Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow marks an impressive debut for writer and director Kerry Conran thanks largely to the revolutionary special effects processes employed in its production and the calibre of the cast he managed to assemble: Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie to name a few.

The plot itself is a typical science-fiction fare: In New York City circa-1939, intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Paltrow) is investigating the disappearances of famous scientists across the world when the city is attacked by robots. She then teams up with old flame and the hero of the piece, the Sky Captain (Law) and with the help of his friends, including the eye-patch wearing Capt. 'Franky' Cook (Jolie), they team up to track down the evil mastermind responsible. Whilst this is far from innovative, the result is much more pleasing than could
perhaps be expected from the premise.

In short, the film successfully recreates the atmosphere found in classic adventure movies and combines it with the most up-to-date special effects imaginable to produce a thoroughly unique interpretation of New York City that merges the character of the 1940s with a level of technology that those alive then could scarcely comprehend.

What's even more remarkable is that every scene is entirely computer generated: only the actors themselves are real, everything else is just a product of the digital trickery put to use to create the world around them. This works surprising well given that this is the first picture to make use of such a technique, making it an avenue that other directors are sure to pursue with delight over the coming years.

Overall, this is not going to be the best film you will ever see but if you like the genre or want something that you can enjoy for what it is, then it is a picture I heartily recommend you come to see. For those of you wanting to catch a glimpse of filmmaking of the future, this pioneering work is most definitely something that should be experienced on the big screen to be able to truly comprehend the full mastery of what has been achieved.

James Kopka