This review contains a good deal of lesser spoilers. The reviewer leaves the most profound apologies for this, but it seemed impossible to present the necessary sentiments without it.--------------The year of 1796 saw the first printing of The Monk: A Romance, then signed anonymously by M.G.L., and was heralded as a great book by the newspaper critics, despite the highly controversial sentiments found therein. It is quite accurate to describe the novel as the Breaking Bad of the era, although here it is the demonical allure of lust which governs the descent of Ambrosio, the protagonist monk, from chaste to villain; from a servant of God to a lustful and violent sinner marked for permanent residency in the pit of fire.Yet, the tide of the literary criticism soon turned to infamy and few of the contemporary books set so many voices aflame in anger as The Monk did. Meanwhile the second edition had been printed, and this time Mathew G. Lewis, in pride of his work, signed not only with full name, but also his position in the House of Commons. This in turn meant he and his family would feel the full force of the public's discontent. And thus we come to an essential point in the comparison of novel and movie: Due to this discontent, Lewis decided to revise the novel, milden it to a niveau more acceptable to the public, and when the fourth print saw the light of day in 1798 it was this revised edition which was found on its pages. In short, it is important to know that there are two versions of The Monk, one highly provocative version and one very different version whose changes borders on censorship.It seems to this reviewer that the movie was based on the second and less provocative version. In fact, it seems like the movie further censors the tale, now to the point where there is not much to get upset about. Where the original tale featured nuns who torture and starve a young woman, Agnes, and her newborn child to death - and this point was hugely important to Ambrosio's fall in the book - it is reduced to a small scene of incarceration where the young woman's death is made unimportant. Where the original tale featured the monk's all-night ravishing of Antonia, a girl of fourteen which he had drugged by diabolical intervention, the movie features a version of the scene where Antonia smiles and welcomes him into the bed for a brief tryst (still under diabolical influence, mind you). Where the original tale presents Ambrosio, the monk, as having a healthy mind and his vices as being solely the work of his lusts, the movie provides him with auditory hallucinations of diabolical voices, thus insinuating that the blame must be placed on his delusional mind rather than the corruption of his soul, a point which makes his deeds more easy to swallow by today's audience. For the brevity of this review I'll stick to these examples, they provide more than sufficient evidence towards the point I try to make: Le Moine is not in any way a decent representation of what this book has meant for Gothic fiction and modern literature.Yet, this is not the reviewers most prominent issue with Le Moine. Let again an example serve as illustration: Mathilda is the temptress of the tale, who on film as well as paper serves as the one who creates the situations where Ambrosio's integrity is tested and inevitably where his desires is the victor. In the book she is eventually revealed as being a spirit in service of Lucifer himself. Now, this is a hugely important connection if one is to understand the tale, but the movie neglects this. Thus, to understand the deeds of Mathilda and why she did it, you have to read the book. Likewise it neglects to explain the importance of the aforementioned death of Agnes, as well as the murder, the incest, and several other of the misdeeds and their relation to Ambrisio's gradual perversion of his soul. To figure out why the tale works as it does, to be able to follow the red thread with all the necessary information to do so, you have to read the book. And here comes my problem: If the movie still requires people to read the book then the movie should reflect the book quite closely, but Le Moine does the exact opposite when it changes the tale into something entirely different than the tale of the book. It's not just absurd, it is pointless and renders the movie both redundant and, in this reviewer's opinion, quite annoying.This is not to say that Le Moine is without virtues. As pointed out by others, the mood is wonderful, the acting resembles perfection, and the scenery and costumes places us perfectly into the era as described by the book. In fact, the faults pointed out herein are of a kind that many would ignore for the simple enjoyment of the movie. However, if one has read the book in all it's strength and all it's intensity, then Le Moine comes across as too flat since it lacks the true brimstone of the original; and for those who want all the answers, to truly understand the movie, then it is necessary to face the confusion of reading the very different tale from the book.

This film is a very slow paced - they even walk slowly - procession of characters, some mystical, others real, but all of whom come and go without explanation or point. I assume that their characters and their reason for being in the film are better explained in french and that the English subtitles are the problem. But, as it is, subtitled, the film simply makes no sense. In the end, you just don't care. None of the unexplained characters grab you because you don't know what their purpose in the plot is. They are all dull, two dimensional and completely lacking in identifiable personality.And, when all is done and the film is concluding, is the final scene mystical or real? Thought about it for about 30 seconds and decided I didn't care. I didn't like Ambrosio - the main character - and I didn't like this movie.

