The
Count of Monte Cristo Directed
by Kevin Reynolds ***1/4 out of 4 Stars |
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Released January 25, 2002 Running time: 115 minutes ***1/4 by Kevin Lang The film is reminiscent of 1998's "The Mask of Zorro" and 1991's "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," the latter of which was directed by Reynolds. It combined the genres of action, adventure, and romance into a cinematic collage that flowed smoothly and enjoyably. The story, based on the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas, centered around two friends, and the betrayal that tore them apart. Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel) planned to marry the woman he loved, until his best friend, Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce), afflicted with envy, had him unjustly sent to prison. In prison for over fifteen years, he eventually escaped in search of retribution, not to mention with a map to the location of a hidden treasure. He used his newfound wealth to transform himself into The Count of Monte Cristo. This was enjoyable to watch, as if life was giving him what he deserved for his years of unjust suffering. Jim Caviezel is a likeable actor. He brings to his characters a sullen honesty that can easily be admired. Whether it was the strangely mysterious, at least to Jennifer Lopez, Catch in 2001's "Angel Eyes," or the peacefully courageous Private Witt in 1998's "The Thin Red Line," his characters garner our respect. They question their courage, but by the end they find the strength inside themselves to overcome the inner and outer demons that are pitted against them. The same was true of Edmond Dantes in this film. Edmond was kind, almost naively kind, which eventually resulted in Mondego's betrayal. Most men would have withered away in the darkened solitude of Edmond's cell. However, Edmond, with the help of mentor inmate Abbe Faria, played by aging Irelander Richard Harris, grew wise both mentally and physically, making the success of his redemption a testament to his will to survive. Caviezel seems to choose his roles wisely, and I look forward to seeing him in the upcoming "High Crimes," which he stars in along with Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman. It would be unfair to praise Caviezel without mentioning the film's other rising star, Edmond's archenemy, Mondego, played well by the British born Australian actor Guy Pearce (Born in Cambridgeshire England, Pearce moved to Australia when he was only three years old). His stern face, easily masked with the heartless appearance of deceit, allowed him to effectively transform himself into Mondego. He was able to convey Mondego's uninhibited cruelness without coming across as being too violent, yet he still managed to gain my disgust. Often filmmakers seem to feel that the only way to get the audience to realize the cruelness of the villain is to have that character commit such brutal acts of violence that it would be hard to do anything but dislike him. However, a lot of times this just makes the character and the movie seem too extreme and unrealistic. Pearce balanced Mondego's maliciousness with just the right amounts of desire and jealousy, to make his character an effective screen presence. Given Pearce's strong performance in "Memento" (2000) and his memorable role in 1997's "L.A. Confidential," he is an actor who has definitely dented the doors of Hollywood. He, along with Caviezel, is quickly becoming a familiar face on the big screen. I was excited to see them together, and they should be pleased with their roles in "The Count of Monte Cristo," both of which were enjoyable to watch. There was no single aspect of the movie that stood out, but in its entirety it was a pleasing slice of Hollywood cinema that was easy to digest, not to mention satisfyingly filling. Review written
February 6, 2002, CTF.
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