The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

SCRIBE'S WHO ARE DEM CHARACTERS S'POSED TO BE? REVIEW:

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is an interesting failed experiment whose failure is not so much in the film itself as in its attempt to connect with a modern-day audience that probably had no idea who the literary figures that made up its cast list were.

It’s a sad state of affairs to admit that but the average moviegoer isn’t a reader nor are they interested in Dorian Grey or Captain Nemo. However, the filmmakers wisely added lots of spectacle to compensate, no doubt one of many reasons League comic book creator Alan Moore refuses to allow his name on films made from his work.

The film is surprisingly entertaining. Once the “wow” factor dies down from seeing all the well-known (to some) literary figures, the action can commence. This is another one of those steampunk tales where technology similar to what we have now is secretly being developed with existing machinery of the time.

Sean Connery makes a great aging Alan Quatermain in what may well turn out to be his final on-screen appearance. Many fans of the comic series objected to the inclusion of Tom Sawyer as a move that panders to American audiences. Truthfully, it makes little sense in the context of the story, especially when we find out he’s a secret agent, but his presence is effective enough.

The plot is intelligent and the action clips long without any significant lulls. Sadly, the film did not perform to expected box office results, so it joins films like The Shadow as a great start to a series that never happened.

*** out of *****

GREEN'S "INDESTRUCTIBLE...NO, JUST ARMOR PLATED" REVIEW:

Legendary adventurer Allan Quatermain (Sir Sean Connery) has been lured out of retirement to lead a ragtag group of literary "heroes" to save Queen and Country from the forces of evil brewing in Europe, circa 1899. The evil comes from 'The Fantom' a mysterious figure whose goal is Armageddon and world domination. A secret meeting of world leaders is to take place in Venice, Italy, one in which our heroes believe the Fantom will try and disrupt. Problem is they don't know what his ultimate goal is and what it is may surprise you.

Okay, enough synopsis stuff.

This is one of the many DVD's that I found several years ago in the $5 bin and bought solely based on the reputation of Sir Sean himself. Yet it is one that I had never gotten around to watching - but wanted to - which is why I suggested it for the return of Scribe to this here blog, your favorite source for movie reviews!

I'm not big into graphic novels, so obviously missed reading that on which this movie is based, so I can't say how much the movie veers from the source material. Even so I found this movie to be entertaining and interesting, though I think too much time was spent at the beginning of the film about the gathering of the League that could have been better used in detailing more of the bad guy's evil schemes. However, as Scribe points out, that may have been necessary to introduce the literary figures to today's dumbed down audiences.

Stephen Norrington's directorial efforts are few and far between but was chosen to helm this film based on his work on Blade, which I can't find fault with.

Aside from Connery, who turns 80 later this year, and perhaps Peta Wilson who was a year or so removed from a successful five year run on the television show La Femme Nikita, the rest of the cast has no major stars in it but still is a talented group of up and comings. The inclusion of Tom Sawyer probably was to appease American audiences and supposedly passes the torch from the 19^th century's greatest adventurer to the 20^th century's next great adventurer but I'm not sold on it.

I think the costumes and sets were well done, though I must say that Sir Sean looked an awful lot like one Henry Jones, Jr. of another film series in his garb.

The extras on the DVD are excellent and take you through costuming, location, make-up and special effects and are very informative. It's extras like these that help me to feel better about a movie that I'm not quite sure what to make of. (That's where the ½ star comes from.)

***½ out of *****

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003, PG-13, 110 minutes) starring Sean Connery, Naseeruddin Shah, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend, Shane West, Jason Flemyng and Richard Roxburgh. The screenplay was written by James Robinson (based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill) and directed by Stephen Norrington.