The Count of Monte Cristo review – highly enjoyable French costume spectacle

The directors of this big, lusty French costume drama, Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, previously shared the writing credits on another swaggering, swashbuckling Alexandre Dumas adaptation – the first and second instalments of The Three Musketeers. And this should give you some idea of what to expect from this boisterous and very enjoyable epic. While The Count of Monte Cristo lacks the bromantic comic flair of The Three Musketeers (it’s a tale of bitter betrayal and revenge, after all, rather than the shit-faced sword-brandishing and banter favoured by D’Artagnan and co), it’s directed with verve and acted with gusto.

This old-fashioned, big-budget spectacle follows the brilliant, driven Edmond Dantès (Pierre Niney), AKA the eponymous count, on his quest for retribution against those who wronged him on the day of his wedding to the lovely Mercédès (Anaïs Demoustier).

• In UK and Irish cinemas