The Count of Monte Cristo

This is a wonderful screen adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic novel "The Count of Monte Cristo".

James Caviezel's (the Count) transformation from uneducated shiphand to the super-sophisticate-man-of-the-world (and he's quite 'well off', too) Count of Monte Cristo is just great!

Richard Harris plays the part of d'If mentor, Abbe Faria. What more could be said for Harris. All theater will be a lesser place without him.

Guy Pearce (Count of Morcerf) and James Frain (Chief Magistrate) play the 'heavys', the evil conspirators who thought they had sent Dantes to a dismal end.

And 'molto bravo' to the entire cast, director Kevin Reynolds and screen play writer Jay Wolpert, for bringing to the screen one of the great classics of literature; a story of life, love, hate, hope, despair, revenge, good and evil, and a lesson for all!

You've just rented or bought "The Count of Monte Cristo" and enjoyed it. But guess what? It gets better! If you hadn't noticed yet (hopefully you have), this movie is based off of a famous book by Alexandre Dumas. My interest in this movie was sparked because I actually read the book beforehand. I never even knew there was a film version of it until I mentioned my love for the book to a friend who informed me of the recently released movie that she too liked. I did in fact enjoy the movie, but it disappointed me slightly. The book is very much different from the movie. The plot and list of characters were simplified to (in my opinion) make the movie easier to understand and to keep it from being 3+ hours long. If you liked the plot twists and interesting characters in this movie, I must insist you try reading the book. Sure, it's very long and intricate, but if you keep on your toes and keep all of the details in check, you will absolutely love it! You will meet other characters who play a role in Dantes' downfall and a sweet love story (involving characters that do not even exist in the movie!) will unfold. Dantes will take on other roles not seen in the movie. It is truly an incredible piece of work written so many years ago by Alexandre Dumas. Again I say, the movie was indeed good, but the book is better. Please try it!

I really didn't appreciate this film until the second viewing. Afterwards, I thought, "Wow, that was really a satisfying, great film to watch." Satisfying, of course, to see the typical good guy-gets-revenge tale but also a film which provided some beautiful scenery and photography all the way through: a real treat for the eyes and must-see on a widescreen DVD.

I also put on the English subtitles on the second viewing in parts, which helped me understand a few things I missed on the first viewing and had made the film just a bit confusing in several parts. That was cleared up, and the rest was just enjoying the scenery and performances.

Most fun to watch was Richard Harris as "Priest," the longtime prisoner who tutors young Jim Caviezel, the man (Edmond Dantes) unjustly imprisoned who exacts his revenge in the last hour of the movie. Yes, Harris' teaching stretched credibility as he seems to teach his pupil about everything there is know in life! Harris, too, had some of the best lines in the movie, several very profound statements. Ironic that he would be giving Caviezel - who two years later was playing Jesus in "The Passion Of The Christ" - sermons about believing in God! That's Hollywood! One film you're an atheist, the next you are God.

For those who might think the first 30-40 minutes of this movie are a bit slow, stay with it as the action picks up once Caviezel escapes from the prison. Shortly afterward, he is aided by the other character I found most fun to watch, played by Luis Gusman, who still sounds like he's more at home in the streets of New York but, once again, you suspend belief and just go along for the ride.

Strange how our human nature makes revenge so sweet when forgiveness is the right thing to do, but Hollywood has always capitalized on this human failing, making enjoyable films like this. To be fair, it isn't just revenge, as this film points out, it's "justice" we all like to see. In here, the two words are interchanged, depending upon ones rationalizations.

One of the most famous revenge stories, The Count of Monte Cristo is here turned into a dashing, old-fashioned swashbuckler. The plot is riddled with unconvincing coincidences and occurences (as indeed was the book), but other than that this is a well-made, enjoyable film, with some literate dialogue and believable action sequences. It is the fact that the action is believable that makes the film memorable, because in too many 2002 releases the action was so overblown and unrealistic (not to mention physically impossible) that the credibility of such films was destroyed.

Edmond Dantes (Caviezel) is a honest young sailor working out of 19th Century Marseilles. His best friend Fernan (Pearce) secretly craves the hand of Dantes's fiancee Mercedes (Dominczyk), so he informs to the authorities that Dantes is a conspirator plotting to aid in Napoleon's escape from Elba. Dantes is sent to a terrible, inescapable island prison, while Fernan takes Mercedes to be his wife. After many years of hardship, Dantes makes an audacious escape and, having acquired a fortune by solving a cryptic treasure map, slowly plots his revenge under the new identity of the "Count of Monte Cristo".

Caviezel was a relative newcomer when he did this film, but he really catches the eye as the innocent man driven to despair by his terrible and unjustified punishment. Pearce is good too, perfecting his arrogant sneer as the deplorable Fernan. The prison scenes are well shot, with the hopelessness and horror of the place captured in considerably believable detail. It's quite surprising that The Count of Monte Cristo was a relative disappointment at the box office, since its dramatic storyline, and the themes of revenge, betrayal and loss, are usually guaranteed crowd-pullers. This film deserves to be seen by more people, and the more people that see it the more its reputation will surely grow.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002), a contempo back-to-basics treatment of the famous Dumas novel for new generations, spins its tale of passion and revenge with all the glory and melodrama of Hollywood's golden years. Full of lavish costuming, sumptuous sets, beautiful locations, dashing men, a gorgeous damsel, dank dungeons, the ever popular swashbuckling (whatever that is) etc., all supported with a classic story makes for 2+ hours of solid entertainment. Who could ask for more? Kick back and enjoy this fun adventure flick worth a trip to the video store. (A-)