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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 wasn’t really a twist, just something that was well done).
Plot needed some work, sometimes in major ways.
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)
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. One such explanation would be that in the original book Dracula, Dracula was able to walk around, just in a weakened form. I still think they should’ve explained it more).
The Dante character needed much more of a part.
I (surprisingly) didn’t mind Sawyer. I might go so far as to say I liked him in it.
Some small plot holes, (but I really didn’t mind them for the most part).
The idea, although in plenty of ways poorly executed (or at least not executed in the ways it should’ve 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 wasn’t James Mason.
The gadgets, with the exception of the video, which they were somehow able to play, weren’t 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, I’d 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 I’d give up number ratings, and I intend to, but I believe it is needed in this instance.)
Advice: Don’t think too hard and enjoy the eye candy.
I hope there will be a sequel, although it doesn’t 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 isn’t what it should’ve been, make no mistake, but what it is, is a great popcorn film.
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 wasn’t really a twist, just something that was well done).
Plot needed some work, sometimes in major ways.
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)
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. One such explanation would be that in the original book Dracula, Dracula was able to walk around, just in a weakened form. I still think they should’ve explained it more).
The Dante character needed much more of a part.
I (surprisingly) didn’t mind Sawyer. I might go so far as to say I liked him in it.
Some small plot holes, (but I really didn’t mind them for the most part).
The idea, although in plenty of ways poorly executed (or at least not executed in the ways it should’ve 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 wasn’t James Mason.
The gadgets, with the exception of the video, which they were somehow able to play, weren’t 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, I’d 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 I’d give up number ratings, and I intend to, but I believe it is needed in this instance.)
Advice: Don’t think too hard and enjoy the eye candy.
I hope there will be a sequel, although it doesn’t 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 isn’t what it should’ve been, make no mistake, but what it is, is a great popcorn film.
__________________
"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" - Howard Beale
"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" - Howard Beale
so I thought about it a little more… there are some really cool scenes … the characters, though not well developed, were interesting and the actors managed to breath life into them even though the script needed work… all in all a good popcorn movie and I really liked the ending… 
