Review: Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

The Count of Monte Cristo is a tale of revenge adapted from the book of the same name. The story follows Edmond Dantes (James Caviezel) who is accused of treason which he did not commit. Before he is taken to jail, he finds out that his best friend, Mondego, (Guy Pearce) turned him in because he was jealous of his life. Dantes is taken to a remote prison where he spends around 15 years plotting his revenge in hopes that he will escape one day.


This movie has so much going for it that its hard not to love it. First off, the acting is top notch. Richard Harris delivers an excellent performance as the teacher of Dantes in the prison. Caviezel and Pearce are at their best and you can feel the hatred and tension between them. I think what I like best about the movie is the prison parts because you get to see Dantes slowly slip into insanity. If you like revenge, drama, and action then definitely see this movie. You can also check out Oldboy which is the Korean adaptation of the book. Oldboy is probably in my top ten movies so even if the Count of Monte Cristo doesn't seem appealing then see Oldboy anyways. If you are still wanting more Monte Cristo, try Gankutsou which is an anime based on the book that focuses on the son son of Dantes.