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Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 2004 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Kerry Conran
PG, 107 min. (stylized sci-fi violence, mild language) |
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Starring: Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, M. Gambon, Bai Ling, Omid Djalili, Sir Laurence Olivier
Producers: Jon Avnet, Marsha Oglesby, Jude Law, Sadie Frost
Screenplay: Kerry Conran
Cinematography: Eric Adkins
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Released: 9.17.04 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow was a certain gamble for first-time director Kerry Conran and Paramount Pictures;
the introduction of a new art-form, in this case an all-digital presentation, was an complete win/lose scenario - either the film
would be hailed as groundbreaking and a viable genre for the future of cinema or it would crash and burn and be the biggest
miscalculation of the year. Thankfully for everyone involved in the production, the film works for the most part, and Conran
has the distinction of making the digital format presentable, believable, and profitable. Of course, he's not the first director
to tinker with digital sets and backgrounds - George Lucas is certainly the pioneer in the industry - but because only actors
and a blue screen were used to create the world in the film, it's a landmark picture.
Much of the success of the film comes from the wise decision to set the storyline in the distant past - an alternate version of
1930s New York City - where the nostalgia of near black-and-white backdrops and a soft focus on the characters don't
necessitate perfection in the visuals. Yet the imaginative creation of the time and place are eerily authentic and pass the
eye test, allowing the simple, fun storyline to emerge amidst the digital world. The actors' faith in the director is critical here,
and test subjects Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow perform admirably in what must have been a strange production shoot
(similar stories of the difficulty of acting against nothing but the imagination of the director have been a mainstay of the
Star Wars prequels cast for years now). But here their patience and trust pay off, and Conran and the digital team
make their cast look competent and experienced.
Law plays Joe Sullivan, or "Sky Captain," a pilot who uses his plane to thwart attacks on Manhattan - he has a secret
base with a large hangar and an assistant, Dex Dearborn (Giovanni Ribisi), who specializes in research and development.
Giant mechanical monsters have descended upon New York City, wreaking havoc on the populuation, and an aggressive
reporter, Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), is on the scene to get the scoop. Of course she's in over her head, and Joe
must save her once again from certain peril. Together, though they have a history, they begin to unravel a plot by the evil
renegade scientist Dr. Totenkopf (Laurence Olivier in a posthumous performance), who has a secret hideaway and
an an army of machines and genetically-altered animals that must be stopped. When Dex is kidnapped by Totenkopf's
henchwoman (Bai Ling), Joe and Polly go in search of him while trying to save the world with the assistance of Franky Cook (Angelina Jolie),
a former love interest of Joe's and the captain of a flying British airstrip.
The surprising aspect of the film comes from the seamless interaction of the actors and the digital effects around them; it's
as if they're unaware of such chicanery and perform without hesitation or confusion. This is where having the experience
of a mime would come in handy. Paltrow and Law have decent chemistry, which helps, but they seem comfortable and
relaxed acting opposite imaginary backdrops and characters. The film's strength comes from its light-hearted, fun-at-all-costs
approach, which reminds many of the unabashed adventurous spirit of a film like Raiders of the Lost Ark. It's
certainly an entertaining picture, one that never outlasts its welcome.
Maybe the most bizarre part of the picture comes from the inclusion of Olivier's digitally recreated performance, which, although
eerie, adds a certain appropriateness to Totenkopf's character. And even though the plot is minimalist and a carbon copy of
numerous adventure/science fiction tales from the 40s and 50s, the film doesn't depend on it for its success. This is a film
that is to be enjoyed for its inventiveness and the warmth of its characters (digital and human). This is also an example of
style over substance, but Conran and his collaborators have made a picture that speaks for itself.
© 2004 Jonathan Cornwell
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 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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