I've known very few, and I do mean very few, films based on novels, particularly classic novels, that actually stay close to the book. Walking into the theater to see "The Count of Monte Cristo," I wondered if the director would honor the story. In many ways, despite a rather melodramatic screenplay, he did not.
Based upon Alexander Dumas' classic novel, "The Count of Monte Cristo" tells the story of Edmond Dantes (James Caviezel), a naive and terribly sweet 19-year-old with a heart of gold. Dantes, because of his good fortune in being named captain of his ship, is subjected to the jealousy and revenge of his supposed friend Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce) and his shipmate Danglars (Albie Woodington). Thrown into the island prison Chateau D'If after being accused of high treason for consorting with Napoleon, Dantes is left to gather the pieces of his life within the confines of a single cell.
Action director Kevin Reynolds colored this plot with the recurring theme of "God Will Give Me Justice." Put simply, Dantes has the length of the film to discover that he cannot play God to avenge the injustices in his life. However, just as it seems like the lesson finally might hit home for young Dantes, "Monte Cristo" assumes soap opera like twists that leave viewers able to do little more than choke on their soda. The discrepancies never seem to add up, and here lies one of the greatest flaws of the film.
To his credit, however, Reynolds gathered a solidly good, if not stellar, cast. Caviezel's portrayal of Dantes beautifully captures the transformation of a young innocent into a cynical, bitterly aged man by the time of his release from prison in his 30s.
Given the role of the scoundrel Mondego, Pearce embodies the absolute cruelty and snobbish egotism defining the French aristocracy. The son of a wealthy count, Mondego's reason for betraying his childhood friend is motivated not only by his lust for Mercedes (Dagmara Dominicyzk), Dantes' fiance, but by his pure love of self.
Richard Harris (recently of "Harry Potter" fame) plays Abbe Faria, the one savior in young Dantes' life. A former member of both the clergy and Napoleon's army, Faria has all the intelligence and savvy that Dantes lacks. In an amusing flashback to "The Karate Kid," the lessons keep flowing from the damp prison walls: how to read, how to think, and how to fight.
|
|
|
Dantes escapes from his inhuman island prison (of course), but it's at this point that viewers are left rolling their eyes. Here comes the Latino sidekick, and while viewers certainly can appreciate his comic relief, one is left to wonder how a Latino from South America ends up in a French tale from the 19th century.
And of course, now that we're back in France, the dramatic music (a.k.a. "General Hospital") flows onto the scene. Saccharine at best, the ending isn't quite what faithful readers of Dumas would expect. More romantic than real, "The Count of Monte Cristo" becomes more of a modern romance than a retelling of the 19th century novel.
At least Reynolds and Director of Photography Andrew Dunn beautifully engineered the cinematography. "The Count of Monte Cristo" flashes between the dark, dank scenes of Dantes' prison hell and the bright light and sandy beaches inundating the audience upon his escape.
In the end, for a loyal fan of Dumas, "The Count of Monte Cristo" barely is rescued by the acting and the cinematography. If Reynolds were to interpret the timeless novel again, I believe he could have done a more faithful and, as a result, more credible job.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
