Count of Monte Cristo

I got two copies of the 2002 version of The Count of Monte Cristo starring James Caviezel, from Netflix.  They were both in pristine condition.  They both stopped playing after the second splash? screen (less than a minute).  Research on the net found others with the same problem.  Some said it was because it was from the wrong region.  I thought I had a region-free player but maybe not.  I got a Sony because of SACD.  It is a Sony-BDP-S480.  Firmware updated about six months ago.  It is the first Blu-ray that has not played on this player.  Anyone else have this problem?