Dominik Moll directs as well as adapts the screenplay alongside Anne-Louise Trividic , being adapted from Matthew G. Lewis' ,now cult , 1796 Gothic novel . The Monk traces the corruption of a 16th Century, pious Capuchin Monk . Madrid, in the seventeenth century . Abandoned at the doorstep of a monastery , a baby was taken and educated by a group of monks headed by Père Miguel (Jordi Dauder) . Left at birth at the gates of a Capuchin monastery in Madrid, Brother Ambrosio (Vincent Cassel), raised by the friars, grows up into a preacher admired far and wide for his fervor. Ambrosio is feared for his righteousness and believes he is immune from temptation - until the arrival a strange character . But Satan attempts to tempt Brother Ambrosio (Vincent Cassel) who was left on the door of a Cister Monastery . Ambrosio has been brought up by the Capucin Friars and after becoming a friar himself, he becomes an unrivaled preacher whose sermons draw crowds and earn him the admiration of all , especially a young girl named Antonia (Joséphine Japy) . Ambrosio is a monk who is sexually seduced by a sorceress , a young female named Valerio (Déborah François) in monk's robes . Admired for his extreme rigor and absolute virtue , Ambrosio is certain he is safe from any temptation . But Satan has not said his final word . As pleasures of the flesh incarnated by a young woman devoured his soul . After he has committed a crime , it appears that he will be caught by the Inquisition .This is a slow-paced , deliberate though magnetic Gothic thriller . A supernatural thriller and sincere attempt to film one of the Eighteenth Century's most readable Gothic Novels . It is a riveting film though boring , waiting to be made from The Monk the classic 18th Century Gothic novel by Matthew Lewis . Anyway, the film is interesting , thematically intriguing , and usually scathing of virtually all institutions and classes , as marvelous cinematography by Patrick Blossier , breathtaking musical score , enjoyable production design , but, for a variety of reasons, it does not quite pull as much punch as it should have . It tells of the downfall of the devout Ambrosio , excellently played by Vincent Cassel , who fulminates about sins of the flesh in hellfire and brimstone sermons only to be tempted by a emissary of the devil masquerading as a monk , a gorgeous young woman well acted by Deborah Francois . Good support cast gives right performance and full of French actors as Josephine Japi , Catherine Mouchet , Roxane Duran and Spanish players as as Jordi Dauder , Javivi and Sergio Mateu who eleven years later shooting ¨Harry , he's here to help ¨ collaborated again with director Dominik Moll in some dream scenes filmed in Almeria , Spain . And special mention the veteran Geraldine Chaplin as L'abbesse . Adequate and atmospheric set design filmed on location in Madrid , Navarra, Girona and Monatery of Santa Creus , Tarragona . Intriguing as well as evocative musical score by several times Oscar nominated Alberto Iglesias .The motion picture also called Le Moine, was professional though slowly directed by Dominik Moll . He has directed a few movies as Intimacy", "Harry, He's Here To Help" and "Lemming". ¨The Monk¨ is the third adaptation based on the classic novel , the first version was ¨The Monk¨ with Franco Nero , Nathalie Delon , Nicol Williamson directed by Ado Kyrou , including a screenplay by Luis Buñuel , subsequent remake ¨The monk¨ by Paco Lara Palop , starring Paul McGann as Father Lorenzo Rojas , Sophie Ward as Matilde Venegas , Isla Blair as Mother Agueda and Aitana Sánchez Gijin as Sister Ines .

Matthew G. Lewis wrote this cult classic THE MONK in 1796, and while it was a scandalous work at the time it has survived as a window into the depravity of certain orders of the church. It is particularly timely as a film now, released amidst the scandals of the Catholic Church. Dominick Moll transforms this story in to a film so reminiscent of 16th century Spain in deco and costumes (Maria Clara Notari and Bina Daigeler), music (Alberto Iglesias), and atmospheric cinematography (Patrick Blossier) that the few lapses the story takes form the novel simply do not detract from the visual beauty of this film.The film opens with an old beggar dropping off an infant on the church steps of a Capuchin monastery in 16th century Spain. The friars raise the child, convinced he is a miracle from the Virgin Mary and at age 18 Ambrosio (Vincent Cassell) takes the vows and becomes a sanctified Capucin monk, but not just a monk but also one blessed with righteousness and distance from temptation. Scores come to the monastery to simply see him and have him hear their confession. His beneficence to a young nun (Roxane Duran) who has become pregnant is cancelled by the abbess of the nunnery (Geraldine Chaplin) and evil begins to shroud the film. A young monk Valerio (Déborah François) is brought to the monastery masked to apparently cover the brutal burn wounds on his face, but in actuality Valerio has healing powers, is able to heal Ambrosio's frequent severe headaches, and finally reveals to Ambrosio that there is a women beneath that mask. From this point the near holy monk Ambrosio falls from grace and descends into seduction, depravity, satanic secrets and murder.Yes, there are lapses in the story that beg explanation but the atmosphere created by the cinematic team and the performances by Vincent Cassell and the rest of the cast more than make this a fine cinematic achievement. Grady Harp