"THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN"
(2003) (Sean Connery, Shane West) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	Moderate	Extreme	*Moderate	Extreme
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Extreme	None	Moderate
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Minor	Minor	Mild	Extreme

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QUICK TAKE:

Action/Adventure: A group of superheroes sets out to stop a madman with advanced weaponry from starting a world war at the end of the 19th century.

PLOT:

It's 1899 and a nefarious villain known as the Fantom has been attacking various European countries with advanced weaponry, hoping to pit them against each other and start a world war. In response, M (RICHARD ROXBURGH) from the British Empire has set out to assemble a group of superheroes, known as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, to stop the Fantom and his plan of profiting from such a war.

Among them is legendary African hunter Allan Quatermain (SEAN CONNERY), along with pirate Captain Nemo (NASEERUDDIN SHAH), scientist turned vampire Mina Harker (PETA WILSON), invisible man Rodney Skinner (TONY CURRAN), the immortal Dorian Gray (STUART TOWNSEND) and the legendary Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (JASON FLEMYNG).

With the assistance of American secret service agent Sawyer (SHANE WEST), the League sets out for Venice where they hope to stop the Fantom from destroying the city and thus setting off the world war.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're into cinematic comic book adaptations or are fans of anyone in the cast, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For intense sequences of fantasy violence, language and innuendo.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

Late in the film developments and character traits are not noted below (to avoid giving away surprises).

SEAN CONNERY plays the legendary older hunter who's recruited to be part of the League to stop the Fantom. Along the way, he fights with various villains.

NASEERUDDIN SHAH plays the Middle Eastern sub captain and pirate who transports the League to Venice and battles various villains.

PETA WILSON plays a scientist and vampire who's part of the League.

TONY CURRAN plays the prankish invisible man.

SHANE WEST plays the young and straight-laced American secret service agent who joins the League and shoots and fights with villains.

STUART TOWNSEND plays a man who's immortal and thus has no fear of death.

JASON FLEMYNG plays the scientist and his hulking alter-ego who battle over control of each other as well as fight various villains.

RICHARD ROXBURGH plays the mysterious Brit who assembles the League.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a brief summary of the content found in this action/adventure film that's been rated PG-13. Violence consists of various scenes and sequences of fighting (punching, hitting, shootings, sword fighting, stabbings, etc.), some of which are rather brutal in nature and/or have fatal results. Varying degrees of property damage also occur.

Those scenes and others (including the transformation to and from a monstrous "Hulk" like being and some vampire-related material) might be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to some younger viewers (all depending on their age and level of maturity, etc.). Some of that violence has bloody results, while some supernatural-based gore (wounds and a rapidly decomposing body) is also present.

Profanity consists of a handful of expletives (and a possible "s" word), while some colorful phrases and sexually related comments are made. Some bad attitudes are also present and a few characters drink, while all of the fighting and stunts might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Miscellaneous people have drinks and a man posing as Allan orders a double. Later, Allan and others raise their glasses in a toast.

Skinner sarcastically states that a minute ago it was sherry and giggles (about a meeting).

Dorian asks, "Scotch anyone?" and Skinner then pours himself some.

Dorian drinks from a flask and asks Mina if she'd like a nightcap. She says she's not much of a drinker, but he pours her a small cup anyway (that she nearly consumes before the small glass breaks).

BLOOD/GORE

The masked Fantom has reddish and what looks like scarred and/or torn up skin under his mask (partially seen through the holes in it).

A person is shot and killed (with a small, slightly bloody bullet hole in his shirt)

Dorian is riddled with machine gun fire, but isn't hurt due to his immortality (he does lower his shirt to reveal the many non-bloody bullet hole wounds that quickly heal and turn to dust).

A man holds a knife to Mina, but she then turns into a vampire and attacks him, biting him on the neck (we don't see the impact, but do see the resultant blood on her mouth that she licks off).

Mina has a little bit of blood on her finger from where some broken glass cuts her.

Sawyer has a tiny bit of blood on his head.

