There are two ways to look at this movie. You either read or did not read the book, on which it is based, before seeing it. It so happens that I did, and I really enjoyed it (the book). I cannot condemn the movie on its entertainment merits, which frankly are either on par or above current standards: good story, characters, action, etc. The problem is that for one to call this movie "The Count of Monte-Cristo" it should at least convey the main message of the book, that is the purpose behind Alexandre Dumas spending some time writing it, aside from being paid by the line as it is claimed. I may stand corrected, but the message of the book was to illustrate the devastating effects of the search for vengeance on one man. That is why the book has a sad ending, that is why a movie based on this book cannot have a great hollywoodian ending. The idea of the book is that Edmond Dantes is in fact dead and that a monster has replaced him. Now, 50 movies may be made in the next ten centuries on this book, but I doubt anyone will remember the ones who attempted to hijack the story, and steal the notoriety that goes along with its title. Had the book had the same ending as this movie, I am afraid that it would neither have been a success in its days nor been read more than a hundred years after it was written.
The acting is decent in this movie, with the main actors delivering reasonably well. I felt that Jim Caviezel was very weak as the naive Dantes, it may be a compliment on his intellectual abilities that playing dumb is hard for him, but that being said, as the elder impassible Count, he is much better. Guy Pierce is nothing short of outstanding, he has an un-enviable ability to make the viewer despise him more and more with every passing scene. It gets to a point, where one just feels like stepping onto the screen and shoving his British accent where the light does not shine.
In a nutshell, if you've already decided that you will never read the ca. 1,000 pages of the book, it may be the next best thing to it, but be warned that many liberties have been taken, and not just superficial understandable ones, but major morality amendments, which though much more pleasant to the focus groups and the pockets of the producers of this flick, are not what the main message was about. In the book, clearly the evil beings in Dantes' past do not come out as angels, but by the end, one ends up despising Dantes as much, if not more than everyone else, and that is, in my view, the main idea of the book. It is a morality tale, not a feel good slap yourself on the back let's get back at them mission-impossible-ish tale.
James Caviezel - 6/10 - Pathetic when dumb and naive, but excellent when ruthless and deranged.
Guy Pearce - 10/10 - Extremely strong performance.
Luis Guzmán - 8/10 - Strong performance.
Kevin Reynolds - 6/10 - Directed a decent movie.
Jay Wolpert - ?/10 - If ending was amended against his will to satisfy the financial objectives of his producers... otherwise...
The acting is decent in this movie, with the main actors delivering reasonably well. I felt that Jim Caviezel was very weak as the naive Dantes, it may be a compliment on his intellectual abilities that playing dumb is hard for him, but that being said, as the elder impassible Count, he is much better. Guy Pierce is nothing short of outstanding, he has an un-enviable ability to make the viewer despise him more and more with every passing scene. It gets to a point, where one just feels like stepping onto the screen and shoving his British accent where the light does not shine.
In a nutshell, if you've already decided that you will never read the ca. 1,000 pages of the book, it may be the next best thing to it, but be warned that many liberties have been taken, and not just superficial understandable ones, but major morality amendments, which though much more pleasant to the focus groups and the pockets of the producers of this flick, are not what the main message was about. In the book, clearly the evil beings in Dantes' past do not come out as angels, but by the end, one ends up despising Dantes as much, if not more than everyone else, and that is, in my view, the main idea of the book. It is a morality tale, not a feel good slap yourself on the back let's get back at them mission-impossible-ish tale.
James Caviezel - 6/10 - Pathetic when dumb and naive, but excellent when ruthless and deranged.
Guy Pearce - 10/10 - Extremely strong performance.
Luis Guzmán - 8/10 - Strong performance.
Kevin Reynolds - 6/10 - Directed a decent movie.
Jay Wolpert - ?/10 - If ending was amended against his will to satisfy the financial objectives of his producers... otherwise...