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While setting a milestone in the progress of digital filmmaking, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow resurrects a nostalgic fantasy world derived from a wide variety of vintage inspirations. It's a dazzling dream for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of golden-age sci-fi pulp magazines, drawing its unique, all-digital design from such diverse sources as Howard Hawks adventures, Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Buck Rogers, Blackhawk comics, The Third Man, cliffhanger serials, and the action-packed Indiana Jones franchise. Writer-director Kerry Conran's feature debut is also guaranteed to inspire digital dreamers everywhere, suggesting a paradigm shift in the way CGI-dominated movies are made. It's a giddy adventure for the young and young-at-heart, in which ace pilot "Sky Captain" Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) and intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must save the world from a mad scientist whose vision of the future has tragic implications for all humankind. Angelina Jolie drops in for a glorified cameo, but it's the ultra-fortunate neophyte Conran who's the star here. His clever riff on The Wizard of Oz is a marvel to behold, and the method of its creation is nothing less than revolutionary. --Jeff Shannon
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Most helpful customer reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sky Captain succeeds at what it wants to do.,
By
This review is from: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition) (DVD)
I can't really understand anyone seeing a film with a title like "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" and complaining it didn't have enough depth. After all, it isn't as though the old Flash Gordon serials, or whatever else inspired this, had deep philosophical discussions and incredibly subtle characters. Considering the ponderous and detailed effort that went into this film (the actors worked with blue screens, and almost literally everything else is special effects) it's amazing that it's also light on its feet enough to include humour and not take itself too seriously. Even the main villain is generated from images of Sir Laurence Olivier (dead since 1989, raising mildly troubling ethical questions). And it all done on a lower budget than you'd expect, though if the film has one major flaw it's probably a bit too much going on, so that eye has too much to take in. Just because you can animate three hundred enemy ships doesn't actually mean you should. Jude Law and Gywneth Paltrow are well cast because they look as though they could belong to the late thirties when the film appears to be set. Roger Ebert talks about the "gee-whiz vigor" old serial adventures had, a "naive faith in science and pluck," and that's certainly to be found in Sky Captain. Sure, it's a little incongruous to see 1938 fighter planes going up against giant robots. And in a film where the characters say the "First World War" when the second one hasn't happened yet (they'd be saying the "Great War" probably) it's far too easy to get into nitpicking and miss the point. And the point, by the way, is the sheer fun of it. I fell for this film the moment I realised the giant robot beams had the same sound effect that was used in the 1953 War of the Worlds.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Old is New Again,
By Mark Sciberras (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is without a doubt the most faithful reproduction I have seen of 1930's and 40's science fiction cinema. Director Kerry Conran not only captured the innocence of the decade but also much of the visual flare that has made retro so cool in a modern era where technology has become cold and lifeless by design. Already hailed by many as ground breaking for it's completely computer rendered back drops and special effects it's hard not to be impressed with the world Kerry and his brother have envisioned. While the CG work here is obvious it never detracts from the enjoyment of the film. One gets the feeling that Conran is aware of the limitations of the technology and that instead of shying away from it he embraces it as did the pioneers of early cinema. Jude Law is perfect here as the strong headed hero fly boy and Gwyneth Paltrow brings just the right amount of Tomboy Lois Lane charm required for her role. The script is a little stunted and the acting a little cold in places but it is all done with tongue firmly planted in cheek and on repeat viewings more of the story and minor details reveal themselves. This is the most original Sci Fi story to emerge from Hollywood in a long time and as the studios become more enraptured with the cerebral and lifeless offerings that are pouring out of production houses currently this may the last Gee Whiz film you'll see for some time.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
An ""A for Effort.....even though effort starts with an "E",
By
This review is from: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Sky Captain wants to be what Star Wars and Indiana Jones were in their respective debuts. Star Wars was based on the old sci-fi serials, like "Flash Gordon", with a dash of "Lord of the Rings". Raiders of the Lost Ark also took its cues from the serials, like "Lash LaRue". However, those films were infused with a serious approach, state of the art filmmaking, and a welcome updating, in terms of dialogue.Sky Captain attempts the same. Using a bold approach with CGI effects (which, alas, will look terribly dated in no time at all), it wants to recreate those sci-fi serials, with a cue to the more serious work of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis". The casting is spot-on (both Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow easily pass as 1940s stars of the silver screen), and the design is beautiful (especially the sequences in New York City), and everyone tries their best. Unfortunately, it all comes off as too lightweight. Raiders, Star Wars, and the recent King Kong were a lot of fun, but they always took their subject matter seriously. You became lost in their worlds. Throughout Sky Captain it never seemed anything more than a clever parody of an old film. Which is too bad. The film is fun, and its heart is definitely in the right place. It has a unique look. But somehow it is forgettable fluff. Which is okay - but I think this movie is just a nudge away from being truly great. I look forward to what this director does next.
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