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On Guard!

EMAILPRINTEmpire Pictures

On Guard! reviews
69
9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 15 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 1 votes
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Foreign

Written by: Philippe de Broca
Jean Cosmos
Jérôme Tonnerre
Paul Féval (book Le Bossu)

Directed by: Philippe de Broca

Release Date:
Theatrical: October 18, 2002

Running Time: 128 minutes, Color

Origin: France / Italy / Germany

Language(s): French and Italian (with English subtitles)

Summary

RATING: Not Rated

Starring Daniel Auteuil, Fabrice Luchini, Vincent Perez, Marie Gillain, Yann Collette, Jean-François Stévenin, Didier Pain, and Claire Nebout

A swashbuckling tale of revenge and adventure set in early 18th century France.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90

Salon.com Charles Taylor

A delight from top to bottom, packed with romance, adventure, beautifully executed swordplay and a sumptuous period look.

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80

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

This is effective as straight-ahead, action-packed storytelling, losing some of its energy only in the final stretch.

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80

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Movie is over-the-top but enjoyable entertainment.

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80

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

Splendid entertainment, young in spirit but accomplished in all aspects with the fullness of spirit and sense of ease that comes only with experience.

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80

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

Great sword fights, great acting, fabulous sword fights and, of course, really cool sword fights.

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75

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

It revives an innocently pleasurable genre - shades of Burt Lancaster and Errol Flynn - that combines lusty adventure, humor, the great outdoors and satisfying storytelling without having to concoct it in a special-effects lab.

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75

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

Generally delightful, and reminiscent of two vanished ages: when men were men, and when movies were movies.

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75

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

A big, gorgeous, sprawling swashbuckler that delivers its diversions in grand, uncomplicated fashion.

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75

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

The story is a mess. But On Guard was directed by the reliable Philippe de Broca, who imbues the whole affair with high-calorie silliness.

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70

TV Guide Ken Fox

There's terrific chemistry between Perez and Auteuil.

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70

The New York Times Dana Stevens

Mr. de Broca's film is full of durable cinematic pleasures: a little sex, a lot of sword fighting and a plot that combines heady passion with complicated political intrigue.

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60

Variety Staff (Not credited)

Consistently enjoyable, if rarely exceptional, mass entertainment.

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50

LA Weekly Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

The film is never less than lovely to gaze upon, shot in saturated colors, richly appointed in period trappings and peopled only by the very beautiful. But it is also, by its end, too silly to take seriously.

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50

Chicago Tribune Allison Benedikt

De Broca never develops the transforming love onscreen and ends up with an awkward and indigestible movie.

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40

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

de Broca's efficient fencing-mania melodrama brings little that's original to the table.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Tony D. gave it a 9:
Great film. Reminded me of the days of errol flynn. The only reason I didn't give this film a 10 is Marie Gillain was naked enough. Oh, my dear lord! I love her! Daniel Auteil was brilliant. The way he could slip in and out of two different characyers so easily was amazing. All he needed were a couple of props and presto he is someone else. In this day and age with all the new digital effects it is nice to see something called ACTING! It was a wonderful story, perfectly cast, and deftly told. Bravo!

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