THE MOVIE: Alexandre Dumas' classic tale of betrayal and revenge is brought back to life one more time by director Kevin Reynolds and stars John Cazeviel and Guy Pearce. With all the basic elements (best friend's jealousy, false imprisonment, limitless treasure) the movie cuts the book down into a neat, but a little too simple, adaptation.

Do not go into this one expecting a swashbuckling adventure! While it does have its share of swordplay, there is nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking here. If you want that, check out the recent "The Musketeer." "Monte Cristo" is nice change of pace, a film that is driven by the characters and story.

No Oscar performances here, but look for great set design and costuming to beautifully recreate post-Napoleanic France.

THE DVD: The DVD includes: A rather informative commentary by director Kevin Reynolds that gets a little pretentious when he starts comparing his story of revenge to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Several mini-documentaries (can be combined by "Play All" into two 30 minute-or-so sections) are very interesting and give a good look into several aspects of the filmmaking process from scripting to choreography to design. There are also 4 yawners for deleted scenes and a nice "multiple angle" vignette.

OVERLOOKED: There are no trailers, not even the Count of Monte Cristo preview. Strange that Disney (Touchstone) tries to force the trailers on some movies, then completely ignores them on others.

IN A NUTSHELL: 3 1/2 stars for the movie and the DVD both. Definitely rent it, you might buy it used afterwards.

I saw this in the Theaters and bought because I liked it.

I am surprised. This is a good movie. Recommanded.

Is this release anamorphic or P&S?

Thanks

was that a recommendation? the Musketeer.

Have Count of Monte Cristo now as well, will prolly be checking it out tonight

-Rich

hated it.

Drawn out, long, and predictably boring.

If you want The Count of Monte Cristo for dummies get it, if you want the real thing get the French mini-series.

I guess I feel pretty dumb now....

I liked it, perhaps a little too long, but kept me interested the whole time, and there are a number of good extras. I will probably pick it up used, or in a trade.

The book was a commercial, populist work from the get-go, and fairly unchallenging for its time... A rolicking Hollywood adventure is exactly in the true spirit of the novel... I just hope the French havn't turned it into a pretentious snoozefest. I look forward to seeing it, but the notion of Depardieu as someone who's been starving for 10 years is pretty darned funny...

I mean't as in the "... for dummies" books, i.e. condensed, easy to follow version. If you want a more complete version, that is more faithful to the book, get the (vastly superior IMHO) French mini-series. If you're not that big a fan, this movie will do.

I apologize, didn't mean to sound rude.

It's anything but a snoozefest. But it's more of an historical drama than an adventure piece. The acting, direction, cinematography, costumes, music, are all topnotch. Of course, some "liberties" were taken with the script (so "faithful" to the novel wasn't exactly the best term to use) but it's still a fascinating piece.

You'll have to overlook that.

My wife told me to go buy the movie and I am glad I did.

If you like romantic adventure movies, you will like this one. If you do not like that kind of movie, don't buy it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the version I saw originally from 25 years ago with Richard Chamberlain as the Count and Tony Curtis as Fernand Mondego.

I have tried a couple times to get the French version from Columbia House as a sign-up DVD but have been unsuccessful.

Wow, I bought this one sight-unseen, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It's a nice change of pace to see a hero who's so deviously vengeful! I thought it was a bit slow for the first 15 minutes, but I got progressively more engrossed in it as it went on.

I thought the extras on this were some of the most interesting I've seen. I liked the historical background on Dumas, and I really liked the screenwriter's reasoning for all the changes he made from the novel. And, I like his line "If you want something that is completely faithful to the book, then read the book---it's quite good". I thought he made a very good case for the liberties he took with the original.

Also, the fencing coach describing his choreography for the fight scenes was really great---he knew what he was doing, and put a lot of thought and craft into the swordfights.

eXcentris....I am not offended....I simply liked the movie and bought it(though I am still waiting CH to deliver after 3 weeks)....other than the French version is indeed more detailed.