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In
an alternate universe, Victorian England and the world is on the
verge of war in 1899. Evil forces led by someone known as The
Phantom who unbeknownst to the nations of the world is playing them
against each other in an effort to bolster weapons sales thus making
him rich and powerful.
With
England and the world in peril, a mysterious figure known as M
(Richard Roxburgh), summons a team of talented individuals to save
England and the world. The team is led by Allan Quartermain (Sean
Connery), who is reluctantly drawn back into action after tragic
events have left him bitter about his past adventures and service to
England. Joining Quartermain is a motley mix of individuals with
checkered pasts and unique talents.
There is Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah), a pirate with amazing
technologies and a devoted crew at his disposal, Rodney Skinner
(Tony Curran), a petty thief who also happens to be invisible, The
immortal and flamboyant Dorian Gray (Stuart Townsend), The seductive
yet deadly vampire Mina Harker (Peta Wilson), the tormented Dr.
Jekyll (Jason Flemyng), and American secret agent Tom Sawyer (Shane
West). The group sets off for Venice to save a delegation of leaders
from attack and despite some misgivings about each other; they are
impressed about the fantastic Nautilus sub that Nemo has
constructed. It is at this point that the film takes a sharp turn
into the absurd, even by action film standards.
Events unfold in a spectacle of energy and motion yet leave all
semblance of credibility by the wayside. Take it from me, a giant
submarine could not navigate the canals of Venice, not could an
automobile drive around Venice, much less do what this one did. Now
that may seem to be nit picking but if you see the context of the
scene you would understand that it does seem rather silly, such as
henchmen lining the rooftops to prepare an attack when all the
building around them are being destroyed.
There are a few moments where the characters try to be broadened
such as Quartermain taking Sawyer under his guidance as a surrogate
for his lost son, and the tension between Gray and Harker over
unresolved issues from their past. However the film soon reverts
back to a silly popcorn adventure.
Numerous reports during the production spoke of a cast in crisis as
the shoot went on far longer than expected and that tensions on the
set were very high especially between Connery and Director Stephen
Norrington. That being said the film can be entertaining in parts.
Most people may not get all of the references to classic literary
characters that the film contains, and fans of the graphic novel
which the film is based upon may take some issue with the film
adaptation. The film will be different things to different people.
It
is very easy to note the absurdity of plot, continuity errors, and
actors that seem at times to be going trough the motions. Once can
also say it is a silly yet fun romp that is not meant to be taken
seriously. Fox is said to be in production of a sequel and that they
see “LXG" as a franchise. That being said, if you want a no-brainer
summer popcorn film then “LXG” may just be your cup of tea.
-- Gareth
Von Kallenbache
( 2 1/2 out of 4 pops )
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