33/40
Featured in La grande semaine: Episode #113 (2024)
Story
After escaping from an island prison where he spent 14 years after being wrongly accused of treason, Edmond Dantès returns as the Count of Monte Cristo to take revenge on the people who betrayed him. With an estimated budget of 42.9 million euros, The Count of Monte Cristo is the most expensive French film of 2024. When Albert watches Hyde sing and play the guitar, it is very obvious that he is not even touching the strings half the time. It is difficult not to notice that modern adaptations of classic works often sacrifice depth and complexity for the sake of fast pace and entertainment. Because of this, the special atmosphere and emotional depth inherent in the original texts are often lost.
But it is precisely these details that make the work alive and truly unforgettable
"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas is not just a twisted tale of revenge with many bright twists, it is a reflection on life and the way a person is changed by circumstances and their own decisions. Alas, the new film adaptation, and it, of course, in my opinion, coped with the task of conveying this transformation – satisfactorily, but no more, leaving the characters at a simple and understandable level of archetypes. Expectations did not arise from an empty place, because many read this fascinating tragedy of revenge and hoped to see the development and deepening of the characters at the level of the original source. At the same time, the audience was offered a set of events that unfold too quickly, as on a fast cinema highway. Deep emotions, nuances of character, dramatic internal conflicts – all this was clearly not enough.
But I expected more and I am a little disappointed
Yes, without a doubt, a thousand pages of a novel cannot be transferred to one film, but this is the power of creativity – the ability to bring images to life and provide empathy to the viewer. The film has all this, but dosed, within the framework of the standard form of a monosyllabic depiction. The film is not bad, but to spoil Dumas means to be completely incompetent, and, to my joy, I cannot blame anyone for that. The entire film was shot with a 24 mm wide-angle lens, and it was unnecessary: there are clearly not enough close-ups, especially when the actors play well. Despite decent acting, the characters seem unspoken and aimless, reduced to simplified and stripped-down images.
Perhaps this is a sign of the times
While watching, I hoped to see a philosophical rethinking or depth of thought in the scene with "Abbé Faria", but, unfortunately, only the Soviet painting by Georgy Jungwald-Khilkevich with Alexei Petrenko as the Abbot managed to prepare the viewer, lay the foundation for the climax, make him understand the suffering of the prisoner and grasp the main question: "What are you going to do? Will you spend your life, for revenge or for good?" . After this episode, it became clear that the story would very quickly slip through the pages of a refractory manuscript, and so it turned out. The connection with the era and with the literary echoes of the past that give the original a special charm and indescribable integrity has disappeared. Modern technology allows you to create impressive visual effects, but no technique can replace the power of the story, the ability to convey mood and invite the viewer to a deep understanding of life.
One thing is certain: adapting a classic is always a challenge that requires incredible skill and understanding of the text
This is a difficult task and, unfortunately, not everyone can overcome this path, but the task is well done, although the residue of disappointment remains.
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