Review of The Return of the Musketeers

I am sure I will be shot down in flames but I believe that this third one was cobbled together with shots left over from the first two and some newly reshot material with the original stars, hence the narrative passages and the chaotic and muddled storyline. I just adored the first two and could not believe how much I was disappointed with this one. I understand that the stars had disputed the release of the second movie as they believed they were only making one movie and they were stiffed on payment for it. At the time of the original releases the treatment of the dialogue and action scenes were pure genius and truly innovative. I still remember the hairs standing up on the back of my neck at the first film's opening credit's swordplay. The third movie deserved more time spent on it and a lot more new material. It was such a great shame that Roy Kinnear had to lose his life completing a shot that a double would normally do. He was an important part of the first two movies. Richard Lester has always been an original and idiosyncratic director, much underrated in my opinion.