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The Count Of Monte Cristo Details

2002 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 4950 members

In this highly entertaining, beautifully photographed rekindling of the classic French novel by Alexandre Dumas, director Kevin Reynolds choreographs a fantastic adventure replete with breathtaking scenery, fiery swashbuckling battles, lavish costumes, and, above all else, sweet revenge. In 19th-century Marseille, Edmond Dantes .. Read more

Starring Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk
Director Kevin Reynolds
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller

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The Count Of Monte Cristo cover art

The Count Of Monte Cristo

In this highly entertaining, beautifully photographed rekindling of the classic French novel by Alexandre Dumas, director Kevin Reynolds choreographs a fantastic adventure replete with breathtaking scenery, fiery swashbuckling battles, lavish costumes, and, above all else, sweet revenge. In 19th-century Marseille, Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel) is the optimistic but uneducated son of a sea captain. He cherishes his friendship with the son of a count, Mondego (Guy Pearce), and is deeply in love with his fiancee, Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk). Young Dantes is so innocent and naive that it is positively shocking when Mondego turns on him, accusing him of treason, and having him sentenced to life in the dreary dungeon of Chateau D'If. Years of isolation and torture nearly defeat the revenge-thirsty Dantes, but with the help of invaluable lessons from the Abbe Faria (Richard Harris), his luck slowly changes. An incredible prison break starts Dantes on his way to a new life, and from there Reynolds' COUNT truly takes off. Battles with pirates lead to hunts for sunken ocean treasure, and soon Dantes is living in Marseille as the transformed, newly rich, self-proclaimed Count of Monte Cristo. Installed in a ritzy chateau, he slowly unfurls his excrutiatingly careful plans to exact his revenge on Mondego and all those who ever wronged him.

Starring Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk, James Frain, Albie Woodington, Michael Wincott, Alex Norton
Director Kevin Reynolds
Studio TOUCHSTONE HOME VIDEO
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 5 mins
Certificate Certificate PG
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 03 Feb 2003
Production year: 2002
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (2) of The Count Of Monte Cristo

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  • This umpteenth version of Dumas' Napoleonic-era revenge novel makes a preposterous, expansive and self-conscious... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Old fashioned swashbuckler that provides simple pleasures even though it lacks the requisite panache.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Count Of Monte Cristo

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  • 13 out of 14 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Overlooked revenge-em-up classic.

    I don't remember this getting many plaudits from the pundits on its cinematic release (or thereafter), but I was pretty pleased by it when I saw it.

    Slickly made, clearly with a canny budget fairly well spent. Harris is good as the mentor and Guy Pierce is suitably unlikable as the dastardly Mondego. The sets and the costumes are all lavish and complete, and the action pieces are great with plenty of swordfighting.

    Obviously the story is a dark tale of injustice and single-minded revenge that is at once cleverly calculated and also violently consuming and destructive. Actually pretty grim I suppose, but played out well. At least I never felt sorry for the baddie.

    My only real criticism is that it struck me afterwards as perhaps being a bit generic as a film, I came away thinking 'that was really good, but fairly unremarkable'. You've seen it all before in various films of this kind, but it is done really nicely here. I recommend it as an enjoyable watch.

      • A customer from Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
      • Posted 29 Oct 2003 15:34

  • Most recent members' review of The Count Of Monte Cristo

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  • 2 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Hmmmmmmmm

    I love the book; I've liked several of the film adaptations; I liked this adaptation in parts. But WHY didn't they bother to at least TRY and change his appearance after 20 years????? This is the whole point of the story - that NOBODY recognises him. BUT HE'S EXACTLY THE SAME GUY WE WAVED GOODBYE TO 20 MINUTES AGO IN THE FILM! He wasn't that much of a friend or lover, was he?! Is it that modern audiences can't be trusted to see through the pretense? Or are we just dumb enough to suspend ALL reality? Some I can deal with, but ALL? Uh huh. Reasonably close to the book, although without the subtle twists and turns (you simply couldn't get it all in to a film - read it, it's marvellous!), I thought it a good film, although (forgive me) I found Richard Harris wanting; Trevor Howard was FAR superior in this role in the Chamberlain version (and I am a Harris, rather than Howard, fan). A good, entertaining stab at a Marvellous story. 3 stars.

      • Leeb from London, England
      • Posted 11 Jul 2005 23:13

  • News and features

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    • 03 Apr 2007

    Former Neighbours star Guy Pearce has told a movie website how he tends to choose smaller productions to act in as they are "decent" and "don't seem to have a lot of pressure on them". Quint of Ain't It Cool News interviewed the actor, who achieved wide acclaim for his role in mind-boggling thriller Memento but has recently starred in Factory Girl with Sienna Miller. "I just find the things that I like really and any sort of bigger studio stuff that I get offered is... Read more

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      • In this highly entertaining, beautifully photographed rekindling of the classic French novel by Alexandre Dumas, director Kevin Reynolds choreographs a fantastic adventure replete with breathtaking ...