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PrimeMinisterX (8855)
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Finally saw it. Highly underrated film.
Charming Christmas-ish classic
Well I enjoyed it
The SECOND Best Adapation of A Christmas Carol
A worthwhile watch during the Thanksgiving season
The girl in the red coat
A Challenger Appears
His presence instantly makes any movie he's in much better
Underrated Director
First half feels almost like a different movie from the second half
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I have a friend who is something of a wizard at finding movies and shows online, albeit not always from authorized sources. I'll have to see if he is able to locate the Depardieu version somewhere so that I can watch it.
I agree that it's always nice to see new versions of this story, even when they don't live up to my expectations. It's a shame that we only get them so rarely. 22 years between the Caviezel version and this one is too long. However, have you heard that a miniseries has also been produced? I think it is supposed to become available sometime this year. Here's a trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk9ncn5rM-8
I have quite mixed feelings about it.
I would have liked to have seen this version without having read the book. But as I not only have read the novel but read it recently, it's impossible to judge the story as it's presented in the film without comparison to Dumas's original.
Haydee was not in the Caviezel version, no. And you're right that a lot was left out of that one. But it looks more lavish and I think Caviezel did a better job of embodying the Count as he is described in the novel. I also think the script for the 2002 film was simply more fun. It had humor, which the book also had, and the Jacopo character as played by Luis Guzman is enjoyable. This 2024 version, by contrast, is deadly serious and humorless at all times.
Also, I have to say, I was disappointed in the scenes with Edmond and Faria. The whole aspect of Faria being a TEACHER who is imparting all of his knowledge and wisdom, ranging from languages to history, and making Edmond into a new man, is almost entirely lost in this one. In this film, he is essentially just the guy who tells Edmond where to find the treasure.
I wonder why the Depardieu version is impossible to stream. You can't even rent it. There also is no Blu-Ray. I wonder if it's a rights issue.
I actually think they could've gone LONGER. Tack on another hour and let the film breathe a little more. Maybe it's because I have the book in mind, but much of it feels rushed.
The 2002 version has a great sense of style and adventure, and the depiction of the Count feels very close to the book. It's a great film, even if the story is highly abridged.
This version was okay but feels weirdly inert in comparison.
I haven't seen the Depardieu version, as it is virtually impossible to find unless you want to pay $50+ for the DVD, but I can tell you that this version changes a LOT from the book.
Remember, the cell belonged to Faria, not Edmond. The guard climbed down when Faria did not respond. He then confirmed that Faria was dead by stabbing him and only after that did he bring the bag into the cell.
Of course the guard has no idea that there is a passage way between Faria's cell and Edmond's.
It's good but it's not all THAT. I love the book and was really looking forward to a new adaptation but I walked away thinking that it was good but not great.
The locations are well-chosen and there are some nice sets but the film overall looks bland and lacks visual character. The 2002 film with Jim Caviezel remains the superior production. It has a more stylish look, a greater sense of adventure, and Caviezel did a better job of embodying the character from the novel. The only way in which this version if superior is in having an extra hour of run time with which to tell its story.
Don't get me wrong: I still enjoyed the film. But it was a let down after waiting more than 20 years for another screen adaptation.
Even at three hours, they still cut a LOT out of the novel (and changed a lot of other details, too).
That would've been a good idea, especially if they added an extra hour in. Considering the fact that the Count of Monte Cristo novel is considerably longer than The Three Musketeers, it would've made a lot of sense.
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