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This is one of those movies where the Special Effects are the real star,
with dialogue, plot, even storyline all sacrified in the name of CGI and
loud noises.
For fully half the movie, I defy anyone to tell what's going on - it's
clear the stars have no idea. Like us, they're in it for the ride!
The selection of Victorian superheroes comes under the category of "seemed
like a good idea at the time", and the cast list was clearly the
arm-twist to get the money for the CGI.
But don't misunderstand me - I really enjoyed this movie. the special
effects are good, and some of the dialogue is inspired (though much isn't!).
I hope it does not spoil things by saying the one you thought was the
double-crosser was, not that it matters a lot.
The CGI team made a couple of whoopsies; the Nautilus was demonstarted
to be on a par with an aircraft carrier, which is impressive - but then
manages to wander beneath venice without being noticed, and manages to
follow a small sub up a long and winding river for a few score miles (Don't
try that at home!)
Mrs Harker, your friendly neighborhood Vampire, seemed added for a bit
of token beauty, but did later prove a useful addition to the team. For
some reason, the CGI team decided to bury her action scenes under a cloud
of screeching bats, for no visible reason, and at one point, she manages
to stabd in bright sunlight without comment or the smell of burning flesh.
Having taken a Dracula original character, a little respect for history
would have been sweet.
A film for those long winter nights, and watch for a sequel.
Starring:
- Sean Connery ... Allan Quatermain
- Naseeruddin Shah ... Captain Nemo
- Peta Wilson ... Mina Harker
- Tony Curran ... Rodney Skinner (The Invisible Man)
- Stuart Townsend ... Dorian Gray
- Shane West ... Tom Sawyer
- Jason Flemyng ... Dr. Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde
- Richard Roxburgh ... M
- Director: Stephen Norrington
- Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Video
DVD Release Date: December 16, 2003
DVD Features:
- Commentary by producers Don Murphy and Trevor Albert and actors Shane
West, Jason Flemyng, and Tony Curran
- Commentary by costume designer Jacqueline West, make-up effects supervisor
Steve Johnson, visual effects supervisor John E. Sullivan, and miniatures
creators Matthew Gratzne.
- "Assembling the League": a six-part behind-the-scenes documentary
- 12 deleted and extended scenes
- Widescreen anamorphic format (also available full screen).
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