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Super Imp
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OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
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Oh my. It was awful.
Badly written. Badly directed. Badly acted (with some exceptions, admittedly). Badly edited. Badly scored. Hell, I didn't even like the set design, which all the newspaper reviewers liked.
I don't criticize it because it is unfaithful to the comic. I can accept that, if it was well done.
Not even close to well done.
Machine guns. Car chases. Explosions. Rapid-fire editing. Dumb lines (does Oscar Wilde's Dorian really utter that 'nail' line near the end?). Unbelievable sequences that will have the most open-minded suspender of disbelief gaping in awe at the stupidity. The overbearing Hollywood too-much-is-not-enough mentality. The overheated narrative that covers up a limp story. Bad acting, miscast roles, and performances that might have been something if there was a competent director who cared about characters rather than machines. Plot twists that would be suprises if their clues weren't shouted at us beforehand. References to the comic and to literature of the era that clunkily dropped in.
They keep calling Quatermain 'Quartermain'. Mina the vampire walks around in the daytime sun, even in Africa. Skinner gets burned by a flamethrower and is walking around fine in the next scene.
Nemo the regular human is slammed by a super-Hyde, flung across a huge chamber, slams against a large concrete wall, then gets up dusts himself off as if he slipped on a banana peel. (His next line: "He's too strong.") Tom Sawyer the regular human, careening around Venice like Mario Andretti even though there's no way he could have driven a car before, smashes through concrete columns, flies over a some promenade, FLIPS OVER, smashes through a stone/brick building while being FLIPPED OVER (mind you, it's a convertible with the hood down), lifts himself from the wreckage of the car as if he only slipped on a banana peel.
Maybe he learned to drive on the racecar track that could be contained in the ABSURDLY HUGE Nautilus. Hey, says Hollywood, why have a big submarine when we can have a really, really, really, fricking' big submarine?
It's revealed that Fantom is actually M. Wow. It's revealed that M. is actually James Moriarty. There is no weight in this revelation whatsoever. The traitor isn't Skinner, it's actually Dorian Gray! Holy cats! Like I couldn't figure that out by the billboard-sized clues given beforehand!
I could go on and on. I haven't even mentioned the goofy iron guys. Or that Hyde somehow knows which levers on the submarine will pump out the water. Or how Dorian knows how to operate a submersible 'escape pod'. Or that idiotic ending (does anyone really want to see a zombie Sean Connery?).
Okay, now some things I liked:
The idea that Moriarty assembled the League to sample their superhuman talents (Quatermain was there to capture Hyde, because presumable no one else could. Why they tried to assassinate him in the beginning is never explained).
Some of the stuff they were doing with Hyde's character. Jason Flemyng is one of the actors who I though did a good job, given the little time allotted for characters in this film. I liked the idea of the painful transformation, but not how it was edited.
Nemo was cool in some scenes, though the karate stuff is goofy.
Mina: miscast. M/Moriarty: miscast (too young). Dorian: terrible performance. Sawyer: West has no grasp on the character, but most likely he had no help from the director. Connery's all right, doing what he can with what he's got. And the great Griffin character is replaced by the most annoying ****ney in the British Empire.
I'll stop now. Sorry for the long post.
SI
Last edited by Super Imp (Local user), 14/7/03, 9:56
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11/7/03, 18:25
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Toto Fouinard
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
quote:
Super Imp wrote:
Mina the vampire walks around in the daytime sun, even in Africa.
This detail is, at least, faithful to Bram Stoker's novel picturing a day-walker Dracula.
Poor consolation, anyway. 
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11/7/03, 20:16
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Super Imp
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
Yeah, that was pointed out in another message board where I complained about it. I suppose I have to take that back, though it still irks me -- I suspect it was unintentionally faithful. And considering most of the audience is used to sun-frying vampires, I would think some explanation might have helped. But why should I expect such a thing out of a film that has zero respect for the audience?
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11/7/03, 20:34
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Griffin209
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
I was really worried about this movie. I had read plenty of reviews that said it was horrible, and I was beginning to loose hope. I decided to check it out and see for myself.
In the end I thought it was pretty cool.
Not nearly as bad as what the critics say IMO.
Lets get a few things settled:
This is NOT a plot movie. It is a summer popcorn movie.
Don't go in expecting anything, but at the very least don't expect it to have a great plot. Just sit back, and watch the eye candy.
This film is mainly 7 different ways to kick butt.
Comments:
I was pleasantly surprised.
The script needed some work.
Sets were beautiful.
Acting really wasn't all that bad. I'd even go so far as to say good. Not Oscar quality, but good.
Very end was weak. (Not if there is a sequel....but it doesn't look like there will be one)
Loved the showdowns at the end. (So many great fights!)
Action was well done.
I liked the true reason for why the League was assembled. It was a much better twist than the identity of the Fantom or who the real traitor was. (Mind this wasnt really a twist, just something that was well done).
Plot needed some work, sometimes in major ways.
Some of the continuity is pretty messed up, such as Mina being able to walk around in the sunlight, and Skinner being burnt badly and then being fine in the next scene. (The Mina bit is the only thing that really bothered me, but if I wanted to, I could probably think up something that enabled her to walk around).
There needed to be 10-15 minutes more of character development, if not more. I looked at this two different ways:
1)I didn't really feel for any of the characters in a major way at the end.
