DVD Reviews

The Count of Monte Cristo – Blu-ray Review

By Patrick Luce Oct 2, 2011, 19:20 GMT

Jim Caviezel (Déjà vu ...more

James Caviezel gives a strong performance in 2002's The Count of Monte Cristo which arrives on Blu-ray looking solid and with revenge on its mind.

The adaptation of Alexandre Dumas novel of revenge was directed by Kevin Reynolds (who brought Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Waterworld to the screen) with Jay Wolpert (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) handling writing duties. The film sees Caviezel joined by Guy Pearce, James Frain, Dagmara Dominczyk, Luis Guzmán, Henry Cavill, JB Blanc, and Christopher Adamson. It also benefits from short performances from the legendary Richard Harris and an evil performance from Michael Wincott.

The tenth film adaptation of the classic tale sees Caviezel taking on the role of Edmond Dantès - a simple officer on a French trading ship who is in love with Mercedès Iguanada (Dominczyk) and best friends with Fernand Mondego (Pearce). The ship’s captain is dying and Edmond forces the next in command to allow him and Fernand to seek aid on an island. Little did he know that it is the home of an exiled Napoleon (Alex Norton) – who uses the naïve Edmund to pass a letter to his supporters.

Back home, Edmond is reunited with Mercedès and the two discuss their plans for the future as a jealous Fernand watches. Fernand resents Edmond’s success and his love. That resentment leads to Fernand framing his friend as a supporter of Napoleon and charged with treason by magistrate J.F. Villefort (James Frain) - who uses Edmond to help cover his own father's dealing with Napoleon.

Innocent of all charges, Edmond is imprisoned in the Château d'If where he suffers abuse at the hands of the prison’s warden Armand Dorleac (Wincott). After years in prison, Edmond meets former priest and soldier Abbé Faria (Harris). The meeting takes place as Faria accidentally tunnels into Edmond’s cell thinking it was a way out of the prison.

With nothing but time on their hands, the two men begin a new tunnel to freedom and Faria begins teaching Edmond all the things he knows (which is quite a bit). Edmond quickly (or quickly in prison terms) learns to be a master with the sword, a speaker of multiple languages, and the location to a massive treasure that Faria was imprisoned for refusing to reveal.

A turn of events sees Edmond escaping from the prison and washed up on a beach that is currently occupied by a band of thieves. The band of thieves is led by Luigi Vampa (JB Blanc), and Edmund joins their band after beating Jacopo (Luis Guzmán) in a knife fight. He spares Jacopo, but makes the man swear loyalty to him. He also uses Jacopo to discover the treasure which will allow him to assume a new identity as the Count of Monte Cristo.

As the Count, Edmond re-enters the lives of his former friends and begins his plan of revenge on Fernand, Villefort, and even Mercedès (who is now in a loveless marriage to Fernand and has a son). An arranged encounter gives Edmond the ability to “save” Fernand’s son Albert (a pre-Tudors Cavill), and gives him a chance to launch his plans to ruin the boy’s father.

The movie has a few predictable swerves (such as a reunion between Edmond and Mercedès and a twist to Albert), but is well worth watching thanks to the talent of its cast.

Caviezel does an excellent job going from innocent victim to a man who is cold with only revenge on his mind. The actor excels in almost every role I have seen him in, and is easily one of the main reasons to check out yet another adaptation of the Monte Cristo story. While he doesn’t do much to change the character from how he has appeared before, his subtle actions and quiet rage makes him one of the big screen’s best Counts.

Pierce also is excellent as the vile Fernand. The actor is a deadly snob in the film and his harsh treatment of his own family just helps his villain status. You are cheering for Edmond to take this jerk down, and feel like he gets everything he deserves by the time the credits roll.

On Blu-ray, the film looks great with the colors popping nicely. It also comes with some decent special features making it worth the double dip – including a never-before-seen alternate final duel.

The film does have problems (some of the minor subplots aren’t needed and it drags from time to time), but the overall performances of its main cast more than make up for any trouble. The Count of Monte Cristo is a story that has been told before, but is worth watching again.