The Count of Monte
Cristo
Written by: Brian
Orndorf
Rated: 8/10
What a strange experience is it to watch
"The Count Of Monte Cristo," an adventure story of the highest caliber, and not
have the cast running about performing flips or fighting on wires. I’ve become so
accustomed to this foolishness lately, that now I expect it from any film that features
hand-to-hand combat. What a lovely surprise it is to see that director Kevin Reynolds
("Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves," "Waterworld") has chosen not to fill
his picture with such nonsense, but to let the story lead the way this time. It might feel
old fashioned, maybe even squaresville, but the new "Monte Cristo" is a
invigorating adventure that doesn’t assault the audience with visuals, but rather
tempts them with true drama and perfectly staged action sequences.
Based on the oft-filmed novel by Alexandre Dumas, "Monte Cristo" stars James
Caviezel ("Frequency") as Edmund Dantes, a slow-witted but accomplished seafarer
who shares his adventures with Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk, "Rock Star"), the
woman that he loves and Fernand Mondego (Guy Pierce), his cherished friend. When falsely
accused of treason by a corrupt military officer (James Frain, "Reindeer
Games"), and betrayed by Mondego, Edmund is sent to prison for the rest of his life.
Watching his life slowly drain away in front of his eyes, Edmund finds solace in a much
older fellow prisoner named Faria (Richard Harris), who needs Edmund’s help to
escape. Over the course of 13 years, Faria trains Edmund in the ways of royalty and
swordfighting, in exchange for the younger man’s digging prowess. Upon escaping,
Edmund assumes the identity of the regal Count Of Monte Cristo, and sets an elaborate
revenge plot in motion on his enemies and society.
I’ve enjoyed Kevin Reynolds’s work for some time now, save for the lone
Samuel L. Jackson turkey "187." Reynolds has a master’s degree in staging
stunts and action set pieces, and his long history with this type of filmmaking is
welcomed back in "Monte Cristo." While the story flows with a time-tested,
predictable fluidity, the action scenes are what people have come to see, and Reynolds
doesn’t disappoint. The violence in the film is clean, without self-referential
visual gunk to cloud it up. It’s simple swashbuckling, and it’s staged and
executed from the heart, not the hard drive. While there are films out there that use
technology and Asian influence to better themselves ("Charlie’s Angels"),
"Monte Cristo" plants its roots squarely in the Basil Rathbone realm of action,
and it doesn’t rely much on tinkering to finish the job. It’s a long film (135
minutes), but it accomplishes what so many adventure films cannot: it earns its thrills
organically.
Credit that to Reynolds and Disney for taking the high road. Don’t believe me?
Check out another Dumas adaptation from last fall called "The Musketeer." It’s
a clear example of how modern cinematic devices, even those that are terribly
bandwagonesque (Asian fight choreographers), can shoot holes through what many believe to
be bulletproof source material.
If there was anything that I didn’t truly enjoy about "Monte Cristo," it
was the one element that this story does not need: comedy. Luis Guzman
("Traffic") was cast to provide some laughs amongst the rage, and his very
appearance deflates the film. While Guzman has been used rather effectively in the past
("Boogie Nights"), in "Monte Cristo," he sticks out like a sore thumb.
The picture doesn’t need the sort of goofball confusion Guzman brings to the table.
It’s much better off just wallowing in brood. It’s more than a little depressing
to see Reynolds and Disney slightly second guess their film like this.
As the Count, James Caviezel does a masterful job as the seething dagger of vengeance.
Though this fine actor lays the innocence on a little thick in the film’s first act,
the naiveté erodes away to a satisfying boil of pure rage for the rest
of the picture. Caviezel balances these more violent emotions by allowing the pain of a
life thrown away to be easily read on his face. This allows the audience to not be turned
off by the contemptuous agenda that Edmund has for his enemies.
And nobody deserves more contempt than Guy Pierce’s Mondego. A character founded
on betrayal, lust and deception, Pierce plays up every last intolerable character trait
with more sniveling rage than I’ve seen an actor dare to reveal before. Maybe Pierce
just simply understands the type of spirited film he’s in, but the actor hits all the
right notes with his performance without crossing the line into cartoon. He invites the
audience to hiss and boo at his nefarious deeds, and cheer during his comeuppance. You
gotta love that.
That’s another example of the beauty
in which this film has been created under. There is no winking at the audience, nor is
their unreasonable dramatic expectations placed on the narrative. It’s high adventure
with no cynicism allowed. In a current cinematic world which cannot seem to indulge itself
fully without being painfully aware of itself, "The Count Of Monte Cristo" only
asks that the audience join in on the fun.
Having spent the last ten years deep in the trenches, learning and loving the movie
exhibition business, Brian makes it a personal mission to see every film in current
release. He has spent the last two years honing his chops for his other love, film
criticism. Brain@modamag.com
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