2)The characters were given enough description so that I knew at least to some degree how each character thought, and it paid off during the final action sequences. (Although it wasn't enough, it was adequate for entertainments sake).
Too many explosions, but not nearly as many as I thought there would be.
Moriarty looked too young, and his character wasn't described well, but I liked his addition.
I thought the villains, although a little ambiguous, were "good".
I didn't mind Mina not being Mina all that much. (And much to my surprise might I add).
I didn't really like the Mina/Allan interactions at the beginning, but that was minor.
The overall feel of the film could've been improved, but I still loved the way the film looked. (I that makes sense)
The Dante character needed much more of a part.
I (surprisingly) didnt mind Sawyer. I might go so far as to say I liked him in it.
Some small plot holes, (but I really didnt mind them for the most part).
The idea, although in plenty of ways poorly executed (or at least not executed in the ways it shouldve been), is highly original.
Loved the Easter eggs (for instance, the posters mentioning Mars and the authors of LoEG).
I thought the effects were well done, especially for The Invisible Man and Hyde (who, for my money looked better than the Hulk. And I loved the Hulk).
The League kicked major butt! Every character had a different style of beating their enemies down. We got a great look at each of them.
Glad Nemo wasnt James Mason.
The gadgets, with the exception of the video, which they were somehow able to play, werent over done, and were believable (if not close to being so).
I really missed Griffin, but I liked Skinner, and I thought Dorian did a good job of replacing Griffin (in a sense).
Final thoughts/Rating:
I enjoyed the movie.
On movie standards, Id give it either a 2.5 or a 3 out of 4. On popcorn movie standards (which is really what this movie should be judged on) it is a 3.5 to 4 out of 4. (Two side-notes: 1) In my mind, there is a distinct difference between a good movie and a good popcorn movie. While a good popcorn movie should still be a good movie in order to be liked by me, it is a much better movie when held on popcorn movie standards. I liked this film both ways; although I firmly believe most will only appreciate the film given they look at it as a popcorn film. 2) I said Id give up number ratings, and I intend to, but I believe it is needed in this instance.)
Advice: Dont think to hard and enjoy the eye candy.
I hope there will be a sequel, although it doesnt look like there will be one at this point with all of the bad reviews, and negative word of mouth as a result of the bad reviews.
I am a huge fan of the original League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic, and I still found the movie very enjoyable despite the differences. (It may be that my love of the concept of the movie makes me a little biased, but in any event, I liked it).
Bottom Line:
It isnt what it shouldve been, make no mistake, but what it is, is a great popcorn film.
Last edited by Griffin209 (Local user), 11/7/03, 21:35
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Go see LXG....I mean the League.....NO! The LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN on July 20th, 2003. (Pretty sure thats the day, but correct me if I'm wrong).
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11/7/03, 21:25
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Swedish Nightingale
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
I'll write a longer review of it tomorrow -- it's late, and I would rather let it all sink in a little -- but let's just say I saw it three times in one afternoon, if that gives you any idea of whether I liked it or not...  Suffice to say: it could have been better, it could have been a whole lot worse, but it was a decent summer action movie. I'll buy the special edition DVD when it's eventually (inevitably) released...
Two questions though:
1) Why, if the bombs meant to sink the Nautilus were set off by the high-pitched sound, did they have loud-ticking timers? (So audience members would know they were bombs, obviously, but couldn't that have just been stated and then the explosion occur?)
2) [This was pointed out by a friend of mine] If Mina is a vampire, why, when she chewed up the guy in Dorian Gray's house, did she pull out a compact mirror to use to clean up? She shouldn't have shown up in it...
Edit: Mina out in the sunlight? Well, possibly that was what the hat and veil were for...
Last edited by Swedish Nightingale, 11/7/03, 23:02
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11/7/03, 22:48
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Griffin209
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
I'm sooooooooooo glad someone else liked it!
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Go see LXG....I mean the League.....NO! The LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN on July 20th, 2003. (Pretty sure thats the day, but correct me if I'm wrong).
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11/7/03, 23:30
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Griffin209
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
On the mirror: She would only be able to see the other guy's blood....
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Go see LXG....I mean the League.....NO! The LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN on July 20th, 2003. (Pretty sure thats the day, but correct me if I'm wrong).
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11/7/03, 23:32
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Swedish Nightingale
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
quote:
Griffin209 wrote:
I'm sooooooooooo glad someone else liked it!
It's not going to win any awards, but it was fun!
quote:
On the mirror: She would only be able to see the other guy's blood....
Hmm... that makes sense. It would have been cool if they'd shown that at some point...
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12/7/03, 9:12
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Griffin209
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
True. Was anyone expecting a great, thinking, award winning movie? I wasn't. I wasnted an emjoyable, entertaining action film, and I got that and then some.
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Go see LXG....I mean the League.....NO! The LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN on July 20th, 2003. (Pretty sure thats the day, but correct me if I'm wrong).
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12/7/03, 10:23
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Swedish Nightingale
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Re: OPINIONS ON LXG - Post 'em Here ** SPOILERS **
quote:
Griffin209 wrote:
True. Was anyone expecting a great, thinking, award winning movie?
Hopefully not!
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12/7/03, 11:00
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