Take your choose. There have been numerous movie and TV productions adapting Alexandre Dumas’ basic nineteenth century story of revenge and deception, The Count of Monte Cristo. We have seen it in several variations in 1934, 1954, 1975, 2002 and doubtless as much as 15 extra iterations. Now we have now the most recent, the lavish widescreen French manufacturing Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, which had its world premiere Wednesday evening Out of Competition to a wildly approving full audience on the Grand Lumiere — an acceptable place to launch this movie because the display could be one of the best on the planet, and this movie is massive.
In addition to all these previous movie variations on the e-book, there are numerous different movies which have stolen from this complexly plotted story. For some motive I saved considering of the Ocean’s movies as, like this, they contain a lot of sophisticated plotting, and as soon as our title character begins planning his revenge towards those that did him flawed, he comes up with terribly intelligent concepts to drag off the caper.
Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patelliere, the screenwriters behind one other Dumas adaptation, the current two-part The Three Musketeers, have taken on the directing reins right here as nicely this time and spectacularly made a Monte-Cristo that trendy audiences will eat up. It is actually true to the 1,400-page e-book however condensed expertly right into a three-hour movie that doesn’t really feel its size in any respect. It additionally has been well-cast with numerous French stars led by Pierre Niney as Edmond Dantès. When we meet him, he’s a ship’s first mate and will get credit score for saving the day throughout a catastrophe at sea and a attainable promotion to commander, however he’s arrange out of jealousy by shipmates and pals, Fernand de Marcef (Bastien Bouillon) and Danglars (Patrick Mille).
Throw in devious Justice of the Peace Villefort (Laurent Lafitte), and you’ve got who develop into the three prime suspects managing to double cross Dantès, who’s taken away in the course of his marriage ceremony ceremony to real love Mercedes (Anaïs Demoustier). Thinking it will probably all be cleared up, it can’t when “proof” seems and Dantès unfairly is deemed responsible with out a trial and despatched away to a depressing Marseilles jail, Chateau d’If. He in solitary confinement for 4 years earlier than he meets one other inmate, Abbot Faria (Pierfrancesco Favino), who engages him in his persevering with scheme to dig a tunnel to flee the island fortress. He tells Dantès of a treasure that may be retrieved as soon as they’re out.
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Ten years go, and eventually they’re close to their purpose when Faria is killed in a cave-in. Dantès switches locations within the bag the supposedly lifeless Abbot is being hauled out in. He is thrown into the ocean earlier than officers uncover the change.
Cut to excessive society in Paris, and the now-radicalized Dantès has taken on new identities, notably because the very wealthy (that treasure helped) Count of Monte-Cristo, and joined by a younger affiliate as he’s hellbent on a scheme to get revenge on the three who wronged him. It’s a very emotional task since de Marcef, who had desired Dantès’ fiancée Mercedes, married her and had youngsters. Dantes additionally takes on different identities alongside the best way to hatch his elaborate plot. Characters weave out and in, twists are revealed, and it turns into nice enjoyable to look at all of it unfold.
Niney makes the proper Dantès/Count, a person who had a vivid future taken away from him and now, after 14 years in captivity, wears the masks of a person out for revenge, pure and easy. Mille, Lafitte and Bouillon are ultimate foils, craftily taking part in guys we need to root towards. The ladies are given wealthy roles as nicely, significantly DeMousier because the very confused Mercedes, who thought her near-husband was lifeless, and Anamaria Vartolomei as Haydée, who was purchased out of slavery by the Count and needs freedom from his psychological grip. Vartolomei additionally has been seen prominently in Cannes this week as Last Tango In Paris actress Maria Schneider in Being Maria. She is equally positive right here in one other juicy position.
Remarkably made for underneath $50 million, the manufacturing seems gorgeous, from its superior cinematography by Nicolas Bolduc, magnificent manufacturing design by Stéphane Taillasson and a very good rating from Jérôme Rebotier.
Delaporte and de la Patellliere have made one thing recent and thrilling from one of many oldest tales round, the sort of movie fairly frankly Hollywood needs to be making and a movie that is without doubt one of the greatest I noticed in Cannes this yr.
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Title: The Count of Monte-Cristo
Festival: Cannes Film Festival (Out of Competition)
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films (U.S.); Pathe (France/International)
Release Date: June 28, 2024 (France)
Directors-screenwriters: Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patelliere
Cast: Pierre Niney, Bastien Bouillon, Patrick Mille, Vasilli Schneider, Pierfrancesco Favino, Anaïs DeMoustier, Laurent Lafitte, Anamaria Vartolomei, Julien de Saint-Jean
Running time: 2 hr, 58 min
Content Source: deadline.com