Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is an adventure story in the tradition of not just the sci-fi comics and serials from the 30's-50's (mainly late 30's-early 40's period), but in the tradition of Indiana Jones. We're given the archetypal characters- the hero (Jude Law), the tag-along dame (Gwyneth Paltrow), the 'wiz-kid' (Giovanni Ribisi), the helpful supporting officer (Angelina Joie), and the main Villain (Laurence Olivier, who appears only briefly in hologram form) with his 2nd banana (a female who is lethal to the bone). Then, we're given the story, used mostly as a clothesline: Paltrow plays a reporter looking for a scoop on missing scientists. When robots appear in the city, she is almost crushed, but saved by an old acquaintance (Law). They team up, not always the most agreeable couple, to find the scientists and stop a madman from the world's destruction.
What the film lacks in getting consistently effective dialog and (what Spielberg was able to bring to his adventure stories) a solid sense of humor, is made up for by the visual effects. This was a tricky idea, to film everything with a blue-screen. But in the realm of imagination, the design of the film, the textures and lighting on the actors and the 'sets', the originality of it is striking, like being in a dream. I was ambivalent about whether or not the effects would impress me- recently cinemas have been bombarded by films that over-load the CGI without anything to draw the viewer in or entertain. 'Sky Captain' does that. For the movie-goer willing to give itself to what the look has to offer, it won't be too hardy a disappointment. Add a musical score that reaches for the John Williams stroke of theatricality, and it's not too bad a show. It's not a great film (on top of a little coldness in the writing, actors like Jolie and Ribisi don't have much to do here and are kept to command statement), but I wouldn't dismiss it as another Hollywood effects drek piece. It's an ambitious debut from Conran, the kind of film that's best suited for a Saturday afternoon, and he calls himself out as a director who may have a good career ahead. (strong) B
What the film lacks in getting consistently effective dialog and (what Spielberg was able to bring to his adventure stories) a solid sense of humor, is made up for by the visual effects. This was a tricky idea, to film everything with a blue-screen. But in the realm of imagination, the design of the film, the textures and lighting on the actors and the 'sets', the originality of it is striking, like being in a dream. I was ambivalent about whether or not the effects would impress me- recently cinemas have been bombarded by films that over-load the CGI without anything to draw the viewer in or entertain. 'Sky Captain' does that. For the movie-goer willing to give itself to what the look has to offer, it won't be too hardy a disappointment. Add a musical score that reaches for the John Williams stroke of theatricality, and it's not too bad a show. It's not a great film (on top of a little coldness in the writing, actors like Jolie and Ribisi don't have much to do here and are kept to command statement), but I wouldn't dismiss it as another Hollywood effects drek piece. It's an ambitious debut from Conran, the kind of film that's best suited for a Saturday afternoon, and he calls himself out as a director who may have a good career ahead. (strong) B