Nautilus: What Lies Beneath

For decades, the giant squid attack in Richard Fleischer’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was fondly remembered as the peak of American kaiju-making. The new “reconceived” series held back the massive cephalopod for two full episodes. At least they do not make viewers wait much longer in “What Lies Beneath,” this week’s episode of creator James Dormer’s Nautilus, which airs tomorrow on AMC/AMC+.

There is an unwelcome East India Company “stowaway” aboard the Nautilus, but the only crewmember smart enough to expose him is young Blaster’s dog, Archie. However, Nemo has more pressing issues than a barking dog, like the depth charges from the Company’s Dreadnaught battleship at the end of the previous episode, and the giant squid they stirred up at the start of “What Lies Beneath.”

The undersea action is nicely rendered and their deliverance is rather clever, even if it stretches credulity. Unfortunately, the rest of “Beneath” reverts to the same stilted mistakes of the first two episodes. A new bad guy will be introduced, the “White Rajah.” He looks promising, because the great Richard E. Grant portrays him, but this time, he hardly seems to enjoy his villainy. Instead, Grant’s scenery-chewing appears to give him indigestion.

The chemistry between Shazad Latif and Georgia Flood, as Nemo and runaway arranged-bride Humility Lucas, remains undeveloped and unconvincing.  Likewise, Nemo’s primary nemesis, company director Crawley, played by Damien Garvey, is the same cartoonish stereotype he was in the first two instalments. So far, the real star is Elvis, who plays Archie, the dog.

Again, the undersea cinematography and steampunk production design look great on-camera, but Dormer and co-writer Matthew Parkhill cannot resist storming the Bastille at least once per episode. The revolutionary zeal they insist upon infusing into each episode becomes a real drag, like repetitious fun-repellant. It is a shame, because the original Jules Verne novel ought to inspire plenty of nostalgic entertainment. That is why viewers might be inclined to give the series a second or third chance, but it doesn’t seem to be worth it. Still not recommended, the next episode of Nautilus, “What Lies Beneath” airs and streams on AMC/AMC+ tomorrow (7/6).