The Count of Monte Cristo (PG-13, 2002)

common sense media says

Enjoyable swashbuckler for kids who can handle the action.


parents & educators say
  • 60% say violence is an issue
  • 40% say sexual content is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this classic story of revenge and romance is filled with swashbuckling, sometimes bloody, violence, ruthless characters, and grand heroics. The many action sequences include: sword fighting to the death; knife fights; shooting with muskets, handguns, and rifles; brutal whippings, a suicide by gunshot, an attempted hanging, kidnapping, and drowning. Several deaths take place on screen. There are a few curse words: "damn," "bastard," "whore." Two lovers kiss, embrace passionately, and are seen twice, partially clothed, lying in each other’s arms after having implied sex. Reference is made to adultery and an out-of-wedlock birth. Several scenes show the consumption of alcohol at social events and in private; one leading character frequently drinks heavily and appears drunk.

Positive messages: As Edmund Dantes seeks to exact revenge upon the three men who have destroyed a great part of his life, he slowly regains his faith and finds redemption. He learns the value of gratefulness and true justice. At the same time, the audience will cheer when the villains get what's coming to them.
Positive role models: The hero begins as a trusting, good-hearted innocent, becomes vengeful and unforgiving, and finally, matures into a brave, inspiring, and wise man. He learns that perseverance, courage, and compassion triumph over anger and self-pity. In most instances, public officials and the aristocracy are portrayed as corrupt and selfish.
Violence: Lots of sword fighting, other bloody battles (knife, fists, guns), narrow escapes, and violent death. Characters are killed by: gunshot at close range, drowning, impalement, suicide, a tunnel collapse, and a stabbing. Less fatal activities include kidnapping, lashing with a whip, being thrown from a cliff, an attempted hanging, and lots of gunfire.
Sex: Sexual activity is limited to kissing and embracing. The lovers are seen in each other's arms after implied sex, shoulders bare. The film's chief villain is known to be an unrepentant, serial philanderer. A baby is conceived out-of-wedlock.
Language: Minimal swearing: "damn," "bastard," and "whore.”"
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Wine and alcohol are served at dinner and on other social occasions. The chief villain is a heavy drinker who gets drunk in a number of scenes.

More on The Count of Monte Cristo

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the amount of violence in this movie. Did it include the right amount to be a proper swashbuckler, or did it go overboard? How do you feel after watching action-oriented violence?

  • Are you familiar with the book that inspired this movie? Do you know of any other stories that were inspired by it?

What's the story?

What's the story?

In this adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel, James Caviezel plays Edmund Dantes, an honest sailor who has a devoted girlfriend named Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk) and a lifelong friend, Fernand. When he is promoted to captain and can afford to marry Mercedes, he thinks all of his dreams have come true. But Fernand, overcome with jealousy, betrays Edmund, and Villefort (James Frain), a corrupt magistrate, sentences him to life imprisonment. His friends and family are told that he has been executed. After years of brutal abuse, Edmund meets another prisoner (Richard Harris), who teaches him to read and swordfight. They plan an escape, but his friend dies, and Edmund escapes alone, with a map showing the location of a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. He meets up with pirates and ultimately finds the treasure, enabling him to return in a new persona, the Count of Monte Cristo, where he will prove that "revenge is a dish that is best eaten cold."

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Two things that almost always capture our attention in movies are watching someone learning something and watching someone getting revenge. Both are in THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO in abundance, and once again, in this 15th filmed version of the Alexandre Dumas novel, this most resilient of stories has been made into another thoroughly enjoyable movie.

The script falters, with some clunky dialogue and a Hollywood-ized ending that Dumas fans will find overly convenient. But the performances (especially Pearce, descending from pettiness to decadence and complete corruption), the swordplay, the splendor, and the story, featuring what is probably literature's all-time best revenge fantasy are old-time-movie satisfying and lots of fun.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Cast: Guy Pearce, James Caviezel, Luis Guzman
Genre: Drama
Run time: 131 minutes
Theatrical release: January 25, 2002
DVD release: September 10, 2002
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: violence, peril, and sexual situation

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

14
Based on 5 parent & educator reviews:
  • 60% say violence is an issue
  • 40% say sexual content is an issue
  • 40% say there are positive messages