Mina stabs a knife into a man's back (with some blood), but he's unhurt by that (due to being immortal). He then strikes her and we see her large facial wound quickly heal.

Dorian wipes blood (not much is seen) from a sword after running it through someone.

A man dies from a curse that causes him to deteriorate/dissolve away (with meaty and then skeletal results).

We see some burned skin on an otherwise still invisible man.

Nemo repeatedly slices a Hulk-like monster with his sword (with a little resultant blood).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

The Fantom and those who work for/with him (including a hero who turns sides) obviously have both types of attitudes for killing people and attempting to start a world war so that they can profit from the ensuing ordered weaponry.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Scenes listed under "Violence" might be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to some younger viewers (all depending on their age, level of maturity, etc.) as might the sight of a gargantuan, muscle bound and hulking creature late in the film, as well as some vampire related material. Older kids will probably have little or no problem with the material.

Mr. Hyde convulses (and the visuals and editing make the image jump around) as he transforms and shrinks back down into Dr. Jekyll (this might be disturbing/scary to younger viewers).

A tiger approaches Allan who prepares to shoot it, but both back down from harming the other.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Swords/Knives/Handguns/Machine guns/Tanks/Rocket/Flamethrower: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "What in God's name (is that)?" "How the hell do we stop this thing?" "Buggers," "Bloody" (adjective), "Shut up," "Or it's my boot up your ass," "Sit down you buffoon," "Bastard," "Blow that place to hell," "Minx" and "What the hell are you doing here?"

All of the fighting and stunt work might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

An extreme amount of suspenseful and action-oriented music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

At least 1 possible "s" word, 1 slang term for sex ("nail"), 3 hells, 2 damns, 1 ass and 1 use each of "God," "My God" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

Skinner (who's naked but invisible) says that he feels a draft in his nether regions that he finds refreshing.

Allan sarcastically/suggestively states that Mina is probably "hip deep" in some sort of trouble. She then appears and states that her hips are not of his concern.

Mina and Dorian briefly engage in some clothed, passionate kissing.

Miscellaneous women show cleavage.

Skinner apparently grabs Mina's clothed butt (from behind, we don't see anything), prompting Allan to tell him to get a grip. Skinner jokingly states he thought he just did and then says that since he's naked in the snow (he's invisible) that he can't feel any of his extremities (and adds that he means any of them).

Dorian comments on a bedroom to Mina and asks her if it gives her memories or ideas.

After a person runs Mina through with a sword (she appears to be dead, but is later okay), he states that he got to "nail" her one more time, but didn't know it would get to be literally.

Mina shows some cleavage.

SMOKING

M smokes once.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

We hear that Mina's husband has been dead for some time.

Allan says that he's buried two wives and many lovers and is not in the mood for more of either.

We hear that Allan's son died in his arms during their last job for England.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

World wars and arms races.

Vampires.

Invisibility.

Immortality.

Witchdoctors.

We hear the Nemo worships the Goddess of Death (and briefly see him doing so).

VIOLENCE

Various British bobbies race down a street and note many dogs running away from something. A tank then rumbles down the street, run over a man (no blood or gore), and then smashes through an outside wall and then various interior walls (where fired bullets bounce off it). It then blasts open a vault door. An order is then given to kill everyone there except for one witness and we then hear what's presumably lethal gunfire.

A rocket is launched into various hydrogen-filled dirigibles, causing various large explosions.

A person is shot and killed (with a small, slightly bloody bullet hole in his shirt) and Allan then shoots that shooter. He and others then open fire on more intruders, but their bullets bounce off the attackers' metal chest plating. Other intruders then come in and open fire on Allan and others with machine guns, hitting and wounding or killing some of them (but with no blood). Allan then fights and struggles with the intruders and uses a table and bottle to strike some of them. Knives are then thrown at Allan and he punches and kicks his assailant. He eventually drives a man back into a mounted rhino head and that man is impaled on its horn (we see it stick out from the object that Allan used to push the man backwards).

Allan shoots and wounds a man (shooting from a great distance).

An assailant takes some sort of poisonous pills and instantly dies.

