The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Widescreen Edition)

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Widescreen Edition)

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Movie Reviews of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Widescreen Edition)

Movie Review: Never given a chance to shine...
Summary: 5 Stars

I am of the third school. I am a fan of Alan Moore's work, such as Watchman, From Hell and LXG. Even with my commitment to the superiority of this work over the film, which is a mere shadow, I still like this film very much.

It is intelligent enough for Victoriana lovers like me to get their full dose of wonderful literary figures and also gives the fan of the comic book a few surprises from that world, like Dorian Grey and Tom Sawyer. Sure, the purist in me would have loved to have seen the whole Invisible Man impregnanting nuns in the convent scene amongst others. Yet watching this as a separate piece away from the comic books gives me a new appreciation of it.

Maybe these changes came from wanting to make it a PG-13 film to expand the audience. My only gripe with this was that I didn't get my comic book that was supposed to be free with this DVD because the place I bought it at wouldn't distribute the comic since it contained "mature situations." Bummer. Anyhow, the changes in the movie strike me as delightful.

For example, the idea of Quartermaine being representative of Old Era Britain, giving the League over to the New Era America of Sawyer. I thought this was clever. The record scene had a great way of conveying information about the plot in a unique, but still happily Victorian way. Mina as a vampire added a fun twist to the story, though I feel this link is hinted at in the comics. Though the screenplay is not written by the creators of LXG, it is very thought out. Fans that were disappointed in this movie when it came out in the theater may want to rent the DVD to give it a second chance. I believe this movie was never given a chance to shine by many people.

Conversely, if you are not a Victorian literature fan, I wouldn't recommend the film. You will get lost. To fully get the story and the comic, you need to read books like Around the World in 80 Days, Dracula, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Murders in the Rue Morgue and other novels or at very least, have a basic understanding of those characters. When I saw this in the theatre, there was someone sitting behind me who didn't know who Tom Sawyer was, which proves our educational system is in the gutter. I personally, as a bookworm, got a perverse joy out of Mina and Dorian fighting each other, seeing past all the contradictions (well, she is out in daylight, at the end of Dracula, she doesn't turn into a vampire...didn't Dorian die at the end of his book?) and loving it for the sheer creativity of it. If you don't have the drive to want to learn about these characters, you should not waste your money and rent something like Fight Club or XXX. You will be happier and so will I. But please, don't blame the movie for your lack of knowledge, or ignorance of the "steampunk" genre. It isn't for everyone.

Overall, the world of LXG onscreen is dazzling. The outfits were gorgeous, the sets amazing and the performances were good enough to carry it to the end and keep my attension fixed. Enough to even buy a copy of the DVD for myself. I am a true sucker for anything Victorian and anything "steampunk," as the kids say. I hope, if anything, the movie converts more people to read about these characters outside of the their parts in the League and also introduce new fans to the genius that is Alan Moore.

Summary of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Widescreen Edition)