![]() ![]() The list doesn’t end there, Stephen King’s stories alone have served as the basis for many beloved films such as The Shining, Stand By Me, and The Shawshank Redemption, and, of course, we cannot forget that perhaps the greatest film of all time, The Godfather, was an adaptation as well. Films like The Silence of the Lambs, Jaws, and Forrest Gump have become so popular that many, especially those born after their release may not even know they are adaptations. Many beloved films have been adaptations of books. Mankind, ever changing and evolving, would find new ways to tell stories, transferring these written stories to new mediums of entertainment, and with the invention of the motion picture, books being adapted into films has become one of the most influential practices in history. Dramaticized retellings of events, real and fictional, have been written down for us to continue to enjoy. Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.Andrew Jáuregui, Interactive Media Editorįor thousands of years, mankind has been writing down its stories. It's biggest flaw is that it lacks French accents, and that's really not much of a flaw. The Count of Monte Cristo is a surprisingly good movie with some great adventure sequences and a story that has spanned centuries. Why is it that Dantes' ex-lover recognizes him immediately but the villain (Pearce), who used to be his best friend, does not? Don't get me wrong - the movie is still entertaining - but most things just work out too well and too conveniently. The movie tries to tackle as much as possible, but some of Dantes' long-planned revenge schemes come so quickly that you can't help but feel that the story is being rushed along at a faster pace than it was supposed to be. ![]() The second half is good, but by this point, the movie is overflowing with storylines, really none of which can be wrapped up thoroughly. The first half of the movie is noticeably better than the second half, but that's because the first half is so much different and more adventurous, as it deals with Dantes attempting to escape from prison. The Count of Monte Cristo is exciting, entertaining, and honestly, a lot better than I expected. He's nowhere as on target as he was in Memento, but he's good enough to play the movie's lead villain. Guy Pearce also delivers a good, if not great performance. I really liked Caviezel here, even though it was probably based upon him that it was decided that none of the actors should use French accents, even though all of the characters are supposed to be French. ![]() So it is nice to see him do a solid performance, one where he is very convincing and likeable as the hero, even though the hero is enacting the darkest of revenge stories. Caviezel triumphed in The Thin Red Line and Frequency but fell flat on his face in Angel Eyes, and has a very shaky career overall. Jim Caviezel stars as Edmond Dantes, the hero of the story who turns into the Count. These swashbuckling flicks can turn out to be quite cheesy (see last year's The Musketeer), but thankfully this one is serious enough to be taken seriously, but lighthearted enough that the whole family can go and see it. No, this version of The Count of Monte Cristo is pure and true enough to the times that it is not blatantly obvious that it is trying to sell a remake to the masses. In most respects, it is not the typical remake that we have come to expect, where a story set hundreds of years ago turns out to be a modern story with a historical backdrop. Kevin Reynolds's The Count of Monte Cristo is a refreshing reminder that remakes can be good.Ģ002's The Count of Monte Cristo has no explosions. Then again, has it reached that point? The answer is no. ![]() In fact, the timeless classic "The Count of Monte Cristo" has been done on more than one occasion, and you can only do a movie so many times. Swashbuckling films have been around since films have been around, and many feel they have run their course. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |