After their captain has been severely wounded, Edmond Dantes and Fernand Mondego bring a boat ashore the island of Elba to seek medical aid. Here they find Napoleon, who secretly asks Dantes to bring a treasonous letter disguised as friendly correspondence back home with him. The captain dies during the night, and the pair of friends flee. They return to Marseille, where Dantes is promoted to Captain. Mondego and the first mate Danglars plot with the Magistrate Villefort (who's father was due to receive the letter) to get him arrested for treason. He then spends 13 years in the Chateau d'If, where he meets the priest Faria. Faria has been digging a tunnel for 5 years, which Dantes helps him with in exchange for teaching him everything he knows, including combat. All the while Dantes plots his revenge on those who wronged him. When Dantes finally escapes Chateau d'If, he locates the treasure that Faria disclosed the location of in order to exact his revenge.
Admittedly I never read the book this movie is based on. I know there are some major differences, one of them being that in the book Dantes and Mondego are not friends. This changes a pretty large theme in the story, but I feel like the betrayal is more powerful this way, which is exactly what the writer had intended. The book heavily influenced the graphic novel "V for Vendetta" (the movie we will get to eventually), and is referenced heavily throughout the comic and the movie - V and Evey even sit down to watch the 1934 version of the movie together in the movie.
"The Count of Monte Cristo" is great. It may be over two hours long, but it is dramatically engaging the entire time - very similar to when we discussed "Brotherhood of the Wolf" a few weeks back. Except maybe when Dagmara Dominczyk is on screen. She may be a pretty face, but her acting is weak. She only comes off as meek, pathetic, and completely undesirable. I understand that some of that was written into her character, but I find her nearly unbearable.
Hanging out for Dantes to get his revenge is worth it. Every step is perfectly planned, and each of his adversaries falls perfectly into his trap. But as he is able to exact his revenge on Mondego, he finds himself in a cliche-ridden duel that is thoroughly enjoyable. Even if neither combatant knows how to use a rapier correctly (seriously, as a rapier fighter myself, the choreography is pretty laughable).
Back when we started all this we discussed a literary device known as the hellmouth. It has come up a few times since, and I haven't pointed it out several times more (because they are freakin' everywhere!) Yet again, the hellmouth appears. This time it is when Dantes is first brought to the Chateau d'If. And this is where Dantes learns that any nightmares he could have imagined pale in comparison to years of isolation. Again, great use of the literary device.
If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It can be a bit dry if period films are not your thing, but Caviezel's Dantes is riveting in his character growth, and there are plenty of humorous lines given throughout. Guy Pearce's Mondego is truly a character you love to hate. Richard Harris proves that even in his final hours he is as great an actor as he's ever been. And amazingly, Luis Guzman never feels out of place.
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