The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen on DVD

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen may just be the best bad action movie ever made.

Combine its cheesy but well-written screenplay with cheesy but well-executed action, nearly flawless special effects, and some of the best character actors of our time, and you have one hell of a ride.

Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery) is a world-renowned adventurer in the tradition of Indiana Jones (even though he predates that Lucas creation). His reputation is such that the Queen of England seeks him out in order to lead a team of extraordinary gentlemen in thwarting an evildoer intent on world domination.

The League includes Tom Sawyer (Shane West), an American agent, Mina Harker (Peta Wilson), a widowed vampire, Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah), a man with some pretty cool toys, The Invisible Man (Tony Curran), a character it's easy to see right through, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Jason Flemyng), a brilliant scientist with some personal demons to work out, and Dorian Gray (Stuart Townsend) an experienced near-immortal.

Together they make quite an extraordinary league, and the only ones who can stop The Fantom from starting a global war that could mean the end of the world.

Quatermain and co. first travel to Venice via The Nautilus, to stop a series of bombs from toppling the entire city. From there they move to The Fantom’s secret castle to stop him from mass-producing an entire army of extraordinary gentlemen.

The only problem with The League is that it’s too short. Too much time is spent on the development and forming of the League that the actual plot goes by too quickly and you don’t see enough of the League in action. But that’s a pretty moot point. Especially since the movie rocks in every other respect.

All the acting is top-notch, with everyone's characterization perfectly believable, and Connery proves that even in his 70s, he still kicks more ass than every other James Bond actor combined. Director Stephen Norrington (Blade) has crafted a beautiful looking and expertly directed action movie that the whole family can enjoy.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a great-looking action movie, and doesn’t try to be anything else. If you think you can handle it, go in with the proper expectations and you’ll be taken for a ride.

LXG, as it was so stupidly marketed, will go down in history (to this reviewer, at least) as one of the most underrated movies of all time. Critics hated it, so did most of its audience, and as a result it was merely a moderate hit that didn’t even make back its production cost. It’s really a shame, because it would have made a great franchise.

The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen DVD picture is absolutely stunning. Movies don’t get much blacker than this, so a clear picture is important for seeing detail properly. The original theatrical print was very muddy, and many things weren’t properly visible, such as the Nautilus as it makes its first appearance from the deep sea. The DVD looks great, with every detail clear and crisp, and not a single ounce of dust on the print.

Oh yeah, it's also available separately in Pan&Scan incarnation. As always, we recommend the widescreen version for collectors.

Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, the audio is equally impressive. If you’re looking for a movie scene to show off your home theatre, you can’t do much better than the semi-destruction of Venice. The subwoofer gets a great workout, as do all five channels as buildings crumble around every inch of the room. Sound effects such as the Nemobile and gunshots also fill the room, while dialogue (what there is during the scene) uses the center channel and score comes from all around you.

There are plenty of other action sequences that are equally well done, but few have the same impact, except perhaps for the battle between Mr. Hyde and his bigger, badder, cousin.

A behind-the-scenes documentary is the best extra on the disc. It’s split into several sections, including “Costumes,” “Pre-production,” and “Building Mr. Hyde.” Thankfully, there is a “Play All” option that saves you having to perpetually click. There is some great information in this documentary, which covers pretty much everything. Unfortunately, it goes a little too in-depth for the costumes, and doesn’t feature enough interviews with the cast, particularly Mr. Connery.

There are also two audio commentaries, one by the producers and actors, and the other by the costume designer, makeup artist and visual effects team. And finally, there are 12 deleted scenes and the theatrical trailer.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
110 minutes, anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) 16x9 enhanced, Dolby Digital 5.1
Starring Sean Connery, Shane West, Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, Jason Flemyng
Produced by Don Murphy and Trevor Albert
Screenplay by James Dale Robinson
Directed by Stephen Norrington 

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