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The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
2003
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 .. Read more
| Starring | Sean Connery, Peta Wilson, Stuart Townsend, Shane West |
|---|---|
| Director | Stephen Norrington |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
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The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
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.
Working with material from comic book veteran Alan Moore (who also penned FROM HELL), director Norrington (BLADE) draws on some interesting traits and legends from his characters, such as Dorian Gray's painting and Dr. Jekyll's potion. Making sure each member is far from infallible, Norrington paints a sympathetic portrait of flawed heroes battling against the odds, with some spectacular action sequences, and humorous asides.
| Starring | Sean Connery, Peta Wilson, Stuart Townsend, Shane West, Jason Flemyng, Richard Roxburgh, Tony Curran |
|---|---|
| Director | Stephen Norrington |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 46 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 46 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Released | DVD: 16 Feb 2004 Blu-ray: 28 Mar 2007 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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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.
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It's such an intriguing premise: comic book artist Alan Moore imagined that seven Victorian fictional figures - Allan... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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39 out of 48 people found this review helpful
Surprisingly enjoyable rubbish
You know, I should have hated this: predictable plot, check; one dimensional characters, check; too many characters, check; annoying token american, check; over reliance on CGI, check. However, with a pizza on my lap and a beer in my hand, I really warmed to this overblown mess of a movie. Perhaps it was Connery, sly old dog that he is, drawing me in against my better critical intentions; or the sheer naive scale of the thing (that 'ship' steaming through Venice!!) but I gotta hold up my remote and admit a guilty fondness for this film. Hey, we all gotta have a quality cinematic bypass at some time.
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Extraordinarily good - despite what some of the critics said!
I read the graphic novels - these were good (if you haven't read them I recommend that you do). I read the film critics reviews - these were bad. It was therefore with some surprise that when I watched the film I found it to be rather good.
Yes, it doesn't follow the storylines from the graphic novels - 'boos' from the fanboys no doubt. But the resulting plot was, whilst not groundbreaking, engaging and kept the action coming thick and fast. For a film of this genre it performed well - especially given the lacklustre offerings we are often given when comics are transferred to the screen.
The special effects came in for a bit of a savaging in many of the reviews I read. These were completely unfounded. The effects were well implemented and convincing.
Problems - maybe tried to include too many characters, which hampered development of backstories - only Quartermain gets fleshed out to any real degree.
DVD features-wise, personally I would have liked a director commentary (the producers and some of the cast have a go in his place).
Count Daddy's final thought: One of those films that's great for Christmas Day that everyone in the family will get something out of. -
News and features
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Connery to receive European honour
- 13 Sep 2005
Sir Sean Connery is to be honoured by the European Film Academy with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Connery will collect his award at the European Film Awards, which are due to take place on December 3rd in Berlin. In a statement, the European Film Academy said: "It is a great pleasure for the European Film Academy to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Sean Connery for this impressive dedication to the world of film. "Sir Sean Connery has not only famously embodied the... Read more
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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 (... -
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The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
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 ...
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