Review of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Robust adventure, albeit one filled with murder, suicide and a bloodthirsty squid, involving nefarious Captain Nemo (played by a bearded, monotone James Mason), arguably the darkest villain in the pre-1979 Disney canon. He is nothing short of a mass murderer, ramming his futuristic submarine into ships on the ocean circa 1868. He explains these are war ships and he is preventing world destruction, but after the unblinking, humorless Captain downs a ship full of sailors, it's clear he's a cutthroat. This makes the future of three shipwreck survivors he has taken aboard all the more desperate, although Kirk Douglas' Ned Land, scalawag and guitar picker, takes all the abuse in stride (indeed, he's flexible in any circumstance). This Disney production has a few lags in the special effects arena, but does have awesome moments. The confined space of the main set can't help but to work against the action, but what a beautifully designed set it is! The actors are colorful, the direction is tight, but there's not a big sense of danger however, as the three survivors don't even seem to fear their fates. *** from ****