The Count of Monte Cristo

Not a second is superfluous or boring in this lavish, definitive version of a literary delight.

I walked away from de La Patellière and Delaporte’s take on the Dumas tale invigorated. Its intensity, its majesty, its larger-than-life virtuosity, all of that and more filled my heart with glee.

The nuance is earned, and whether it’s well-applied becomes the difference between a merely ripping yarn and a satisfyingly complete one.

The movie might be set in the early 19th century, but its hero is a 21st century badass.

Patellière and Delaporte foreground the moral complexity in a way that the Count’s copious heirs often do not.

French filmmakers Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière prove lacking in neither heart nor style.

A classic tale given a first class presentment.

A gorgeous, engaging adaptation of the 19th-century classic adventure novel.

...The Count of Monte Cristo is above all else a great spectacle. The almost three hours have no authorial airs nor is there much subtlety in the (rare) intimate scenes. [Full review in Spanish]

Exactly the kind of robust, accessible entertainment that would appeal to general audiences if they knew it was out there.