Movie Plot – The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: In an alternate Victorian-era world, a group of famous contemporary fantasy, science fiction and adventure characters work together on a secret mission.

Director: Stephen Norrington
Writers: Alan Moore, Kevin O’Neill, James Robinson
Cast: Sean Connery, Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Naseeruddin Shah, Richard Roxburgh, Shane West

In 1899 a new league was formed

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is set in 1899. The world is in turmoil as an international supervillain named The Phantom attacks across Europe, kidnapping scientists and robbing national banks, using unprecedentedly advanced weaponry like tanks and rocket launchers. Several countries accuse each other of being behind the attacks and threaten to declare war on each other. To prevent that and to stop The Phantom, a company is assembled of extraordinary individuals.

These superheroes are the immortal dandy Dorian Gray, the invisible thief Skinner, the Vampirella Mina Harker, the brilliant and fabulously wealthy Captain Nemo, who has his own army, Dr. Jekyll (and his monstrous alter ego Mr. Hyde), the American secret agent Tom Sawyer, and last but not least the adventurer Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery). Quatermain, a cross between Indiana Jones and Indy’s father, is recruited in Africa and called to London by someone who calls himself M.

M unites him with the rest of the League and sets them a mission: to find The Phantom and stop him before he can sabotage a conference of government leaders in Venice, sparking a war of unprecedented proportions.

One big mess

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is unfortunately a big mess. Sean Connery, thankfully, does not disappoint as the pragmatic, experienced Quatermain and is still energetic enough to convincingly fist bump villains. The rest really couldn’t captivate me much. That’s because there is too little time to give everyone good character development. This should have been a mini-series instead of a movie.

Quatermain takes charge of the party, and in Nemo’s famous submarine the Nautilus (a giant, brilliantly designed fantasy vehicle), they set off for Venice. In the nick of time, they manage to save the city from total ruin, in a somewhat obscure scene that seems mainly intended to have Tom Sawyer tear through the city in a big white car, so he can prove his value to the League. But only after that do The Phantom’s true intentions become apparent.

Conclusion

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a bit confusing and poorly put together. This one was a missed opportunity to bring something great to the screen.

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