 |
|
|
|
|
| [DO Network Movies Home] | 
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) The
Count of Monte Cristo was a pleasant surprise for me. Going into the movie, I thought it was going to be mainly one
of the typical love stories set in a past setting. While this film contained that aspect, there was much more to
the story. The film is about
revenge. Set mainly in France
following the capture of Napoleon Bonaparte, this movie is one of the few period
pieces that I have been able to enjoy. Edmond
Dantes, portrayed by James Caviezel, was a sailor that was wrongly accused of
treason by Villefort (James Frain). The
accusation led Dantes into prison at the Chateau DIf, a prison that takes no
mercy upon its prisoners. Villefort
then tells the fiance of Dantes, Mercds Iguanada,
played by Dagmara Dominczyk, that
Dantes is dead, allowing his supposed best friend, Fernand de Mondego, played by
Guy Pearce, to move in on her. Dantes spent years in his prison, only to stumble upon an old man (Abb Faria, played by Richard Harris) attempting to flee. Together, they plot their escape. In the meantime, Dantes is taught how to read and write, mathematics, philosophy, and economics, just to name a few subjects. These will all be helpful to him once outside the prison walls. Together, through logic, the two figure out what had happened to Dantes and why he was placed in the prison. Eventually, Dantes is able to break free from the prison and seeks his revenge on all that oppressed him. Together with new friend Jacopo (Luis Guzman), Dantes returns to his native France to attain his revenge. I
strongly suggest that you see this movie. I
am not going to go into more detail with the plotline, as it is much better to
see it in person than for me to mindlessly explain what happened in the movie. I truly believed the performances by all the actors in the
movie. Everyone fit his or her role
beautifully. The imagery on screen
was well received, as the visual look to the film was superb.
Again, The Count of Monte Cristo is definitely a must-see. 4
Stars
|
