The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Kevin Reynolds

Writers (WGA):

Alexandre Dumas père (novel)
Jay Wolpert (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Prepare for adventure. Count on revenge.

Plot:

A young man, falsely imprisoned by his jealous "friends," escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Escape | Best Friend | Island Prison | Treasure

Cast

James Caviezel	...	Edmond Dantes (as Jim Caviezel)
Guy Pearce	...	Fernand Mondego
Richard Harris	...	Abbé Faria
James Frain	...	J.F. Villefort
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Mercedès Iguanada
Michael Wincott	...	Armand Dorleac
Luis Guzmán	...	Jacopo
Christopher Adamson	...	Maurice
JB Blanc	...	Luigi Vampa
Guy Carleton	...	Mansion Owner
Alex Norton	...	Napoleon
Barry Cassin	...	Old Man Dantes
Henry Cavill	...	Albert Mondego
Aliaz Moufid	...	Holga (credit only) (as Zhara)
Brendan Costello	...	Viscount

Also Known As:

Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for adventure violence/swordplay and some sensuality.

Runtime:

131 min | Spain:134 min

Country:

UK | USA | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #38851) | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Australia:G (TV rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG (cut) | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

The green and brown silk gown Helen McCrory (Valentina Villefort) wears to Albert's party is the same gown Natasha Little (Augusta Leigh) wears when Byron escorts her to the ball in Byron (2003) (TV), and Victoria Hopkins wears on the lawn with Lisa Braund in "The Regency House Party" (2004).

Goofs:

Continuity: Edmund's eye color changes from brown to blue and back to brown continuing throughout the movie

Quotes:

Luigi: We shall call him... Zatarra.
Edmond: Sounds fearsome.
Luigi: It means, "driftwood."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Oldboy (2003)

Revenge or Justice?

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.