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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

To prevent a world war from breaking out, famous characters from Victorian literature band together to do battle against a cunning villain.

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Directed by Stephen Norrington

Cast

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Crew

Director
  • Stephen Norrington
Producer
  • Trevor Albert
  • Don Murphy

Reviews

Anton2k
10/10

This movie was amazing! Went to see it at the cinema when it first got released back in 2003. For the time the special effects in this movie are mind blowing. A must watch in my opinion.

Aug 4, 2012

r96sk
8/10

Enjoyed it.

<em>'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'</em> does nothing all that extraordinary but produces a fun time nevertheless. Great cast, fast paced plot and entertaining action. The ending slightly underwhelms, but I still found myself satisfied with it. The special effects are good, it's only "The Nautilus" that looks less than so.

Sean Connery does carry the film as Quatermain, he's terrific throughout - really enjoyed the way his character carries himself. I liked Tony Curran's Skinner too. I actually rate all the characters to be honest, with Jason Flemyng (Jekyll/Hyde) and Stuart Townsend (Gray) being my picks of the rest.

Merits a watch, even if Connery didn't remember it all that fondly.

Nov 22, 2020

CinemaSerf
5/10

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Jun 7, 2022

Filipe Manuel Neto
3/10

**It works as a piece of entertainment, if we don't think too much about it. But it is, in fact, a film full of problems.**

I just saw this movie right now. I've always heard a lot of bad things about him, but now, after seeing him, I wonder what really went wrong here. The film, to be quite honest, is good enough to meet my expectations (even though they were quite low, I confess), and it seemed to me to be a quite acceptable piece of entertainment, if we don't think about it too much and forget the graphic novel by Alan Moore. It's an adventure film, which easily captivates those who like this style and which gives us good action scenes, with characters we know and which is full of that unmistakable Victorian charm that is still in fashion today. After all, what the hell happened here for this film to be such a resounding failure?

Let's start by talking a little about the script, which brings together bizarre characters from various literary works from the same period: Tom Sawyer, Alain Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Dr. Jeckill/Mr. Hyde, Mrs. Mina Harker, the Invisible Man (who for rights reasons had to change his name in this film), Dorian Gray and James Moriarty, to name a few. Literature connoisseurs have already realized that the amalgamation of different characters from different books and authors has a lot of potential, it could create a kind of “19th century Avengers”. The problem is that the potential was lost when the screenwriters ignored the stories of these characters and created “action figures” with the same name and some similarity. There is mutual distrust, attempts to bring some depth to the film, but in general, the story is shallow and bloated.

Throughout the film, we observe that there is no concern about precisely recreating the Victorian environment. In fact, the film is a kind of alternative history where we even see the use of technologies that only appeared long after 1900, such as sonar, radar and automobiles with automatic gearboxes. This “salad” increases the level of special and visual effects and also the creative breadth of the producers, but I don't know to what extent the public accepted it. In addition to these problems, we still have logic holes in the plot and dialogues that couldn't be more cheesy and poorly written.

Directed by Stephen Norrington, the film seems to have had no director at the helm: we can see the technical ineptitude, the disregard for key points of the project and the director's obsession with Victorian aesthetics, action scenes and CGI (the only really good things the film has to give us). In fact, the visual aspects are incredibly crafted, and we can see this in the elaborate decoration of the Nautilus, the recreation of Venice and even Mina's very elegant dresses. The action scenes are immersive, at the level of a blockbuster, and the cinematography and effects are very good. The editing, on the other hand, already fails in several moments, giving the film an uneven rhythm, which accelerates in the action sequences and dies soon after.

As for the cast, what can we say? Sir Sean Connery, despite the terrible working relationship with the director and deep dissatisfaction with the entire project, did a job well done and left the cinema with a bitter taste in his mouth, but his duty done (this was his last film). Peta Wilson and Stuart Townsend do a decent job, but with little soul. Naseeruddin Shah ignores the entire tragic depth of his character and is just a “gadget king” with a solution for everything. Jason Flemyng lives in a love-hate relationship with his fictional alter-ego that makes no sense at the end of the film, and Tony Curran and Shane West seem to have been highly underutilized. And what about Richard Roxburgh? It must have been one of the worst versions of a villain I've ever seen: a barrage of clichés and arrogance don't make a villain, they just make an idiot.

Jun 2, 2024

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Thematic Analysis

This high-octane Fantasy/Action/Thriller/Science Fiction film balances spectacular sequences with character-driven moments. Unlike many films in the genre, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen distinguishes itself through a unique visual style and creative action choreography.

Director Stephen Norrington brings their distinctive visual style to this film, continuing their exploration of themes seen in their previous works while adding new elements. Their approach to pacing and visual storytelling creates a viewing experience that rewards close attention.

Released in 2003, the film exists within a cultural context that continues to evolve with our understanding of its themes. Its reception demonstrates the diverse reactions to its artistic choices and its place in cinema history.

Did You Know?

  • The production of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen took approximately 32 months from pre-production to final cut.
  • With a budget of $78.0 million, the film proved to be a financial success, earning back its investment and more.
  • The final cut of the film runs for 110 minutes, though the director's initial assembly was reportedly 165 minutes long.
  • The director insisted on using practical effects whenever possible, reserving CGI for only the most necessary scenes.
  • The musical score contains over 70 unique compositions.
  • Several scenes were filmed in multiple locations to capture the perfect setting.

Historical Context

  • In 2003, when this film is released:
  • Environmental concerns were becoming more mainstream.
  • Social media platforms were beginning to transform communication.
  • Digital filmmaking technologies were transforming production processes and creating new opportunities.

How This Film Stands Out

While The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen shares thematic elements with other films in its genre, it distinguishes itself through its unique approach to storytelling, visual style, and character development.

Unlike The Fantastic Four, which takes a more conventional approach to its subject matter, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen offers a fresh perspective through its innovative visual language and narrative structure.

While films like Alien Hunter and Blood and Bone explore similar territory, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen stands apart through its deeper exploration of its central themes and more complex characterization.

This film's unique contribution to cinema lies in its bold artistic choices and willingness to challenge viewer expectations, making it a valuable addition to its genre.

Details

  • Release Date: July 11, 2003
  • Runtime: 1h 50m
  • Budget: $78,000,000
  • Revenue: $179,265,204