The Count of Monte Cristo (Movie Reaction)

Thank you very much for reacting to this movie for me, Reds Reactions!!! I am so, so happy that you enjoyed this movie so much. I really hoped you would. I truly love Jim Caviezel (Edmond Dantes) as an actor. And I absolutely love time period piece movies like this because they're so beautiful, the settings are historical, and the stories are passionate and moving. They're always so well made. I love the novel, The Count of Monte Cristo. It's one of my favorite classic novels of all time, so I was absolutely thrilled when I heard so many years ago, that they were making a movie based on it, and even happier that Jim Caviezel was going to be playing Edmond Dantes. I love Jim Caviezel in a number of movies and he has quickly risen up to be my favorite actor of all time. Edmond Dantes is a good man, yet naive and at times, foolish for trusting in the wrong people who eventually come to steal his life away very suddenly. However, a priest within the Chateau d'If helps to give him his strength back, as well as gives him a purpose to go on living by teaching him not only how to read and write, but also how to swordfight, and other languages and subjects. And most importantly, he reminds Edmond that God is in everything in spite of Edmond's disbelief, then rewards their friendship with a path to riches beyond Edmond's imagination. I also love the Priest's final line to Edmond, after Edmond claims that he no longer believes in God... "It doesn't matter. He believes in you." Against Priest’s wishes, Edmond uses his knowledge and treasure to seek out revenge against each of those who took his life from him. And yet, through intricate plots and long suffering during his fight for revenge, Edmond at last enacts his justice on those who wronged him, yet didn’t kill any of his enemies until his former friend, who gave him no choice in the matter. Fernand refused to live in a world where Edmond was alive and happy, and therefore he forced Edmond’s hand. The long game Edmond plays as he seeks his revenge against Fernand, Dunglar, Chief Prosecutor Villfort, and even Mercedes until he discovers the truth about her reasons for marrying Fernand so quickly... phenomenal!!! I absolutely love this beautiful and intricate storyline, along with all the sensational twists and turns. And the rest of the acting was phenomenal too. I mean... yes, Fernand Mondego, played by Guy Pearce, was definitely evil and creepy, which was no surprise to me, given that he's a villain in pretty much every movie I've ever seen with him. Fernand's pride and his jealousy became his downfall, long before he died in their duel at the end. And the end fight between him and Edmond is just so satisfying and amazing. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire duel, smiling from ear to ear. Also, I love Richard Harris as an actor too. And I love his character, the Priest and his friendship with Edmond throughout the time they spent within the Chateau d'If. It's so sad that the Priest dies so tragically, when they were so close to being free together. Fortunately, Edmond never forgot the Priest's teachings and lessons he learned from him. Also... Richard Harris was a brilliant actor in his lifetime, and I miss him very much now that he's long since passed on. Jacopo is played by Luis Guzman, who is in a ton of movies, though usually in even more minor roles than the role he plays in this movie. This is one of his biggest roles and I love him so much. He's so funny and his character definitely brings out the majority of the comedy shown in this movie too. But most of all, again I love his friendship with Edmond, as well as his devotion to protecting Edmond, even from himself, which he did. Phenomenal! Albert is played by Henry Cavil who is best known for playing Superman in the latest Superman/Batman/Justice League movies. I don't care for the superhero movies he's in. But I do like Henry Cavil as Superman because he fits the role very well. With all that being said... I really love him a lot in The Count of Monte Cristo as Albert. He's a talented actor. And I like Albert because he's good and brave, and he's very understanding, as we come to see in the end as we see that Albert comes to love Edmond as his father. Edmond's revenge on Chief Prosecutor Villfort was perfect and so, so satisfying. I love how Edmond scared Villfort into confessing in front of Jacopo and the soldiers. And like you... I love how Edmond offered Villfort the opportunity to cowardly end his misery, only for the pistol to be without bullets so that he too would have to suffer in prison like he had inflicted upon Edmond. Fabulous!! Dunglar's end was satisfying as well. I like how Edmond fought him on his ship after allowing him to feel like he had just succeeded in stealing some of his gold, thanks to help once again from Luigi and the other smugglers. As for Luigi Vampa… I love him as a character, although I do wish we could have gotten to know his character a little bit more. I find him to be quite interesting, and I love that he and Edmond came to be friends during the months they smuggled together. I love Luigi's continued loyalty to Edmond. And lastly... Mercedes is played by Dagmara Dominczyk. She's only ever guest starred in a few other shows I've seen and no other movies that I've seen, but I really love her role in this movie too. She's quite beautiful and her acting is amazing. And as tragic as it is, I also love how Mercedes had been forced to marry Fernand because she had become pregnant with Edmond’s son. If she hadn’t, the people of Marseille would have shunned her and she would have been known to everyone as a harlot. And she didn’t deserve to be so for loving a good man so terribly wronged and taken away from her. I love this twist, and it was a twist I didn’t see coming, even though the clues were all there. As for why Fernand cheated over and over on Mercedes... Chances are that his reasons go beyond Fernand just being the scum he is. I feel that his reasons come from how he told Mercedes that she did please him some of the time. And while he never knew Albert wasn't his son, he most likely sensed that Mercedes heart never belonged to him. They made love of course early on in their marriage, so that she would be able to pass Albert off as his son. However, I'm sure Fernand eventually came to know that she never truly loved him, before he started cheating on her with other women. I hope this makes sense. As for none of these characters recognizing Edmond when he came back into their lives as Monte Cristo... this movie took place in the time of Napoleon, when medicine was scarce and prisoners thrown away in prisons such as shown in this movie, typically died not long into their sentence, whether due to poor health, or suicide... as we saw Edmond attempt before he met Priest. Plus... everyone was told that Edmond was executed. So, of course no one would recognize him thirteen years later despite Monte Cristo's uncanny resemblance to Edmond, even those closest to him. And if they did, they simply shrugged it off due to disbelief that he could be Edmond. Mercedes did recognize Edmond, but at times she kept seeing Monte Cristo as nothing more than a ghost coming to punish her for marrying Fernand so quickly after the man she truly loved was killed. Her guilt consumed her. Were it not for Edmond slipping up by twirling his hair in front of Mercedes and then saying his sir name, she never would have accepted Edmond was alive. Because Edmond being alive was a miracle she couldn't believe. No one could believe that he survived all those years trapped in that kind of Hell. And as for Edmond not knowing how to read, write, or swordfight... Again in those days, it was rare for anyone who was poor to have any kind of education or knowledge how to fight with a sword. Only the rich did unless the poor were fortunate to know someone who could teach them. Edmond and his family were extremely poor. That's why Fernand was so jealous. Because Fernand had wealth and power, yet not the love of a woman he coveted, or the happiness his poor friend had in spite of him being poor. Thank you once again for reacting to The Count of Monte Cristo for me! I want to thank you again for watching the shows and movies I love so much! It means a lot to me to be able to watch all of your fun reactions. Thank you truly. :) Sincerely, Heidi

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum