20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Disturbing yet enthralling

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Professor Arronax (Richard Crenna) is a marine biology expert in the middle of the 19th century. His daughter, Sophie (Julie Cox) is vastly educated in sea life, too, but in this century, there are not many openings for female professors. One day, the United States government approaches the prof, for there is trouble abrew in the world's oceans. A strange creature is stalking the waters and sinking ships. Could the learned man get on board a naval vessel and help investigate? Naturally, Sophie is NOT invited but she disguises herself as a male assistant named Charlie by cutting her hair and dressing for the part. Once in the open waters, the creature is spotted and a skirmish unfolds, one that leaves Arronax, Sophie and a harpoonist, Ned (Paul Gross) floating dangerously on the surface. All of sudden, help arrives. A new type of boat, a submarine named Nautilus, rises up and saves the trio. Captained by an officer named Nemo (Ben Cross), it is a one of a kind vehicle causing the three new guests to ooh and aah. What dazzling views of the sea creatures and what a smooth ride! Nemo himself is a puzzle, for he is obviously a genius, having built the craft, but he is also arrogant and dictatorial. It isn't long before he discovers Sophie's true identity and the Captain falls hard for the lovely miss. But, since she may have her eyes on Ned, will this be another love triangle, down in the depths? Also, what about the mysterious creature that is still lurking in the waters? The Nautilus seems unsinkable but, is it? We shall see! This new version of the Verne classic is intriguing and entertaining. How brilliant to have a woman worked into the plot, for it is a nice change of pace. Crenna, Cox, Cross, Gross and all of the other cast members do mighty fine work. Then, too, the underwater scenery and the design of the Nautilus are absolutely wonderful. Costumes, photography, adapted script and direction all work together nicely, also. Yes, purists may object, but, in this viewer's mind, any new version of the story which sends folks to the library or bookstores to seek out Verne's amazing body of work is well worth a little tweaking.

This movie fails for several reasons. First of all, if someone thinks of 20000 leagues under the sea as a film, he will most likely remember the 1954 Walt Disney version of it with Richard Mason, Peter Lorre, Kirk Douglas and Paul Lukas. Against a cast like that this version stands with no chance, Richard Crenna is a decent actor if he plays a decent role and the one thing you can say about him is that he doesn't look as ridiculous as the rest of the cast. Now if you think of Peter Lorre as Prof. Arronax assistant in the 1954 version and consider what you get instead, a girl with an ugly haircut, this is the first big disappointment. As an earlier comment posted, the words "based upon" always gives the authors of a script a lot of creative options. But if you make use of that freedom, you should know where you're going and the result should be good. This time it's not. With the focus of the story on the love thing going on between Nemo, Ned Land and Ugly Haircut the whole essence of the book gets trivialized. The book is a warning about advanced technology used for wrong purposes, adapting this to nuclear power in the Disney version was actually a pretty good idea back then as it was a very popular topic used in many b-movies of that period. The evolving love story is completely dispensable as we know who she'll choose in the end anyways. Furthermore, Nemos attempts to murder Ned Land cause he is his rival in winning Ugly Haircuts heart alters Nemos character significantly to a lovesick villain but once Land saves the ship at the end they are released by him. Makes lots of sense. The biggest disappointment however in this film is the non existent fight with the giant squid, instead you get some sort of alien that gets defeated in a very silly way. Don't get me wrong, I liked Signs for the fact that the alien gets beaten with a baseball bat but this was just pathetic. Some decent underwater shots is all it has to offer, though they add a goof with that as when Ugly Haircut admires the sight outside the Nautilus scuttle the ship would crash into the corals as the camera suggest it is floating sideways. The special effects of the sharks, the monster attacking the Nautilus and the exterior animations of the Nautilus itself are done very sloppy, but that's a disease TV shows and films of that time often suffer from. However, when effects like that are mixed with bad actors, a half baked storyline and a plot basing on the most ridiculous idea that 2 guys would actually compete over a woman with an abomination as a haircut you get a silly film in the end. You may argue that Kirk Douglas building a guitar out of a turtle shell and singing songs to a seal is silly too, it is, but that's what you get when you see a Disney film. At least Disneys version had some funny moments, but who laughed watching this one? I rest my case.

Jules Verne must be spinning in his grave to see his excellent novel turned into a shoddy little romance for those who move their lips when they read. If they can read at all.Ben Cross is a decent actor, as was Richard Crenna, but they were badly miscast in this low-grade, moronic little adventure flick and their hearts truly didn't seem to be in it at all. Small wonder.Unless there is absolutely nothing else on TV except Love Boat re-runs, don't do this one unless you're about half drunk and looking for laughs. Seeing Ben Cross in his silly little uniform with the faggy pink sash -- ye Gods, how could he keep a straight face?I'd give it about half a star. Maybe.

Here we have a complete perversion of Jules Vern. Instant of Conseil we find professor's Arronax ...daughter(!),who is the apple of discord between a terribly bad captain Nemo and Nent Land. The only thing worthing attention here are the fishes.Trully.