Disneys 20000 Leagues Under the Sea

Hi I am back and I thought a good way to follow up a week of Ninja Turtles is with giant squids. Yes I am reviewing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It is based on a Jules Verne book of the same name and I haven't actually read it but I hear good things about it. So let's start my review of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

The year is 1868 and reports are coming in about a sea monster attacking ships. A French professor named Pierre Aronnax (Paul Lukas) and his assistant Consiel (Peter Lorre) come into a port near where some of the ships are being attacked. They get a deal to travel on a harpooning boat to make it to their destination. But people on the ship are suspicious of the monster. On the way there they find a wrecked ship and the monster comes after them and the professor, Consiel and a harpooner from the ship named Ned Land (Kirk Douglas) are adrift at sea. They come across a submarine that seems to be abandoned and they look inside. But it turns out that it isn't abandoned; it belongs to a man named Captain Nemo (James Mason). He attempts to drown them but they survive and he invites them abroad as prisoners/guests I'm not sure which. After a seafood dinner Nemo says that they will be stopping to hunt and farm very soon. They go to the farming/hunting spot and I have to admit the underwater shots are amazing and do make you think about how much work went into this movie.


While on the expedition Ned and Consiel run into a sunken ship with a treasure chest. They are attacked by a shark but Nemo pulls them out of it. He then scolds them for wanting to steal treasure. Ned isn't happy and wants to steal from Nemo's personal stash of treasure and escape. Meanwhile the professor is taking a liking to living on the submarine. Nemo takes Pierre ashore and shows him a slave camp that he used to be part of but him and the crew of his ship escaped and dedicated the rest of their lives to destroying ships from that camp. Consiel and Ned come up with a plan to escape by putting letters into bottles and sending them out to sea. Nemo gives Ned and Consiel the chance to go ashore and they accept the offer. On the island Ned tries to escape but is chased back by the natives of island who are cannibals. But Nemo drives them away with an electric machine. But just when they think there in the clear a warship attacks them creating a hole in the submarine.

***SPOILER ALERT STOP HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT THE END RUINED***

They dive deep into the sea to avoid the warship but the power goes out and are sinking deeper. But they mange to fix it and just when they think they are safe a giant squid attacks them out of the blue (literally).  The squid almost kills Nemo but Ned saves him. Ned regrets this and goes to his room. Consiel tells Ned that the submarine is going to Nemo's island because he needs to pick something up. The island is surrounded by warships but they make it to the island and Nemo sets something up on the island that he reveals is a bomb. He also says he was shot and is dying  and the ship is sinking. So he orders everyone to go back to their rooms. But the professor Consiel and Ned escape from the submarine as they watch the ship sink. The End

***SPOILERS OVER KEEP READING***

I like this movie. The effects and sets are very complex and amazing and all the characters are given a lot of development. All of the actors give great performances especially James Mason as Captain Nemo. The only thing I didn't like is there are very silly Disney moments that do feel a bit out of place with the tone of the rest of the movie. Like Nemo has a pet seal named Esmeralda and Ned has musical number. But I still like this movie and I do recommend it. See you next time.