Salon by Charles Taylor

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

Los Angeles Times by 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.

Washington Post by Desson Thomson

Movie is over-the-top but enjoyable entertainment.

Chicago Reader by Jonathan Rosenbaum

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

Washington Post by Stephen Hunter

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

Boston Globe by 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.

New York Post by Jonathan Foreman

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

San Francisco Chronicle by Edward Guthmann

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

New York Daily News by 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.

TV Guide Magazine by Ken Fox

There's terrific chemistry between Perez and Auteuil.

Variety

Consistently enjoyable, if rarely exceptional, mass entertainment.

L.A. Weekly by 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.