Movie Review: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Retro filmmaking of the future. To say I love the look of this film is an understatement. It's as if the past 40-50 years worth of science fiction filmmaking never happened. This movie presents a moment frozen in time, a style long gone from the current style. The only thing I can think of that is even similar to this is the animated film Iron Giant.



It goes beyond that, the entire film has this soft focus look to it. It gave the film as a whole this aged look. Almost as if it was filmed in the 1950's and has been sitting around in a vault somewhere just waiting to be unearthed and delivered to a multiplex near you.

I was amazed at the style of the film, and even more amazed to discover that it was created almost entirely in a studio with a blue screen. For those who are unaware, this film is almost entirely animated, save the stars. If you weren't told, you would probably be hard pressed to tell just by looking. The integration of live actors with the animation is nearly seamless, very impressive. This is what George Lucas seems to be aspiring too with the recent Star Wars prequels.

Flying robots, more robots with tentacles for arms, flying machines that flap, plus portable airfields are just a few of the things that can be seen here. The look of this film, like in any film, is only a part of what can make or break a film. In this case it is the biggest piece of the pie, but the other elements play their roles as well.

The story, taken at face value, is pretty thin, but I feel it only adds to the charm of the movie. It is very reminiscent of the old serials, in the vein of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. Again, similar to what George Lucas was creating with the original Star Wars. A film with swashbuckling heroes and dastardly villains, a female in distress and comical sidekicks. They are all represented in this straightforward tale which plays out like a chapter in an ongoing saga. Maybe we will get another tale down the line, perhaps something like Sky Captain and the Lost City, or something of that nature.

I guess we should take a look at the tale spun in the movie. The tale begins with the disappearance of a number of the worlds leading scientists, all with one thing in common, they all worked on a secret project in Germany just prior to the start of World War I. Coinciding with their disappearance is the appearance of giant robots which are stealing power generators and other equipment from cities around the world. At this time Sky Captain is called in to save the day, at the same time he is reunited with his former love, Polly Perkins. Now it is up to them, along with their friend and whiz kid Dex, to track down Dr. Totenkopf, who is believed to be behind everything. On their world wide hunt, they cross paths with Captain Franky Cooke who assists them on their way, while being opposed by the nameless Mysterious Woman. Secrets are uncovered and the world is saved by the daring exploits of Sky Captain.

Like I mentioned earlier, it is a rather simple plot and really left a lot to be desired. But at the same time, it was exactly what was called for if the goal was to create an old fashioned serial type story. I am not sure if that was the goal here or not, but that is the way I interpreted it and it allowed me to let go of any shortcomings contained within.

The acting was also spot on. Jude Law portrayed Joe, aka Sky Captain, and gave us a swashbuckling hero reminiscent of Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Joe is a hero by default, not perfect by any stretch, but willing to try to go that extra mile if it is something that he believed in. Gwyneth Paltrow is Polly Perkins, an inquisitive Lois Lane type character who refuses to take no for an answer. She comes across as a strong woman whose past with Joe is used as a bargaining chip in getting her way. Giovanni Ribisi rounds out the main cast as Dex Dearborn, the scientifically minded member of Joe's team, who is not adverse to getting in on the action. Also making an appearance is Angelina Jolie as Captain Franky Cooke, who had a romantic encounter in the past with our hero adding to the tension between Joe and Polly. This also marks the return of Sir Laurence Olivier to the big screen through the use of computers and archival footage. Olivier portrayed Dr. Totenkopf, we are now one step away from just digitizing our stars and inserting them into whatever film we need (I don't believe this will happen, but the technology is fast approaching the point where it could be done).

The dialogue may come across as a bit cheesy, but it is in line with the film as a whole. Some is even a little noirish, especially the interactions of Polly and her editor and with the scientist in the movie theater. There are also a number of fun exchanges between Joe and Polly, usually involving their past relationship. Also, not to be left out, is Dex's humorous exchanges with Joe. Overall it is fun, light dialogue.

The film was written and directed by first timer Kerry Conran. He brings a unique vision to the screen, inventive in visual, and a lot of fun. The film does not take itself too seriously and that helps with the enjoyment level of the film. Another thing that helped was the music from composer Edward Shearmur. The music was very reminiscent of John Williams work, but never derivative, it added that needed texture to fully immerse the viewer in the world that Conran has created.

If the film has any faults, it is with the script and story development. Although I like how it played out and what was achieved, I had gone into the screening hoping for something more. I feel that had there been about another twenty minutes of screen time, it may have stepped over into being a true classic. Sadly, it is hampered by the lack of development.

Bottomline. I highly recommend this film, despite it's flaws it stands out as a unique film with an absolutely wonderful look. It will probably be most remembered for its use of computer animation more than for the film itself. I am hoping that we get to see further adventures of Sky Captain.

Highly Recommended.