Near the close of the American Civil War, three POWs at a Confederate prison stage an escape with the aid of two of the civilian medical staff. They seize an aerial observation balloon, and along with a Confederate soldier who ends up dangling from the balloon's anchor line, they fly off into a fierce wind that blows them across the whole continent and out to sea. Fortunately, just as the balloon begins to founder and sink toward the waves, they catch sight of an island.
Less fortunately, said island is plagued with both monstrous animals and treasure-hungry pirates ...
If any of this sounds at all familiar, it's likely because I reviewed the 1961 adaptation of Jules Verne's novel about six months ago. Spoiler, that version is considerably more entertaining than this one, and not just because it features Ray Harryhausen stop motion monsters (though that sure doesn't hurt!).
If any of this sounds at all familiar, it's likely because I reviewed the 1961 adaptation of Jules Verne's novel about six months ago. Spoiler, that version is considerably more entertaining than this one, and not just because it features Ray Harryhausen stop motion monsters (though that sure doesn't hurt!).
The biggest problem here is that this was originally conceived as a TV mini-series, and its three hour running time feels very padded and drawn out, with a lethargic pace that is by no means helped by a somnambulant lead performance from Kyle MacLachlan and by the clumsy way they've tried to integrate Patrick Stewart - who obviously did not travel to Thailand for filming with everyone else - into the film.
Watch the Harryhausen film, instead. It's no more high art than this is, but it's much more fun.
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