Prepare For Adventure - Count on Revenge (The Count Of Monte Cristo (DVD))

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Product:	The Count Of Monte Cristo (DVD)
Date:	21/06/07 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good swashbuckling fun, classic story

Disadvantages: More action required?

When a story has been dramatised into film nine times already, it does rather beg the question, “What’s the point of doing yet another version?” In 2002, it was nearly twenty years since the last film version of Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel had been released in cinemas, so with an entirely new generation of film goers to be enthralled, perhaps the time was right to re-make.

The Count of Monte Cristo is the story of two young men. Edmond Dantes and Fernand Mondego both work for a shipping business, but come from completely different backgrounds. Edmond is the son of a common man, and lacks education and common sense. Mondego, on the other hand, is the son of a wealthy count and is well educated in all matters. Nonetheless, despite the pair’s wildly varying family backgrounds, it is Edmond who is the most successful in life and love. Whilst aboard their ship, the two men decide to make a trip to the small island off the Italian coast that is the refuge of Napoleon Bonaparte. Whilst resting on the island, Edmond is one night approached by Napoleon himself and asked to deliver a letter to a friend on the mainland. Edmond is assured that there is nothing untoward about the request and reluctantly agrees to make the delivery.

When the ship subsequently reaches the docks, Mondego is further enraged by Edmond’s promotion to ship’s captain and is overcome with jealousy for Edmond’s bride-to-be, Mercedes. He lets slip to another member of the crew that Edmond is carrying a letter from Napoleon and very soon Edmond finds himself under arrest. Although the chief prosecutor originally accepts his innocence, Edmond is eventually thrown into prison when it becomes apparent that the letter was intended for the prosecutor’s father. And so, Edmond spends thirteen terrible years in a grim prison cell. Whilst in prison he befriends an old man, who teaches him the ways of mathematics, science and combat and sets the way for the young man to exact his terrible revenge on the friend who so cruelly betrayed him.

If The Count of Monte Cristo were a can of paint, it would be advertised as doing exactly what it says on the tin. There are very few surprises in this movie – what you see is what you get – but the production is carried off with a certain flair that makes this film highly entertaining.

One of the difficulties with classic films and novels is that many people are already completely familiar with the story. This was not something I suffered with as, having never seen the film before, I didn’t really know what to expect. I rather enjoy these period adventure stories, as there is something much more uplifting about swordplay and hand to hand combat than there is about high-tech special effects and guns. The story of Monte Cristo is certainly one of tragedy – Edmond is effectively robbed of thirteen years of his life, and the primitive conditions in which he languishes make the eventual revenge plan all the more satisfying. I don’t know about you, but I can think of nothing more fulfilling than a good old-fashioned story of one man’s revenge on the friends that betrayed him.

These classic period dramas often fail to retain my interest as they dwell too heavily on a romantic interest. This is not something from which Monte Cristo suffers and it is all the more enjoyable for it. Granted, there will always be a beautiful, buxom woman somewhere in the picture, but Mercedes does not dominate this picture and there are no open-armed reunions in cornfields to be endured. The story does, however, boast a wonderful selection of period characters, some of which are slightly over-the-top, but all good fun nonetheless. There is a particularly revolting prison keeper, who revels in whipping the inmates on every anniversary after their arrival at the prison. The chief prosecutor is a suitably snide, conniving, cowardly creature and his eventual demise is deliciously played.

The real bad guy in this story is, of course, Fernand Mondego, played by Guy Pearce. Pearce seems to have settled into something of a Hollywood niche, where he plays unpleasant characters and he revels in the opportunity to camp things up in this film. His disregard for everyone is evident and just when you think he has stooped as far as he can go he pulls another trick from his sleeve. Pearce (originally cast as Mike in Neighbours) has come a long way over the last few years, but although he is very competent in his part, I couldn’t help thinking that an English actor would have provided a more suitable English villain. Edmond Dantes is a character of two halves, basically portrayed as a dim but harmless peasant before his imprisonment, and subsequently as an articulate, dashing man thereafter. I was very impressed with James Caviezel in this role, who was just as convincing in each guise. His face seems perfect for the part of wide-eyed innocent, but once he dons a goatee beard and a velvet cloak he is also excellent nobility material. Although I was unfamiliar with most of the supporting cast by name, I did recognise all sorts of faces and this does become one of those, “Wasn’t he in…?” kind of movies after a while.

The director, Kevin Reynolds, clearly has a love of the classic adventure movie, having previously directed Rapa Nui, Waterworld and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. For me, Monte Cristo is by far the more accomplished film of them all, with a sumptuous atmosphere and a flair for location filming. That aside, I was quite surprised to learn that most of the film was actually shot in Ireland, with only a few scenes actually made in the Mediterranean. The locations are wonderful though, particularly the infamous Chateau D’If prison, which oozes atmosphere and menace. It is probably the scenes in the prison that merited the PG certificate – otherwise, the movie is suitable for everyone.

I have no criticisms of this movie, purely because it is a fine example of a film in this genre. It isn’t the most intellectual film that I have seen this year, nor is it the most interesting, but it has a great sense of fun about it and I enjoyed it immensely. If you like things like The Three Musketeers and The Man In The Iron Mask, then I am quite sure that this will be a perfect movie for you to watch.

Highly recommended.

Summary: Worthy, entertaining remake - is that a first????