ssjakira1's Full Review: Black Adder III - Black Adder the Third
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
Well, it looks like Blackadders wealth has taken a dive (though whatever it may have been in the past is questionable) and now he is in the service of George, Prince of Wales, Prince Regent an entirely idiotic man who cant even put on a pair of pants by himself. On the lowest rung of the social ladder is, of course, Baldrick, the other frequent cause of Blackadders problems. Percy has disappeared from the scene though you may recognize him in one episode
Weve moved up to the years 1768-1815 and things are just as absurd as ever. Being a gentlemans gentleman should be easy, but not so for Edmund. When your master is an imbecile, you sometimes have to take matters into your own hands or in Edmunds case, almost always. From making sure the Prince retains his title and money to rewriting an accidentally burned dictionary that took 10 years to make, from trying to outdo the Scarlet Pimpernel to getting even with a pair of high-and-mighty actors, not to mention finding away not to die in a duel Edmund didnt even start in the first place, it seems hes got his work cut out for him. The Prince isnt of any help and Baldrick, whos first name has been accepted as Sod-Off, and takes an entire episode (spanning several days) to prepare a chicken, well, obviously isnt too much good either. So once again Blackadders quick wit will have to get him out of some sticky situations will he make it out of this era alive unlike the previous two episodes?
Right, like Im going to tell you!
Im glad they kept the same attitude and biting comments for Blackadder as before. I would have been rather sad if hed returned to his sniveling, semi-annoying self from the first one. Though Rowan Atkinson no longer sports the goatee (collective awww), he does still have the hair (yay!). Forever in black, he broods about most of the time, begrudgingly serving the brainless Prince (Hugh Laurie - House anyone?) and all the while slipping insults to him without any worry of getting into trouble. Come on, the Prince plays cards with the idea in mind that hes supposed to lose all his money. Baldrick (Tony Robinson) is basically the same, only with longer hair, though that doesnt make him any less amusing. In one episode he was supposed to be cleaning the Princes room and thus kept popping up in cupboards and chests at random and freaking the Prince out.
Though I didnt find these episodes to be as funny as the previous volume, each one has a few good spots, and Amy and Amiability I have to say was the best one. Ive noticed an interesting trend the episodes with women in focus seem to be funnier than the others. Coincidence? Who knows. But its really hard not to laugh when you recall Baldrick neighing as Blackadder uses him for a horse, or the Prince yelling Woof woof! up at a womans window like some kind of version of Cyrano gone horribly wrong. Not to mention the squirrels But all in all, they were amusing and far better than anything TV seems to offer these days.
There were no outdoor scenes at all even the outdoor ones were technically inside, all sets, you see? But like in the previous seasons, I dont care. Things are done well enough, costumes fabulous as always. I think thats been one of the things I really have enjoyed throughout the series, the variety and appearance of the costumes. The only small beef I have with this volume is that Hugh Laurie speaks so fast! Half the time I wasnt even sure of what he was saying. He sped through his lines before I could catch anything. I guess with the combination of the accent, things were all the more difficult, but usually I have no issues with accents of any sort. Ah well just means I have a reason for watching it again or at least Amy and Amiability.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Episodes in this Volume:
1. Dish and Dishonesty
2. Ink and Incapability
3. Nob and Nobility
4. Sense and Senility
5. Amy and Amiability
6. Duel and Duality
More dim-witted antics from the annals of the Blackadder family. Previously aristocratic Edmund Blackadder now finds himself in the midst of the Indus...More at Family Video
England 1768-1815. The golden age of wealth, power and discovery, though not for Edmund Blackadder, Esq. Edmund is butler and gentleman s gentleman to...More at Buy.com
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