1939. A scientist takes a journey across the Atlantic knowing that when he arrives he will be killed. Why does he go? Because the secret he knows is so terrifying that it could destroy the very Earth itself! So begins “Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow” a film that has just about everything a ten year-old boy would love to see. It’s chuck-full of airplanes, ray guns, rampaging robots, monsters, mystic lands, tiny elephants, and lots of radioactive villainy! As the saying goes, this movie is so much fun there ought to be a law.
One of the great pleasures in cinema is seeing new technology used to tell an old story. Released in 2004, ‘Sky Captain’ was one of the first movies to be shot entirely against blue screen. Though using experimental techniques, first time director Kerry Conran always uses the effects in service to the story, and the result is a ghee-whiz, popcorn confection that could stand next to the first ‘Star Wars’ or ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark.’ Like those films, ‘Sky Captain’ feels like an old friend right away. Part of that effect must be due to the film lavish retro style. The lighting is reminiscent of early two-strip Technicolor films from the period. The production design more than slightly resembles Max Fleischer’s Superman cartoons.
The story itself is, of course, absolutely ridiculous and yes, predictable. I don’t think there’s really any suspense as to whether or not Joe “Sky Captain” Sullivan (Jude Law) will be able to thwart the dastardly scheme of the evil Dr. Totenkopf (Sir Lawrence Olivier in a tastefully done posthumous role). After all, Sky Captain is the kind of guy who saves the world every other Wednesday. Nor do I doubt whether or not he and his “girl Friday” Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) will settle their screwball bickering and get back together by the end. The invention is not in the story; it’s in the gadgets and the absurdity. It is very satisfying to find a movie that is this much fun, that can make me smile so wide and so often.
This movie is like a dream, a near perfect distillation of childhood fantasy. It excites the imagination in a way few others do. I find it strange that the general public didn’t seem to connect with ‘Sky Captain’ when it came out. This is exactly the movie that the Star Wars prequels wanted to be. However, I have confidence that in time this film will be rediscovered.
If you’re looking for a deep, insightful journey into the human mind, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for a top-shelf piece of escapist entertainment that lets you forget your troubles and grin for an hour and forty minutes, well that’s a job for Sky Captain.
This 1941 Superman Cartoon by Max Fleischer was undoubtedly a strong influence on 'Sky Captain' and is just as much fun as the movie.
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