A bomb creates a huge explosion that destroys a great deal of a large building.

Men with machine guns surround Allan and the others, but Sawyer then steps in and shoots various bad guys who then open fire on the others. The heroes shoot back and fight with the various assailants (punching, hitting and with swords). During this, Dorian is riddled with machine gun fire, but isn't hurt due to his immortality (he does lower his shirt to reveal the many non-bloody bullet hole wounds that quickly heal and turn to dust). Allan head-butts and kicks an assailant.

A man holds a knife to Mina, but she then turns into a vampire and attacks him, biting him on the neck (we don't see the impact, but do see the resultant blood on her mouth that she licks off).

Allan and then Sawyer shoot at Mr. Hyde as a means of guiding him along various rooftops. He then drops something large that nearly hits Sawyer, but Allan keeps shooting and causes the hulking man to fall several stories (quite hard) to the street below where a net grabs and then drags him away.

Although chained, the enormous Mr. Hyde throws one man into a wall and punches various others and knocks them across the room.

Allan turns out the lights and we hear the sounds of him punching Skinner (who's invisible).

We see the enormous Mr. Hyde grab Dr. Jekyll by the throat (what turns out to be Jekyll's vision of that).

Various underwater explosions cause a great deal of property damage in Venice (as buildings get caught up in the collapsing domino effect).

Assailants shoot machine guns at Allan and Sawyer as they speed along in a car that blasts through various pillars. In turn, they shoot back at them.

Various bats attack various assailants and cause some to fall from their perches.

Sawyer rapidly drives a car through Venice as various buildings collapse all around him. He ends up crashing his car (flipping it over into a building) but is okay.

A missile destroys a building.

One of the heroes shoots and mortally wounds a crewmember (no blood) who stumbles out of a building and then dies.

The Fantom stabs Allan with a knife who in turn throws a sword through the Fantom (both live).

Various explosions go off in a sub and crewmembers are hit and/or washed away by flood waters.

Mina slaps Skinner.

While invisible, Skinner repeatedly hits a guard with a gun.

Nemo hits various guards.

Hyde blasts a door open.

There's a gun battle where various people are hit, but Hyde then holds up a metal door that ricochets the bullets back at the other side.

Nemo uses his sword on various assailants (but there's no blood or gore).

There's some brief hitting and a knife is thrown at Allan but lands in a nearby painting.

Mina stabs a knife into a man's back (with some blood), but he's unhurt by that (due to being immortal). He then strikes her and we see her large facial wound quickly heal.

A person runs Mina through with a sword (she appears to be dead, but is later okay).

An invisible man repeatedly comes at Sawyer with a knife, with ensuing fighting and shooting.

A man comes at Sawyer with a flamethrower and burns one man (who runs off on fire). Sawyer then hits the first man who appears to be engulfed in flames.

Hyde hits several people.

Mina runs a sword through a person (but since he's immortal, it doesn't hurt him).

A man dies from a curse that causes him to deteriorate/dissolve away (with meaty and then skeletal results).

Allan and the Fantom fight with punches and shooting occurring.

Hyde battles an ever larger, hulk-like creature (that might be scary looking to younger viewers) that knocks him backwards. The creature then repeatedly pummels Hyde who eventually punches the monster backwards (in a brutal fight).

More sword fighting ensues with Allan and the Fantom hitting each other.

Nemo repeatedly slices the Hulk-like monster with his sword (with a little resultant blood), but it then knocks him backwards quite a distance. When the monster grabs Hyde, Nemo stabs its huge finger.

Allan partially strangles the Fantom with a chain and repeatedly punches him.

Huge icicles nearly hit several characters as a monster tries to get them.

Several big explosions rock a complex and a monster is crushed beneath falling debris.

Allan holds a gun on the Fantom and then shoots an invisible man (who held Sawyer hostage), but is then stabbed in the back by the Phantom.

Sawyer shoots and kills a fleeing man from a great distance.

One of the heroes dies from wounds suffered during a battle.

Reviewed July 8, 2003 / Posted July 11, 2003

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