The Ultimate In Revenge!!!

This movie had it all. Swordplay, action, drama, some comedy, and great acting. It also showed how sweet revenge can be. And no one has ever got revenge better than Edmund Dantes in this film.

The cast-

Jim Caviezel- Edmund Dantes
Guy Pearce- Fernand Mondego
Dagmara Domincyzk- Mercedes
Richard Harris- Abbe Faria ( Priest )
Luis Guzman- Jacopo
James Frain- Villefort
Albie Woodington- Danglars
Micheal Wincott- Dorleac ( Prison Warden )

Each acter fit these roles so well, it's hard to imagine any other crew that could have done as well as a job as they did.

Edmund Dantes starts the film as being an innocent, uneducated sailor, who sails with his best friend Fernand Mondego. Later imprisoned for a crime that he didn't commit, he becomes consumed by thoughts of revenge about the men that put him there. While in prison he meets an old man named Abbe Faria, who is refered to as priest through the rest of the movie. Priest educates Dantes in language, writing, mathematics, swordplay, you name it. Priest also tells Dantes about a treasure of unimaginable size that is buried on the island of Monte Cristo. After Dantes breaks out of prison, he seeks the treasure, and becomes the count of monte cristo.

Fernand Mondego is the childhood friend of Edmund Dantes, and Mercedes ( Dantes's fiance ) Mondego is also of noble blood. Mondego is not a very respectable character, he is arrogant, cruel, and has no remorse for his actions. Very soon in the movie it is revealed that Mondego is very jealous of Dantes. Jealous of his accomplishments, and also his fiance Mercedes. Mondego soon teams up with Danglars ( First mate on the trading vessel that Dantes and Mondego work on )and devises a plan that will convict Dantes of treason. With him out of the way, he would be free to go after Mercedes, and eliminate anything that Mondego would be jealous of. The reason why he is so jealous of Dantes is revealed early in the movie, when Mondego says " You're the son of a clerk, and I'm not supposed to want to be you!". One of my favorite lines in the movie.

Mercedes, while an important character, has a pretty minor role in the movie, and not a whole lot of character development ever really happens with her. She is Dantes fiance, and they plan on getting married as soon as he becomes a captain. But right as Dantes becomes a captain, he is dragged off to jail, and later told to Mercedes, that he has been put to death. Mondego turns to her as a shoulder to cry on, and they end up getting married. Which later enrages Dantes, as he adds one more name to list of people to get revenge on.

Abbe Faria ( Priest ) is found in the prison Chateau D'If, digging a tunnel through out the prison, trying to reach the outer wall. He stumbles upon Dantes, and in return for Dantes help, he educates him as a noble. He tells Dantes about the huge treasure that is buried on Monte Cristo island.

Jacopo is found after the escape from the prison. Dantes had his life spared, and in return for what Dantes did for him, he acts as his personal body guard. Protecting him from any harm, from other people and even himself. He also acts as a small comic relief at times.

Villefort is the magistrate that has Dantes thrown in jail, even after it is found that he is found to be innocent. He tells that Dantes has been put to death, for unknown reasons, that is revealed in the film.

Danglars is the first mate on the trading vessel that Dantes and Mondego are working on. He acquires a grudge against Dantes when he is passed over for a promotion, and his promotion given to Dantes. He and Mondego form the plan to get Dantes thrown in jail.

Dorleac ( even though this is a small role, I felt the need to throw this character in, just because of Micheal Wincott ) is the prison warden at the Chateau D'If. This is an evil character, even though he knows that Dantes is innocent, he doesn't care. To me he was also a small comic relief.

To Sum Up The Plot-

Dantes and Mondego, try to find medical help for their captain that has become ill. They go ashore to the island of Elba ( the island that Napolean is banished to ). Once there it is found that little can be done for their captain, and they are hurried off the island, but not before Napolean gives Dantes a letter asking to deliver it to a friend, and to keep the letter private ( unknowing to Dantes that Mondego saw Napolean give him the letter). He claims the letter is innocent.

They get back to the port, and Edmund is made the new captain, an enraged Danglars and a jealous Mondego form a plot to get Dantes arrested, using the letter as reason for treason. Edmund is sent to jail, even though Villefort knows that he is innocent. He tells everyone that dantes was put to death. Soon after Mercedes marries Mondego ( out of necessity rather that want). Edmund escapes, finds the treasure, becomes the Count Of Monte Cristo, and seeks his revenge.....

Overall-

Don't rent this movie, buy it. I have never met anyone that has not liked this movie. Amazing story of revenge and betrayal, incredible acting. The story line all comes together at the end and leaves no holes to wonder about. It has it slow moments, but trust me, the book moves much slower, and is a little different than this version of the movie. And the slow moments still kept my attention.