Review of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) by Mark Jim S — 11 Jul 2010

3: I was looking forward to this film so much I named my female hamster "Sky Captain" during college. It's possibly the best name for a film ever devised. The picture certainly has it's heart in the right place, but it does lack a bit in execution and narrative.

It is striving for Flash Gordon, Star Wars, King Kong, Indiana Jones, etc., but it doesn't quite reach what it is searching for, although it gets close in sections, is equal to the task in others, and falls short in only a few.

I think the pictures failings have something to do with the polished and artificial nature of the film (which is simultaneously it's greatest strength). The actors don't quite know what to do with themselves when they are surrounded by green screens and the film doesn't feel entirely authentic.

However, the chemistry between Law and Paltrow is electric at times; some of their dialogue positively crackles. The script definitely has some of the necessary details and dialogue to plant itself firmly in the correct atmosphere, but it falls just a bit short.

It does look magnificent on Blu-Ray though, although not as wonderful as I remember it being. I always forget how soft the edges and focus in the picture are. In the end, one can only wish more directors and producers had the guts to make films like this.

It's patently obvious throughout that this was a labor of love in every possible sense and the creators couldn't believe their good fortune in being able to bring their vision to the screen in such a fashion.

This must have been akin to being let lose in the toy factory/store of their dreams. The ending line is brilliant, as is the running gag revolving around how to use those precious last few photographs.