‘The Count Of Monte-Cristo’: Cannes Review

Dirs/scr: Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre De La Patellière. France. 2024. 178mins

Every little thing about this strong and really gratifying retelling of the Alexandre Dumas traditional is epic in scale: from the lavish units and the orchestral rating to the daring performances and the hefty working time. However it’s an epic method that’s well-earned by writing and directing duo Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre De La Patellière (who collaborated on the screenplays of the current Three Musketeers movies, a equally swashbuckling Dumas adaptation). It is a devilishly good-looking old-school story of treachery and intrigue that zips by way of its almost three hours in a blur of swordplay, wonderful costumes and prosthetic rubber facial disguises.

 Reportedly the costliest French manufacturing of the yr, and each final euro finally ends up on the display

This newest model of the much-adapted story just isn’t about taking filmmaking dangers or storytelling liberties. It’s true to the spirit of the supply materials, if not totally true to the unique story; it goals for high quality over innovation in its method. Whereas it lacks a number of the sexual crackle, mischief and impressive combat choreography of the well-received Musketeers motion pictures, that are in all probability the closest comparability by way of the image’s business potential, it’s a prime tier journey film that ought to discover a receptive viewers domestically and elsewhere. Its Cannes Out Of Competitors screening is a pleasant high-profile launch for its French launch on June 28; Samuel Goldwyn Movies holds the US rights. (The Rely additionally will get one other outing this yr, in an eight half TV sequence starring Sam Claflin as Edmond and Jeremy Irons as fellow prisoner Abbé Faria.)

This movie units the motion bar excessive from the outset, with a daring sea rescue by Edmond Dante (Pierre Niney) of a younger lady, who tells him that her title is Angele, however then bids him to overlook her. Edmund’s actions see him at odds with the ship’s captain, the brutal and happy with it Danglars (Patrick Mille). Edmund is confined beneath decks, however when Danglars complains concerning the younger sailor’s reckless bravery to the ship’s proprietor, the person sacks Danglars and promotes Edmund to captain in his stead.

Together with his new standing and revenue, Edmund is lastly ready to wed the love of his life, Mercedes (Anaïs Demoustier). However on the altar, Edmund is dragged away and charged with treason. Due to the nefarious actions of three males – aggrieved former captain Danglars, Edmund’s shut buddy Fernand (Bastien Bouillon), who covets the stunning Mercedes, and the slippery prosecutor, Gerard De Villefort (Laurent Lafitte), who has his personal causes for interfering the with the case – Edmund is imprisoned with out trial in a dungeon on the fortified island jail, the Chateau D’If.

It takes fourteen years within the damp stone-walled cell, a friendship with an inspiring fellow prisoner, Abbé (Pierfrancesco Favino), a number of dishevelled beard development and a full hour of the movie’s working time earlier than Edmund manages to flee.

He returns to find that his love has married his so-called greatest buddy and that his father died of grief. He’s additionally, due to the obliging Abbé, now extraordinarily rich. “Will you do good?” asks Abbé, as he reveals the key location of untold treasures. “Or will you fill your coronary heart with hate?” Edmund opts for the chilly, calculating motivation of hate, though he prefers to think about it as justice moderately than revenge. With a pretend face and a brand new identification because the Rely of Monte-Cristo, plus two exceptionally lovely and bitter sidekicks, Andréa (Julien De Saint-Jean) and the bewitching Haydée (Anamaria Vartolomei), Edmund units out to actual retribution.

Location selections are atmospheric all through, with Edmund’s depressing cell a dramatic distinction to his later abodes: the Rely resides in an enormous ego journey of a mansion, full with domes, towers and exotically ostentatious inside decor. He even has a hid taking pictures vary behind a mechanical wooden panelled synthetic wall, a element that marks him out within the eyes of Fernand as each un homme serieux and un homme critically minted. The manufacturing design is spectacular: that is reportedly the costliest French manufacturing of the yr, and each final euro finally ends up on the display. And the rating, by  Jérôme Rebotier, matches the movie’s spectacular visible affect – it’s vivid, stirring and full-blooded; it maintains the power of the image even in its extra pensive moments. 

Each Haydée and Andréa nurture their very own grievances towards a number of of Edmund’s enemies, each are extremely invested within the downfall of the lads who harmed them. However even a decades-in-the-making and enormously well-funded plot reminiscent of Edmund’s just isn’t totally infallible as soon as passions take over. The guts needs what it needs, in any case, even when, in Haydée’s case, meaning the son of the person who betrayed and slaughtered your father after which bought you into slavery. And real love has a means of seeing previous a rubber pretend face: in her coronary heart, Mercedes is aware of that the Rely just isn’t who he claims to be. However each she and Edmund come to understand that, after a long time of struggling and a food plan of intricate, obsessive hatred, he’s now not the person she fell in love with.