Henry Cavill‘s name has become synonymous with plenty of roles over the years. The most notable would be Superman in the DC Extended Universe and Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, as well as a surpisingly sinister turn in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. He also crossed swords with a pre-Daredevil Charlie Cox in Stardust and is set to bring the story of the first ever special forces mission to life in Guy Ritchie‘s upcoming action romp The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Long before that, Cavill had a small but pivotal role in an adaptation of one of the most underrated literary adaptations put to screen: The Count of Monte Cristo.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

The British military recruits a small group of highly-skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.

Release Date

April 19, 2024

Writers

Guy Ritchie , Paul Tamasy , Eric Johnson , Arash Amel

Studio(s)

Black Bear , Toff Guy Films , Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Distributor(s)

Lionsgate

‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ Is a Timeless Tale of Revenge

Based on the novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo centers on Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviziel), who is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Edmond breaks out of jail and seeks revenge on those who framed him, including his former friend Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce). Fernand is married to Edmond’s lover, Mercedes (Dagmara Domińczyk), whom he had lusted after and the two have a son named Albert (Henry Cavill). Part of Edmond’s scheme involves staging Albert’s kidnapping, after which he steps in to save the boy.

Dumas was also famous for writing another novel, The Three Musketeers, which saw more than its fair share of adaptations over the years. Musketeers and Monte Cristo also share a fair amount of swashbuckling action throughout their respective stories, along with ties to French history and customs. But what makes Monte Cristo a compelling tale is the tragedy at the center of it. Edmond not only lost Mercedes to Fernand, but his father ends up killing himself after learning of Edmond’s imprisonment. Director Kevin Reynolds embraces this tragic element. This is most prominent in the sequence where Edmond and his newfound companion, Jacopo (Luis Guzman), find a treasure trove that Edmond was entrusted with. When Jacopo asks what he plans to do with the treasure, Edmond says it’s but a means to an end. He says this rather quietly, but there is a fire smoldering in his eyes — a righteous fury that wins over the audience and keeps them invested in Edmond as he navigates high society and crosses swords with his foes.

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Henry Cavill Turns Out To Be the Best Part of ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’

While The Count of Monte Cristo features a talented cast, Henry Cavill is the standout. Part of this is due to the character he plays; while most of the adults in The Count of Monte Cristo are plotting against each other for their own gain, Albert is open and honest, not to mention fiercely loyal to the people he loves. When Edmond finally confronts Fernand, Albert is willing to pick up a sword to defend his father. The climax is where the biggest secret of all is revealed: Albert is actually Edmond’s son. Mercedes was pregnant with him before Edmond was arrested. This revelation adds weight to an already emotionally charged scene, especially when Edmond and Albert cradle a wounded Mercedes.

Cavill’s performance as Albert is understated while being emotional. It’s a trait that’s played across all of his characters: Superman tends to be fairly level-headed until the people he loves are put in danger, and Geralt of Rivia is a man of few words. Cavill has even returned to the world of period pieces with the Enola Holmes franchise, where he plays the famous detective Sherlock Holmes — brother of Millie Bobby Brown‘s titular sleuth. In the films, he manages to capture Holmes’ methodical behavior without lacking a distinct warmth for his sister that’s missing in the other versions of the character.

The Count of Monte Cristo is worth a watch, both for how it manages to adapt a classic novel about revenge and how it showcases Henry Cavill’s talents. With Cavill being attached to projects including an upcoming adaptation of the Warhammer 40,000 adaptation and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Monte Cristo is a nice look back at where Cavill began.

The Count of Monte Cristo is available to rent from Amazon Prime in the U.S.

Rent on Amazon Prime