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Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow

Review by: Lena Aburdene
LenaAburdene@TheCinemaSource.com

How much does anyone really know about Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow besides the fact that it boasts big stars such as Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie? If they all signed on to do this project, it must be good. Perhaps they signed on because their careers are going swimmingly and they wanted to take a risk, or rather, they can afford to take a risk. What risk is this, might you ask? Unbeknownst to many, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow did not have any set or any props. The actors had to film an entire feature film strictly in front of a blue screen. Every frame was digitally filled after principal photography was completed. The result is a visually stunning and imaginative piece of work that relies mainly on pleasing aesthetics to carry the film.

Plot is really quite irrelevant in this film. It takes place in New York City and we find out that famous scientists around the world are disappearing. Gigantic robots wreak havoc in the city and investigative reporter, Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) goes on a mission to find out what exactly is happening. With the aid of her old flame Captain Joe Sullivan, aka Sky Captain, (Jude Law) the two go on an adventure, traveling all over the world as they try to find the evil mastermind Dr. Totenkopf who is plotting to destroy the world as we know it.

The film is futuristic, visually breathtaking and imaginative. The scenery, the special effects and the overall vibe of the film are exquisite and unique. The film has a feel of those old 1930's and 1940's pictures, almost a cross between an action sci-fi King Kong and the old Hollywood glamour of a detective mystery like The Big Sleep. Paltrow and Law play the parts convincingly, especially considering the circumstances in which they were filmed. Angelina Jolie's cameo is on point and refreshing and the performance by Giovanni Ribisi is wide-eyed and fresh.

Although it takes quite the imagination and the mind of a genius to create something as brimming with detail and ideas as this film, it is quite light-hearted with witty banter and cool, calm and confident characters. Character development never reaches much depth. How much can we really invest in characters that we have a hard time feeling for?

The problem that I have with reviewing this film is that I didn't love it but I couldn't find anything wrong with it either. It is what it is, and for its genre it hits the bullseye. I

could go on about the visual eye candy of a computer generated Himalayan Alps and the valley of Shangri-La. I could go on about the impressive gigantic robots, the fighter plane swooping through the familiar streets of New York City or the impressive tribute to girl power with Franky Cook's (Jolie) all-female amphibian squadron. However, if I can't invest or relate to a character on an emotional level I can't completely warm up to a film. It's why the Garden State's of Hollywood have a place in my heart. Although Sky Captain is not necessarily my personal favorite piece of filmmaking, I can understand that it is quite an impressive accomplishment and should not be scorned.

Movie Grade: B

Synopsis:

Set in New York City circa 1939, the film centers on a reporter who notices that the world’s scientists are disappearing. Teamed with a skilled pilot and an adventurous colleague, it’s up to her to thwart the plans of a mad scientist bent on world domination