lies with some pretty stolid performances rather than with the direction of Stephen Herek, who previously made Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead. Never mind, there are compensations: Rebecca DeMornay is well cast as the icy Milady de Winter, and Oliver Platt cheerfully steals the show as a brawling, sprawling, carousing young Porthos. For the film itself, though, colourful and energetic are about the best adjectives you could think of to describe its attractions.

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