20/16
With an estimated budget of €429 million, The Count of Monte Cristo is the most expensive French film of 2024
After escaping from an island prison where he spent 14 years for being wrongly accused of treason, Edmond Dantès returns as the Count of Monte Cristo to exact revenge on the men who betrayed him. When Albert watches Hydee sing and play guitar, it is very obvious that she is not even touching the strings half the time.
Featured in The Big Week: Episode #113 (2024)
The first question I would ask filmmakers who adapt novels for film is this: if this book inspired you so much that you wanted to make a film about it, why then change its story? The Count of Monte Cristo is another one of these cases: those who read the book will be astounded to see how completely twisted the ending was; and for no apparent reason I would object, because the ending of the book was quite dramatic.
OK, end of the runt
So again, if you didn’t like it, why make a movie about it? If you want to rely on your own ideas, do so, use your imagination and in that case the sky is the limit.
But then again, my literary memory takes over and a bittersweet aftertaste lingers in my mouth
If I were to disconnect my literary memory and judge the film on its pure cinematic qualities, The Count of Montecristo is an honest swashbuckling film, with good performances from all the key players, good cinematography and decent pacing.
