The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen [2003]

The mother-load of all versus movies, you know the type: Frankenstein vs. Dracula and all the others (I do not know if you heard but there is a movie called Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, and yeah it’s a Japanese production). This time they gathered all the monsters that appeared throughout the centuries and united them to fight against evil. Great production values and amazing special effects are trademarks of this great movie. However, LXG was panned by both critics and viewers, apparently not ready for what they were about to witness.

I just had to revisit this review after the comic books adaptations have taken over the world. People complained about the unrealistic plot and technology, but they loved fucking Transformers and Avengers featuring similar stories. In the year of our Lord Satan 1999, Wild Wild West was released, jump-starting the whole steampunk in movies thing. As you probably know, in the next ten years, this genre exploded. Not so much in cinema, but in general culture. Starring Sean Connery and Peta Wilson, most of the $78 million went towards the visuals. Featuring some rather impressive scenes set all over and under the world, LXG was a herald of a new age. Popular fictional characters, huge scenes heavy on the CGI and the threat of global annihilation are now a proven recipe for success.

On the brink of the new century, in the year 1899, a terrorist group called Fantom decides to shake things up a bit. They rob the bank of England and kidnap a German scientist, signaling they are up to no good. Soon, powers that be decide to form a team comprised of experienced individuals with extraordinary skills in order to tackle this global threat. The first is to be enlisted is none other than Allan Quatermain! And Captian Nemo and his submarine Nautilus will soon follow with the others…

So, if you’re up for an adventure, you should check out LXG. It has a certain charm, now that the years have passed, especially if you consider that this was Sean Connery’s last role before retirement.

Director: Stephen Norrington

Cast: Sean Connery, Peta Wilson, Stuart Townsend, Tony Curran, Richard Roxburgh, Tom Goodman-Hill

Fun Facts: Sean Connery was offered roles in The Matrix (1999) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), but said he didn’t understand the scripts. So when offered another screenplay he didn’t quite get, (LXG) he took it.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311429/