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Director Kevin Reynolds (Waterworld, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves) delivers his best effort to date with this telling of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Jim Caviezel stars as Edmond Dantes, a man betrayed by his friend Fernand Mondego (Guy Pierce) and falsely imprisoned for thirteen years in a hellish prison. Richard Harris plays the elderly priest who accidentally burrows his way into Dantes’ prison cell. The two strike up a mentorship while they attempt to dig their way to freedom. Once Dantes is free, he finds a buried treasure — a gift from the priest — and returns to society as the mysterious ‘Count of Monte Cristo.’ The final act sees the Count exacting revenge on Mondego and the others who conspired to doom him, while also reconnecting with his old flame (Dagmara Dominczyk). 

This is a wonderful story full of drama, romance, and adventure. I was immediately pulled into the story through the character of Dantes and Caviezel’s performance. The entire cast do spectacular jobs with their roles. Harris was born to play a role like this one. And Pierce is wonderfully cold and smarmy here. James Frain, Luis Guzman, and Michael Wincott are memorable in supporting roles. Look for a dashing young Henry Cavill (Blood Creek, Man of Steel) in one of his first screen performances. With Freddie Jones.