Click here for a detailed explanation of how we determine our grades.

Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is a swashbuckling story of danger and adventure on the high seas. Deep beneath the ocean's surface lurks a menacing threat that ambushes ships without warning, ripping into their hulls and sending the sailors on board to a watery grave. Determined to discover the reason behind the mysterious attacks, the U.S. Navy sends out an expedition that includes the famous French marine scholar, Professor Pierre Aronnax (Paul Lukas) and his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre).

When their own ship is attacked, the Frenchmen are thrown overboard along with blustering harpooner Ned Land (Kirk Douglas). Drifting in the ocean, they happen upon the "monster," a highly advanced atomic submarine created by the equally intriguing Captain Nemo (James Mason). The men are taken prisoner and hauled into the metal belly of the Nautilus. In short order they realize that Nemo's undersea utopia holds is own stash of dark secrets along side the futuristic innovations.

This 1954 Academy award winning film (for Special Effects) portrays a man disillusioned with the inhumanities of mankind. With the help of his loyal crewmembers, Captain Nemo creates a self-sustaining underwater paradise. Yet despite his pioneering inventions, his aggressive and retaliatory attacks on passing ships throw this renegade on the wrong side of the law.

Although Disney has added a playful seal and a couple of rowdy sailor songs by tough-guy Kirk Douglas to lighten the story, the film still contains enough energetic fight scenes and sinking ships that parents may not feel it is appropriate for younger children. However, older audiences may better understand the destructive power hatred can have in the life of a brilliant man. Serving as an introduction into the highly imaginative world of Jules Verne, this film may be worth fishing around for on a Friday night.

What Parents Need to Know About 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea...

Overall: B Film adaptation of Jules Verne's story of a brilliant man haunted by his past who creates an amazing utopia beneath the ocean's surface.

Violence: C+ Talk of sea monster, man hit with cane, street fight between sailors, at least 3 scenes with ships blowing up, battle between ship and sea monster, men thrown overboard, scene of underwater funeral, fight with sailors on sub, man tries to drown others, shark attacks men, men caught stealing, scene depicting slave camp, man is punched in face and ribs, skulls in tree, cannibals shoots arrows and attack men, men shocked by electrical sub, warship fires on sub, intense scene of squid attacking submarine and sailors, men attacked on island, man shot in back with gun, men fight in sub and one man tries to drown the other man, island blown up by explosives, man appears to die from gunshot wound, sub sinks with men on board.

Sexual Content: A- Woman shown wearing dress with lower cut neckline, man sings a rowdy sailor song with some questionable references to women, man makes comments about women and native girls.

Language: A

Alcohol / Drug Use: C+ Men are shown consuming alcohol on several occasions, man is portrayed as drunken on at least two occasions, men smoke cigars.

Talk about the movie with your family...

Although Captain Nemo created some wonderful inventions, he is unwilling to share his ideas with others because he harbors hate in his heart. Why is he unwilling to forgive? Do his feelings keep him from helping mankind?

Jules Verne's book 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea was written in 1870, long before men imagined inventions like submarines. Do you know what other things Verne wrote about long before they were invented? You can research more in his other books, Around The World In Eighty Days and A Journey To The Center Of The Earth. (Both have also been made into movies.)

Video Alternatives:

Other futuristic adventures you may want to explore are: Space Camp, where a group of teenagers are accidentally shot into orbit and have to find their way back to Earth, or Titan AE, where the destruction of earth leaves a renegade crew searching for the future of mankind. For another sub adventure where the motives of the brilliant captain are in doubt, check our review of The Hunt For Red October.

DVD Notes: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

DVD Release Date: 20 May 2003

Explore the fathoms of this Walt Disney Classic with the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Boasting a re-mastered version of the film, director Richard Fleischer & film historian Rudy Behlmer also add an audio commentary. Bonus featurettes include: Grand Canyonscope, The Making Of '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Jules Verne & Walt Disney: Explorers of the Imagination, The Humboldt Squid: A Real Sea Monster, and Lost Treasures: The Sunset Squid Sequence. Discover all the secrets of the production with other extras like, the 1954 Disney Studio Album, a Production Gallery, The Musical Legacy of Paul Smith, an opportunity for Touring The Nautilus, a Storyboard-to-Scene Comparison, Monsters Of The Deep and Unused Animation. Cast biographies are available for Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, James Mason, Paul Lucas, Richard Fleischer, along with information about the advertising, movie merchandise, screenplay and theatrical trailer. Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks and subtitles are presented in English.

Kerry Bennett

© 2006 One Voice Communications. All Rights Reserved.