The Count of Monte Cristo **** (2002, Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Dagmara Dominczyk, Richard Harris, James Frain, Luis Guzmán, Michael Wincott) – Classic Movie Review 3002

The classic Alexandre Dumas Père adventure yarn is given a thoroughly exciting, glossy, modern work-over in 2002 by director Kevin Reynolds, the maker of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Waterworld.

For the sake of a lady – Mercedès Iguanada (Dagmara Dominczyk) – 19th-century nobleman Count Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce) betrays his best pal, Edmond Dantès (Jim Caviezel), who ends up incarcerated for 20 years in the scary Chateau D’If jail. There, Dantès meets a jolly old priest called the Abbé Faria (Richard Harris), who eventually engineers his escape, and now, finally, he’s out for revenge.

Cast against type as an evil, degenerate fop, Pearce makes a great villain, Caviezel swashes a fine buckle as the tormented hero and Harris is also good value. The 19-year-old future Superman, Henry Cavill, appears in his second film as Albert Mondego. It also stars James Frain as J.F. Villefort, Michael Wincott as Armand Dorleac and Luis Guzmán as Jacopo.

Working with a screenplay by Jay Wolpert, Reynolds turns the vintage old adventure yarn into an exhilarating modern-feeling experience.

Also in the cast are Christopher Adamson, J B Blanc, Guy Carleton, Alex Norton, Barry Cassin, Briana Corrigan, Brenda Costello, Katherine Holme and Freddie Jones.

The GB PG is a cut version.

Kevin Reynolds is also the director of Rapa Nui, One Eight Seven (1997) and Tristan + Isolde.

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© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3002

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