"Captain Nemo and the Underwater City" was quickly forgotten after its theatrical release, and remained somewhat hard to find until a quiet DVD release a few years ago. Watching the movie today, it's pretty easy why the movie hasn't managed to build a large loyal following. It is certainly not a terrible movie - there are some lavish sets, some good underwater photography, and the various members of the cast are enthusiastic. Also, the core story, sort of a cross between Jules Verne and the movie "Lost Horizon" did have possibilities, some of which are realized. But the movie does have some significant problems. Though it certainly starts off swiftly, getting to the underwater city in the first ten minutes of the movie, the remaining 95 or so minutes have some slow spots where little to nothing of importance is happening. Some of the characters are written thinly - I never quite got a handle on Captain Nemo, for one thing. Also, there are some naive touches to the movie that are kind of laughable in these more cynical times. Still, kids might warm up to this movie, and their parents may find it an okay way to spend 105 minutes during a slow afternoon.
Review of Captain Nemo and the Underwater City
