The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
"A strange thing happened at this summer's Cannes film festival," said Kevin Maher in The Times. While all eyes were glued to the big Hollywood offerings, the real attraction turned out to be this "indecently spectacular" film – a French adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's 19th-century adventure novel that cost £35m but "looks like a $200m Tinseltown barnstormer".
Made by the team that brought us the recent hit adaptation of "The Three Musketeers", it stars Pierre Niney as Edmond Dantès, the young sailor who's falsely accused of treachery, and locked up in a grim island prison. Years later, he escapes, finds some hidden treasure and – as the rich and powerful Count of Monte Cristo – seeks vengeance on the friends who betrayed him. The makers of the film were "smart and confident enough" to amplify the "obvious superhero echoes" of Edmond's transformation into the suave, swashbuckling Count, but have cleverly avoided making the chief baddie "a cartoon villain".
The result is "a fast-moving, good-looking gallop of 'Mission: Impossible'-style mask play, languorous conniving in courtyards and occasional outbreaks of derring-do that chews up three hours without pausing for quail sandwiches", said Phil Hoad in The Guardian.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Rousingly acted by an "all-round stellar ensemble", it's "a stunning, emotionally satisfying adventure tale", said Peter Debruge in Variety: a "thrillingly modern adaptation" of "rock-solid source material", and "a genuine triumph". Had it been released in English a few decades ago, it would have been in the running "for a best picture Oscar".
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
A Real Pain: Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg star in 'uproariously funny' drama
The Week Recommends The film, dubbed an heir of Woody Allen, follows Jewish American cousins who travel to Poland in memory of their late grandmother
By The Week UK Published
-
Titaníque: 'outrageous' Céline Dion parody is a lot of fun
The Week Recommends 'Frothy' musical spoof of the blockbuster film with 'sparkling' performances
By The Week UK Published
-
Collared by Chris Pearson: a 'fascinating' history of dogs
The Week Recommends 'Useful' and informative book examines our changing relationship with canines
By The Week UK Published
-
A Real Pain: Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg star in 'uproariously funny' drama
The Week Recommends The film, dubbed an heir of Woody Allen, follows Jewish American cousins who travel to Poland in memory of their late grandmother
By The Week UK Published
-
Titaníque: 'outrageous' Céline Dion parody is a lot of fun
The Week Recommends 'Frothy' musical spoof of the blockbuster film with 'sparkling' performances
By The Week UK Published
-
Collared by Chris Pearson: a 'fascinating' history of dogs
The Week Recommends 'Useful' and informative book examines our changing relationship with canines
By The Week UK Published
-
6 impressive homes in Toronto
Feature Featuring floating stairs in Lytton Park and a two-tiered infinity pool in Banbury-Don Mills
By The Week Staff Published
-
Samantha Harvey's 6 favorite books that redefine how we see the world
Feature The Booker Prize-winning author recommends works by Marilynne Robinson, George Eliot, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Better Man: Robbie Williams's 'dynamic' monkey biopic is 'occasionally over ripe'
Former Take That star is replaced with a CGI chimpanzee in musical-stuffed film
By The Week UK Published
-
Movies to watch in January, including 'Wolf Man' and 'The Last Showgirl'
The Week Recommends A creature feature, a bizarre biopic and a haunted house movie from the ghost's POV
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Properties of the week: dreamy ski chalets
The Week Recommends Featuring homes in Norway, Austria and France
By The Week UK Published