Curious as to what the Terminator Salvation director has in store for Captain Nemo? Check out all the details on McG's Nemo origins tale, stuffed to the gills with montages and sexy sword-fighting.
Thanks to IESB, we've got additional details as to how the movie version of Nemo becomes the angry underwater sea captain. And I have to say that if my life was filled with as many montages as this screenplay, I too would be an angry and bitter old sea dog. Or Rocky.
The movie starts with a young Nemo who is returning to Mumbai Harbor in the 1850s. After awaking from a naked dream where he floats, stranded and surrounded by fish, we learn that his mother is passed, and the young man is on his way back to visit her grave. But his wishes are cast aside when the General (who is also Nemo's Papa) demands Nemo's presence in his office.
Like all good movie dads, the General is none too pleased with Nemo's lackadaisical attitude towards the crown and his title, because he's not in appropriate uniform (gasp). But no time for pleasantries, because Nemo is thrown back into service for Her Majesty, his mother's grave be damned.
Nemo grudgingly goes back to training the troops but not for long, because Indian rebels are attacking. A bloody fight ensues — with elephants — and Nemo comes face to sexy face with Rami. The hottie rebel who "rides like a warrior and heads down the hall full speed with the reins in her teeth, a sword in one hand and a pistol in the other," fights Nemo with Kama Sutra books and sexy head butts.
Their fighting leads to love, and the next thing you know, the two are thrust into a montage of secret meetings and love-making. There are love and babies and escape plans, and the next thing you know Nemo and his bride are on a steamboat, with a little baby in tow.
This is where the movie gets crazy confusing. The crew of the steam boat uncovers the secret Vulcania Island, that is full of dead people and mystery. Apparently this island holds the key to eternal power. What is this power? No idea. But everyone wants it.
Then more betrayal and fighting, as Nemo's old army buddies catch up with him and demand knowledge of the new power source. But noble Nemo won't give it to them, and they end up framing him for the murder of his Papa.
There's more fighting and long winded speeches about courage, and Nemo is eventually kidnapped while his lady and baby are on the lam.
Things don't go so well for his tiny family, and Nemo is thrown into anger and depression. But he recoups with the aide of montages and the building of the Nautilus. Which leads to an all out warship battle and lots of destroyed lives and boats.
All in all, all that torturing and messed-up family stuff lends credence to Nemo's crappy state of mind afterwards. But as for the actual story itself? Well it sounds like the writers may need to fill in some submarine-sized holes.
Check out IESB for the entire run down, and let's all hope that they give the rewrite a little more thought. Also I'm going to have to STRONGLY agree with IESB that Will Smith would be a terrible casting decision for this origins tale. I'm hoping for a younger actor with less one-liner delivery.