Release Date:
07/11/2003
When we think summer blockbuster, Victorian-era literary figures arent first to spring to mind. But for those of you clad like Harry Potter and often threatened by jocks, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen portended (comic)bookworm heaven. Unfortunately, League falls right in between a quirky action-adventure and a bland blast-em-up resulting in a forgettable summer fling.
At the turn of the century, a diabolical oppressor known as the Fantom plans to distribute a deadly new form of weaponry to take over the world. (Muhhaahhhaahhaaa. Muhhaahhhaahhaa.) Once the League assembles, led by Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery), they head out to the Fantoms home base in Venice, Italy, to put a stop to his diabolical laughing (see above). This is where the quirky superheroes come in, with characters like vampiress Mina Harker (Peta Wilson), the invisible Rodney Skinner (Tony Curran), the immortal Dorian Gray (Stuart Townsend), the Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk wanna-be Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (Jason Flemyng), and the erm, captain, Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah). Once the band blend their mysteriously dorky powers, theyre prepared to right the wrongs of the Fantoms new weapons of mass destructionuntil they realize theyve all been drawn to his lair for an entirely different reason. After this plodding exposition, the nonsensical battles kick off, but its hard to distinguish them from any of this summers earlier blam-a-thons. Why the elaborate setup for such an ordinary action flick? Further proof that nothing good will ever come from classic literature.
At the turn of the century, a diabolical oppressor known as the Fantom plans to distribute a deadly new form of weaponry to take over the world. (Muhhaahhhaahhaaa. Muhhaahhhaahhaa.) Once the League assembles, led by Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery), they head out to the Fantoms home base in Venice, Italy, to put a stop to his diabolical laughing (see above). This is where the quirky superheroes come in, with characters like vampiress Mina Harker (Peta Wilson), the invisible Rodney Skinner (Tony Curran), the immortal Dorian Gray (Stuart Townsend), the Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk wanna-be Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (Jason Flemyng), and the erm, captain, Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah). Once the band blend their mysteriously dorky powers, theyre prepared to right the wrongs of the Fantoms new weapons of mass destructionuntil they realize theyve all been drawn to his lair for an entirely different reason. After this plodding exposition, the nonsensical battles kick off, but its hard to distinguish them from any of this summers earlier blam-a-thons. Why the elaborate setup for such an ordinary action flick? Further proof that nothing good will ever come from classic literature.