The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
(2003)
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Stephen Norrington's THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN begins in 1899 London where, due to some cataclysmic events in England and Germany, the world is on the brink of war. Mycroft Holmes (Richard Roxburgh) is sent by the British government to round up various figures from Victorian-era literature in an attempt to find some solution. First on the list is explorer Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery), quickly installed as leader of the ramshackle outfit. Among the plethora of mythical figures joining Quatermain are The Invisible Man, Captain Nemo, Jekyll and Hyde, Dorian Gray, and many others. Initially the League are sent to Prague to prevent a series of bombs from exploding, causing some spectacular set pieces as the merry band of rogues use all their special skills to fend off the evil forces. This is only the start of their journey however, and there are plenty of surprises for these courageous battlers, not least when they discover who is really behind all the chaos they have tried so hard to control. |
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Blade director Stephen Norrington tackles another comic-book adaptation with this ambitious take on Alan Moore's Victorian superhero fantasy. Unfolding like an X-Men in period costume, it springs from a fabulous concept, in which fictional adventurer Allan Quatermain (a charismatic Sean Connery) is teamed up with fellow 19th-century literary icons to save the world from megalomaniac madman, The Fantom. With Tom Sawyer, Captain Nemo, the vampiric Mina Harker and both Jekyll and Hyde among the League, there's no shortage of colour, and it's enjoyable watching them make use of their well known character traits in action-based scenarios. Although the special effects can be extremely ropey at times, the fast pace, quick-witted dialogue and overall spectacle help compensate for such shortcomings. Ultimately the tale is overblown nonsense, with scant regard for realism, yet it has a likeable air of insouciance and derring-do. The film may not be extraordinary, but viewed as sheer escapism, it's really rather fun.