The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

Director:

Kevin Reynolds

Writers (WGA):

Alexandre Dumas père (novel)
Jay Wolpert (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Prepare for adventure. Count on revenge.

Plot:

A young man, falsely imprisoned by his jealous "friends," escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Escape | Best Friend | Prison | Treason

Cast

James Caviezel	...	Edmond Dantes (as Jim Caviezel)
Guy Pearce	...	Fernand Mondego
Richard Harris	...	Abbé Faria
James Frain	...	J.F. Villefort
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Mercedès Iguanada
Michael Wincott	...	Armand Dorleac
Luis Guzmán	...	Jacopo
Christopher Adamson	...	Maurice
JB Blanc	...	Luigi Vampa
Guy Carleton	...	Mansion Owner
Alex Norton	...	Napoleon
Barry Cassin	...	Old Man Dantes
Henry Cavill	...	Albert Mondego
Aliaz Moufid	...	Holga (credit only) (as Zhara)
Brendan Costello	...	Viscount

Also Known As:

Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for adventure violence/swordplay and some sensuality.

Runtime:

131 min | Spain:134 min

Country:

UK | USA | Ireland

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #38851) | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Australia:G (TV rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG (cut) | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

The red paisley waistcoat Luis Guzmán (Jacopo) wears in the final scene is the same costume Chris Gorell Barnes wears in "The Regency House Party" (2004), Dan Stevens (Edward Ferrars) wears for Edward's arrival at Norland in "Sense & Sensibility" (2008), and JJ Feild (Fred Garland) wears in The Shadow in the North (2007) (TV).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): On the island of Elba the Emperor addresses one of the English soldiers as "lieutenant" when he is clearly wearing sergeant stripes.

Quotes:

Edmond: Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you: as Albert Mondego, the man!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "MythBusters: Mega Movie Myths (#4.19)" (2006)

Excellent - Dramatic and Powerful. Revenge served Cold.

Seeing an advance Screening of 'The Count of Monte Cristo', and having only seen one advertising TV spot before hand, I really did not know what I was going into this time. I vaguely recalled it being an Alexander Dumas book, and former film/TV versions featuring rather depressing prison scenes with men tunneling to the freedom of the Sea. Indeed, despite its wonderful locations and details, once the afore-mentioned prison scenes of this version presented themselves I was set to be depressed again and wondered where the story was going. And then several wonderful things happened; A whole new group of characters were introduced to our rather whiney protagonist - some good, some very bad. And by the time said Protagonist had escaped the Prison, he too had become wonderfully evoked and dynamic, and I wanted to see him get everything he wanted and deserved: REVENGE. From then on this film was a barrage of wonderful scripting (the adaption being perfect in its pacing and wit), characters, acting, events, costumes, action, suspense and romance. The audience laughed with genuine awe as each new moment or detail was revealed to us in the plans of the main character's (played perfectly, from his innocent beginnings to his scheming later years)steps towards that end. This movie was amazing, with very cool performances from Guy Pearce and the rest of the supporting cast, each figure getting his or her share of good lines. The tale of vengeance is well-balanced with tales of friendship, questing and plotting, and romance, and all of the implications each relationship holds, be it good or bad. At times the theater openly applauded twists or returning characters. It is perfectly timed and written, with powerful moments and style, and I would recommend it to ANYONE.