(Debby)
Well, the 1800s Boy Adventure! run of success had to end sometime, and it has resoundingly ground to a halt at 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I really thought it was going to be another Kidnapped! – sized success. I mean, Jules Verne! And vague memories of the Disney movie with Kirk Douglas and a harpoon! This was sure to be success.

But, I am deeply saddened to report, success there was none. Just long, long passages on the different kinds of fish the Professor sees, and how those fish taste compare to things that aren’t fish. This. gets. old.

There is some adventure, yes. But it is somewhat boring adventure. And we never find out what drove Captain Nemo to scorn land, or what nationality he is, or what fight against injustice he is waging with his battles and money, or how many crew are on the Nautilus or where those crew sleep or even who is cooking those blasted fish. No. Instead we get long explanations of how the Nautilus is run on “electricity”. Ooooh.

Two things of minor interest: 1) Ned (played by Kirk Douglas in the Disney movie) is from Quebec, which is how come he knows French and is so ‘hot-blooded’; 2) you can tell that Jules Verne really, really disliked giant squids.