Sleek, evanescent, shadowy, with a low-gloss platinum luster reminiscent of Wender’s Wings of Desire, Kerry Conran’s Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a grand ride, full of whiz-bang gimmickry and homage to the glory days of retro-Science Fiction. An attempt to refine, fulfill, and exceed the spirit of wonder and astonishment that permeated comic books, novels, and movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Flash Gordon, and Metropolis.
Funny though, once you start making a list of Sky Captain’s numerous visual allusions, it’s hard to know where to stop — Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Star Wars, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Veronica Voss — with its expressionist use of high relief, dusty sunlight, and columns of smoke. It’s all tossed into the mix, with no attempt at concealment. And all things considered it works surprisingly well. Despite the borrowed structures of its milieu, there are no apparent seams. It has a look all its own. Many of the establishing or epiphany shots are stupendous, with a depth of field that is mesmerizing - rich, muted, elaborate backdrops you could gaze into forever.
The film opens with the arrival of enigmatic German scientist Dr. Jenkins and the invasion of flying robots in New York City. Reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) acquires some mysterious vials in a rendezvous with Dr. Jenkins and seeks out her ex-boyfriend and fighter pilot, Joe Sullivan a.k.a. Sky Captain. Joe (Jude Law) is still pissed at Polly for sabotaging his plane in an act of jealousy, but she uses blueprints as leverage to secure a “sweetheart” deal.
Equipped with souped-up flight transportation spiffier than the Mach-5, Joe and Polly set out on the trail of the nefarious Dr. Totenkopf. Along the way they are assisted by Jenkins, Joe’s protégé, Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), and Captain “Franky” Cook (Angelina Jolie). Jolie is well cast, delivering the goods with wry gusto. Ribisi did not get top billing (a crime in my book) despite the fact he has more screen time than Jolie. His incredible talent often gets overlooked, because his subtlety doesn’t pull him over the top. He lets the camera come to him.
A film of this sort hinges on special effects and salient impact and when Sky Captain falters — when it lapses in judgment — the problems are with these aspects. There’s an air-battle scene, pretty early in the film, where Joe (with Polly tagging along) returns to New York to subdue airships that resemble birds of prey. In the midst of this harrowing struggle, Polly nags and antagonizes Joe, in an attempt to heighten an already tense event and add some comic relief. It doesn’t work. Which isn’t to say it couldn’t.
![Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513HG5PXTGL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - -E
Heh, I ended up buying this movie in a grocery store because I never saw it in a theater, and I tend to buy DVDs instead of renting them. I enjoy this movie. Sure, it is hokey, but I think that is part of its charm.
Thanks for writing this review, it was a fun read.
2 - Christopher Soden
E. my friend, if it wasn't clear, yes, I too, think hokiness is DEFINITELY part of its charm. No doubt. Like everything else, I think hokiness has to be used well or earned and IMNSHO, SKY CAPTAIN manages this. Rock on Sky Captain! Rock on Kerry Conran!
3 - -E
HAHA, no it was most certainly clear. I am in agreement :)
4 - MovieFan
Good review! I disagree with your comments about Law and Paltrow though. They were perfect; it's the editing of the action sequences that's defective. As you say, the action and the banter should gel better. I suspect Conran needs a bit more experience to get that right. All the same, Sky Captain evokes an innocence very rare in the theatres these days. I love the movie and have watched it many times in the theatres and on DVD. Here's hoping for a sequel (however unlikely that is)!
5 - Deano
Also worth mentioning is the added features on the DVD discussing how the film was made and the extent of the special effects - literally every shot was a computer generated set, filmed on a blue screen.
6 - -E
Congrats, this article was picked for one of this week's Ed Picks. Keep up the good work.