AMC’s Nautilus starts with a worthy intro to an enjoyable ocean adventure

Growing up, I first saw Captain Nemo and his submarine from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea in the 2003 superhero film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Now, AMC Networks has taken a crack at Verne’s book with a premiere of their brand new series Nautilus. So far, it’s surprisingly quite decent.

We find Nemo and his crew as prisoners forced to build the Nautilus at a British penal colony in 1857. Desperate for freedom, Nemo orchestrates a prison break and steals the underwater vessel with the help of his allies. Our heroes must evade the British, brave the perils of the sea, and maybe find a mythical fortune left by the Vikings.

The premiere does an adequate job of humanizing Nemo and his crew learning to work together, making mistakes, and struggling to even trust each other sometimes. It’s a refreshing reminder that we’re dealing with people who still have much to understand about each other.

Sets depicting the inside of the submarine are a grand takeaway, thanks to its awesome features. Pressure gauges and steam pipes adorning bolted metal walls, heavy vault doors for every room, and even deep-sea diver suits are just some of the details that truly make the Nautilus an aquatic monolith. Families can find something fun to point out in the sub’s design.

As far as performances go, Shazad Latif as Nemo does a good job leading the cast. He plays the sea captain as a man of ambition mixed with unresolved pain and anger. 

Other notable roles include Humility Lucas (Georgia Flood), a British socialite Nemo takes prisoner who starts off being annoying, but her wit and quick thinking grew on me overtime. 

I also like the fact that some British imperial soldiers hunting for Nemo don’t necessarily come from a place of malice, conveying the complexities of these typically villainous archetypes. 

For instance, Captain Youngblood (Jacob Collins-Levy) isn’t just another blind follower of Director Crawley (Damien Garvey), the show’s cliché, even laughable, mustache-twirling villain.

Youngblood’s sense of duty and justice creates a believable dynamic with Crawley’s cruelty and greed that sufficiently informs the audience of their different motives for hunting Nemo.

Supporting characters aren’t that compelling, as some feel flat, others have no actual purpose, or they make choices that don’t make sense. 

The story, however, is well paced during dialogue scenes and has strong tension-building during action scenes, thanks to the script and editing. The humour is light-hearted, which did produce a few laughs that can amuse families watching the show. The performances of a dependable cast along with the submarine’s dramatic dives make up for any minor issues with characters.

A compelling theme about the show is the rise of steam-powered technology symbolized by the Nautilus. There are enjoyable contrasts between this advanced submarine and its more antiquated naval world of ships and gunpowder. Through characters’ shock and admiration of seeing the sub, it conveys the impact that science and innovation can have on your century.

In hindsight, the show harkens back to the nostalgia and shortcomings from sci-fi adventure shows from the early 2000s. The inside of the Nautilus has the tactile look and feel of a Doctor Who set, while stock characters lead a simple story with mild visual effects like Dinotopia. 

Fans who grew up with early sci-fi will find some joy with the premiere’s T.V.-quality visuals and story direction. Other viewers who want more from their home screens might look elsewhere.

The premiere promises Nautilus to be an easy watch that’s engaging enough with its family-friendly tone for any audience to enjoy. With its nicely accessible story, this recent attempt at the Jules Verne classic provokes our imaginative minds to immerse ourselves in the sea.

Nautilus will air weekly episodes on AMC every Sunday until its 10-part run ends on Aug. 17. The show’s also available to stream on AMC+.