Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow - 2004

 Paramount Pictures, Brooklyn Films II, Riff Raff Film Productions 

Directed by Kerry Conran

Cast:

Polly Perkins – Gwyneth Paltrow

Sky Captain – Jude Law

Dex – Giovanni Ribisi

Editor Paley – Michael Gambon

Mysterious Woman – Bai Ling

Kaji – Omid Djalili

Franky – Angelina Jolie

Story: In 1939, a top secret force commanded by Sky Captain is activated when Polly Perkins, a reporter, uncovers the systematic murders of top scientists from World War One. As she is tracking down leads, trying to find the killers, she is almost killed along with another scientist when a group of advanced robots descends on the city to locate two missing components in an evil plot that will destroy the world. Only Sky Captain and his elite forces, along with the aide of an elite British force led by Franky, can save the world from certain and complete destruction. But can they do it?

Review: Unfortunately, this film did not do well in the theaters. Which is a shame, because being an excellent film with superb graphics, it is also the forerunner of everything that has followed in Compter Generated Images (CGI).

Sky Captain was filmed entirely in blue screen. None of the sets existed except it the mind of the people doing the graphics. Which meant the actors had no frame of reference when they were performing. Oh, of course there were tape marks on the floor, but nothing to react to, nothing to walk around, nothing but a blank room with platforms where necessary to go up and down. Which means the actors had to envision the room as it might be and then respond without the aid of visual cues. Now, I don't know about you, but I would call that acting above and beyond the normal requirements. And the best part is, they all do it extremely well.

As to plot, considering the setting of the film, the plot is exactly as it should be. If this had been made in the 1950's, this film would have been a “Cliffhanger”, like Commando Cody or Flash Gordon used to be, a tool to get parents to drop their kids off at the local theater for Saturday morning matinees while they did their grocery shopping or other chores. I remember doing that while my mom was off grocery shopping, and my brother and I would sit for two or three hours watching cartoons and a couple of those films.

Still, there isn't a lot of action by comparison to what we expect from films these days, and the technology in the film is 'old school', so perhaps the current generation of film goers just didn't get it. I recommend the film as a great way to spend ninety six minutes when the kiddies are looking to see what the old world used to be like. Rated PG, collectible for us Sci Fi types. Enjoy.