The Film
The Count of Monte Cristo is one of those stories that filmgoers just love. It has deceit, love, revenge, and swordplay. Maybe that's why Hollywood has delivered countless incarnations over the years. The 2002 version of The Count of Monte Cristo is probably the most relatable. Besides the current cast, it manages to add a slick Hollywood shine to this good, old-fashioned swashbuckler.
The story, however, remains the same. Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel) is betrayed by his best friend (Guy Pierce), and imprisoned for crimes he didn't commit. Napoleon-era prisons give a man a lot of thinking time, which he uses to consume himself with vengeance. He also studies and trains, with the help of Richard Harris. We're not giving anything away by saying that he eventually makes his big escape. That's when things get good, as he assumes the identity of The Count of Monte Cristo, a wealthy, walking mystery.
The one thing that doesn't make sense is how no one seems to recognize Dantes, thanks to some perfectly coifed facial hair. Of course, a little manscaping doesn't fool Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk), his lady love.
At 131 minutes, The Count of Monte Cristo is a little on the long side. It's directed by Kevin Reynolds, the same guy who did Waterworld, so what did you expect? The guys aren't just hanging out sharpening swords, though. There's a lot of backstory and beatings for the first half of the movie. If you can hang in, you'll be treated to a classic revenge tale and a slew of good performances, most notably from the two leads, Harris, and Luis Guzman.
Need to know more? Joe Lozito may not be good with pointy objects, but he is a master of movies; check out his theatrical review of The Count of Monte Cristo.
The Picture
Most of The Count of Monte Cristo is downright dark. That, and the heavy grain, make this film pretty tough from an image standpoint. Blacks crush in a lot of scenes, especially towards the beginning. Dark hair and clothing seems to blend right into the dark background. In brighter moments, the film does look better, but with dim colors. The blue sky and yellow stagecoach offer a little burst of sunshine amongst otherwise washed palette.
The problems don't really stop there. As Dantes is being taken away, we see a bit of flicker during some of the wide scenery shots. That flicker returns later in the film, along with some noise in those dark skies. The big escape is another dark affair. Once Dantes makes it to safety, you'll see some of the film's best imagery. It's a little on the soft side, but also offers the first glimpse of details in Dantes' hair and face. From there, the image gets a slight boost. There's still crush, but there's definitely more to look at. Paris, in particular, shows some improvement. There are better colors and some better details. Don't get too excited though, because the film quickly reverts back to its dim imagery.
Touchstone seems to have sharpened the film up a tiny bit, but it's hit or miss. It's a stylish movie, which is what makes this image such a big disappointment.
The Sound
For such an action-packed film, The Count is kind of flat from a sonic perspective. Everything is projected clearly with this DTS-HD Master Audio track, but all of that action stays firmly planted in the front speakers. Horses, gunshots, and swordplay are all a front-heavy affair. The dialogue comes through nicely, even with all of the other noises going on. This just seems like the type of film that would offer a playground of surround sound. There is a rather full party scene, some rustling grass and the film's soundtrack, all of which remind you that those surrounds are working properly. However, it's just too little, too late into the movie.
The Extras
All of this release's extras have been ported over from Disney's last DVD release. The selection includes commentary with director Kevin Reynolds, deleted scenes, and a few featurettes. The best of the bunch is "An Epic Reborn," a four-part documentary that goes into detail about author Alexandre Dumas, the story, and of course, the movie.
Final Thoughts
The book was first published in 1844 and this movie in 2002. Still, The Count of Monte Cristo has managed to stay fairly fresh and entertaining over the years. After all, everyone loves a little revenge as long as they're not on the receiving end. That said, it's an absolute shame that this transfer looks the way that it does. If you're a fan of the movie, you may be willing to chance it, but it's best to wait until this one hits the bargain bin.
Product Details
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