League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Blu-ray) (2003)

"...eye-popping effects and amazing action!  Bill Bregoli, Westwood One
"...thrill-a-minute...  Jeffrey Lyons, NBC-TV

Editor's Note 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.

	Peta Wilson
	Sean Connery
	Shane West
	Stuart Townsend
	Alan Moore - Based On Comic Books By
	Carol Spier - Production Designer
	Dan Laustsen - Cinematographer
	Don Murphy - Producer
	James Robinson - Screenplay
	Kevin O'Neill - Based On Comic Books By
	Marco Bittner Rosser, et. al. - Art Director
	Paul Rubell - Editor
	Sean Connery - Executive Producer
	Stephen Norrington - Director
	Trevor Jones - Original Music By

Variety
"..This highly elaborate venture offers some appealing elements..." 07/14/2003 p.23-32

Sight and Sound
"...Naseeruddin Shah makes a splendidly bearded Captain Nemo..." 10/10/2003 p.52-3

Uncut
"[W]hat's new is a complex BEING JOHN MALKOVICH-style plot which sees fictional Royston Vasey characters enter our world through a portal and torment their real-life creators?.APOCALYPSE still manages plenty of hilarious moments." 07/01/2005 p.130

ReelViews 7 of 10
The selling point of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - the names on the roster of that impressive-sounding institution - turns out to be little more than a gimmick. They are a varied and interesting lot, a veritable who's who of 19th century superheroes: legendary adventurer Allan Quartermain (Sean Connery); sea-farer Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah); twice-bitten Mina Harker (Peta Wilson); hide-and-seek champion Rodney Skinner (Tony Curran), also known as the Invisible Man; the ageless wonder, Dorian Gray (Stuart Townsend), who has a picture missing from his wall; a grown-up Tom Sawyer (Shane West); and the mighty morphin' Hulk of his day, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Jason Flemyng). But, as clever as the conceit may be, it can't hide a mundane storyline and a generic villain. The experience of watching this movie is a marginal and moderately disappointing one. - James Berardinelli