The Count of Monte Cristo
2002  PG-13  ADVENTURE  2h 11min
CAST— Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk, Michael Wincott, Luis Guzman, James Frain, Alex Norton
MUSIC— Edward Shearmur  DIRECTOR— Kevin Reynolds  BASED ON— The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) (novel), by Alexandre Dumas

     Set sail for adventure, romance, tragedy, and lots of drama in this tale of the ultimate betrayal and subsequent revenge. In this version (one of very many), Jim Caviezel gives a great performance as Edmond Dantes, blackmailed by his most trusted friend and sent to the most secluded and remote prison in France, Château Dif. After long years spent in isolation he is startled when an old man seeking escape pops through his floor. This old man, another wrongly accused prisoner, teaches Edmond to read and write, to fight and defend, but the biggest secret he shares is the location of an enormous fortune on a hidden island called Monte Cristo. As the two men try to escape, only Edmond makes it out alive, and he vows to use his knowledge and newfound wealth as tools to carry out his revenge against those who made him suffer. But, of course, he learns along the way that revenge is not all that should matter in life. This film, which has a certain sense of style seen not too often anymore, delivers everything very well on every level, from the performances to the action. It’s too bad no one ever paid much attention to it.
OUR RATING— ***
ORIGINAL— The Count of Monte Cristo (1934/1954/1961)