Last night I saw Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow — and it is GREAT! It was the top film this weekend and deserves every penny of it (and more).
There are tons of reviews on the Internet, so I'm not going to do a long one here except to tell you:
(1) Forget the posturing reviews by critics who blast the acting etc and directing. The audience loved it, the film moved at break-neck pace and it was as good as any adventure-science fiction film I've ever seen. I took a 9 year old and a 12 year old and both want to see it again.
(2) In some ways it's reminiscent of Disney's ahead-of-its-time but ultimately boring "Tron," filmed as the Disney Studios' original post-Disney-death administration saw a decline in their company's fortunes, leading to the take-over by Michael Eisner. It's almost all digitally created.
(3) It's amazing when you realize that every ripple of water, every tree, every light, every moving car, and even tiny people in the distance or sitting in a theater were created in a computer.
(4) It has the look of an old Flash Gordon style serial and a comic book, but not as phoney as the (awful) movie Dick Tracy.
(5) Critics were way off the mark in saying there was no chemistry between the leads in this movie. They played it like it was a classic 40s period piece. Even the color tones are a bit muted, to give it the period look.
(6) Most delightful to me: a clear homage to the original King Kong. When you go see it compare this film's jungle scenes with the jungle scenes in King Kong. Almost a copy. Lovingly and masterfully done (I am a huge fan of the original King Kong and have read a ton of material on it).
How much did I love it? I'll go to see it one or more times — to again look at the amazing techical work and savor some of the lines. Critics need to lighten up. It's meant to be a zippy celluloid roller-coaster ride, not a prim and proper symphony concert.
UPDATE: If you want a review, here's a good one.
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