Once Dantès’s daft, years-in-the-making prison break gets under way, however, it’s off to the races, as the film breathlessly fills its three hours with so much domino-stacked incident that we scarcely have a moment to think about it.

This film is a modern incarnation of an old-fashioned spectacular. It’s an absolute pleasure to watch.

It zips by, like back-to-back episodes of prestige television. Thrilling the whole way through.

Overall, The Count of Monte Cristo is a wonderful film that can appeal to both audiences who are familiar with Dumas’ novel as well as with those who are not and are discovering this timeless story for the very first time.