Le Comte de Monte Cristo (2024)

To kick off the year 2025 on the right foot, I invite you to join me on a journey with the famous Count of Monte Cristo. This article came to life barely two hours after I left the cinema, but in the meantime, I got caught up in other distractions. Today, I’m dusting off this draft to share it with you, hopefully enriched with a touch more refinement and flair.

Foreword

What makes a work—or its adaptations—so captivating is the ability to place the story it tells within the historical context of its creation. Naturally, fans of the beloved Alexandre Dumas have voiced their critiques, and these are not without merit. However, it is crucial to reassess certain criteria from a different perspective: today’s audience often has different expectations compared to a literary audience of the past. Yes, we can point out some narrative conveniences, but that should not detract from the merits of this adaptation. Let us take this film for what it is: a tale of revenge set against a historical backdrop, released in theaters in 2024.

Disclaimer: The clumsy person that I am might unintentionally let a few spoilers slip. I apologize in advance if that happens!

From a General Perspective

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. With its two-and-a-half-hour runtime, it managed to captivate me without ever feeling tedious. The visuals are stunning, and the music is simply extraordinary. For someone like me, who doesn’t always pay attention to such details, that says a lot!

I have no complaints about the casting choices. From my perspective, Pierre Niney portrayed his character with great talent, and his co-stars were equally impressive. The action scenes, as well as the slower moments, are superbly executed. As for the dialogue, it is well-written without being overly heavy or artificial.

I should note that I haven’t read the book at the time of writing this article. That will come, but for now, I prefer to share my thoughts without the pressure of comparison, allowing me to appreciate the film for what it is.

In Details:

Being an easy-to-please audience member, I’ve unintentionally started paying attention to certain details, thanks to writing my own stories. For instance, even though I haven’t read the book yet, I knew enough of the plot to notice some narrative shortcuts taken by the filmmakers. A film adaptation often requires such compromises, and I completely understand their choices.

(As a side note, a YouTuber provides a very clear analysis of the differences between the book and the film, explaining these narrative adjustments. For those who are curious, feel free to check out Captain Popcorn’s video here.)

That said, while some of these details didn’t shock me, others made me do a double take. Decorative elements moving thanks to clever mechanisms? Why not! But the « friendly fire » scene at the Count’s residence felt overly absurd to be plausible.

The biggest eyebrow-raisers, however, were caused by the infamous masks used by the hero to deceive his enemies. While we can accept that makeup can work wonders, claiming they were masks definitely stretches credibility a bit too far.

Conclusion:

A film that will likely struggle to win over purists but is sure to captivate many viewers with its gripping plot and immersive atmosphere. What more can be said? A revenge-flavored cookie, best served ice-cold.

What do you think?