The Count of Monte Cristo Reviews

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this flick but since it seemed to have a decent reputation (it is included in the ‘The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made’ list selected by the New York Times, among other things), I thought I might as well check it out. First of all, I have to admit that I have never read Alexandre Dumas’s famous book. However, I did watch Kevin Reynold’s adaptation but it was years ago and, to be honest, I didn’t remember much about it. Anyway, it is definitely a classic tale and, from all the numerous adaptations that had been delivered so far, it is usually considered as the best one. Well, to be honest, I still had some mixed feelings about the damned thing though. I completely forgot that Napoleon’s return from exile and finale demise had something to do with Edmond Dantes’s tragic story but, all in all, it felt rather convoluted. Still, it does deserve its classic tale status though and, from the moment Dantes started to dig this tunnel, a task which took him a whopping 10 years, I have to admit that the damned thing did become quite entertaining after all. Concerning Robert Donat, I have noticed that the guy was praised for his work in this movie but it actually took me a while to warm up to his performance. Indeed, I thought he was terribly stiff when his character was still a naïve young man. However, it was pretty neat how he played the character differently when he became the Count of Monte Cristo. Sure, he was the good guy and everything ended up well for him and the people he loved but there was something slightly psychotic and sinister about his demeanor and it was all thanks to Donat’s subtle performance. Anyway, to conclude, even if it didn’t really impress me, I have to admit that it was still a decent watch though and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.