Most useful reviews by all members

ILuvCats
teen, 13 years old
 
Awesome movie!
This is one of my very favorite movies! Its very unique. Some people might get mad and not like the movie because its not very true to the book. I've read the book so i know. But its still an awesome movie! Great actors, wonderful scenery, and awesome script! Sex- very mild. Its easy to skip. No nudity is shown. Language- 2 b@st@rds, 1 d@mn, 1 w-word, a few Oh my Gods Violence- The movie opens with a battle where people are shot and stabbed (no blood or wounds seen), A man's body is shown soon after death,A man is numerously wounded several times with a sword (some blood), A man in prison is whipped. He then tries to hang himself, A man dies after he is crushed in a cave-in. We see his body soon after death, A man kills another man by drowning him, A knife fight starts, but no one is hurt, A man hangs another man with a nautical rope, but suggests other to "cut him down before he can't speak.", A man duels with another man whom he stabs through the heart (some blood). A man is shown shooting on old man; when the man falls against a wall, a blood streak is shown. A teenage boy is threatened by bandits with having his finger cut off. A man tries to commit suicide by shooting himself in the mouth, but finds the gun is not loaded. A man shoots a woman in the shoulder (some blood). Two men first duel, then fistfight. One hits the other in the head with a stone. One stabs the other through the chest. The blade is shown sticking out the other side as he dies (some blood).

georges113
parent of 11 year old
 
12-13 years old and up.. WATCH IT !!!
One of the best movies i've ever watched i recommend it in order to enjoy the movie and understand it for teens 12-13 years old and up... smaller teens might find it violent and too complicated to understand... there's also mild sexual situations... not recommended for an under 12 to see it... one of the best movies ever... hope they make someday something similar... NOT TO MISS

coacoa&ginger
kid, 12 years old
 
Great movie,but...
This is a great movie but, there are a couple of scenes when Edmond is in chato d'if (don't know how to spell chato) that you can see blood on his back from being beaten.Also Fernand is drunk in several scenes. At one point you can see Edmond and Mercdenes have sextuel intercrouse (you can only see the're heads but it's pretty obvious what they are doing) overall this is a good movie and i saw it in grande 7 english class so it can't be that inappropriate.

 
Awesome movie
I love this movie! it is my all time favorite. there are two scenes that are a little iffy but it is worth watching! Love It!

 
Amazing movie, but be sure to explain the whole revenge thing to your kids. In this film it's portrayed as something you should do, and kids could get in trouble following that. Also, it's fairly graphic as far as torture scenes, but an enjoyable movie for adults.

 
Great family adventure
My whole mission as the resident movie dad in our household is to find movies that everyone, from 8 year olds to teens to the grownups, can and will happily watch as a group. As any parents dealing with this age-range issue knows, it's mighty hard ot do this. This film is a great example of a winner in this category. Well written and acted, it's a supremely engaging adventure tale that my teens really liked and my youngest didn't get too scared by. The only caution for younger kids is the harrowing premise of a guy being sent to a horrible prison to die for something he didn't do, it works from start to finish. I highly recommend this as a great family movie selection.

garfield2710
teen, 17 years old
 
Great Movie but pretty Violent.
This movie was as good as the book but there is a lot of violence, a sexual situation and a refernce to unmarried couples making love. Kids my age (12) and up could see this movie.

TripleR
teen, 17 years old
 
My Favorite Movie!!!
The Count of Monte Cristo is a story about a young sailor, Edmund, who's best friend, Fernand, turns against him and betrays him out of jealousy. Fernand has him arrested for treason and sent to Chateau D'If a prison/dungeon on an island with no hope of ever escaping. For years Edmund is tortured and plots his revenge though the only thing he's good at is sailing. Then an old man digs up into his cell and together they dig towards freedom while the old man teaches Edmund how to fight and educates him. Edmund escapes and finds the old man's treasure and becomes the Count of Monte Cristo. From then on he paces his revenge on those who had betrayed him. Now if I remember right there was 2 "bedroom" scenes with Edmund and his girl, Mercedes. They do commit adultry and I just hate that about this movie!!! They also were "together" before they were to be married. Mercedes wears low cut dresses. Can't remember if there's any language. There's plenty of violence so if you have issues with that then be careful. Another thing is that God says He will be our revenge but Edmund takes things into his own hands. Might want to talk to your kids about that. But other than all of that, it's a fantastic movie - funny too - that is worth seeing again and again and again! :D

Cotty
teen, 15 years old
 
Poor to rich
If you love movies were the good guy prevails you will love this movie. It will hold you captivated through the entire thing. It shows a man who loses everything - even his faith in God, who escapes prison, becomes rich, gets is revenge, and gets the girl that had held his heart for the past sixteen years, and in the end- finds God, you will love it! It is a MUST SEE! " God will give me Justice"-the inscription on the wall of his cell.

 
This is still my favorite movie.
The way this movie was made is extraordinary. It is exciting, dramatic, and engaging. If there is one movie I cannot live without, it would be this one.

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