SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

REVIEWED BY MISS C.

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Because of: mild innuendo, violence, thematic elements

Rated:

The year is 1938. The place a New York City-like metropolis. Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), the intrepid, blonde (ala Veronica Lake) reporter is hot on a story. Six notable scientists have disappeared without a trace, and she's determined to get the story. She receives a tip which takes her to the Radio City Music Hall theater. There she meets a mysterious stranger named Jennings who is convinced that he'll be the next scientist to disappear. Just as Polly is sure she's onto something hot, aid raid sirens sound, sending frightened theater-goers out into the streets. In the confusion Polly manages to grab Jennings and get a name out of him: Totenkopf (archival footage of the late Laurence Olivier). She has barely time to retrieve plans for a robotic machine that Jennings drops before she joins the exodus from the theater.

When she finally shoves her way onto the crowded sidewalk, she is amazed to see giant flying robots over the city. True reporter that she is, she rushes off to telephone her editor. As the robots begin to range across the City, sowing destruction and panic, Polly finds herself caught in their midst. Just as she finds herself in mortal danger, an airplane swoops out of the clouds, turning back the robots and (incidentally) saving Polly's life. The pilot is Joe Sullivan, also known as "Sky Captain" (played with Errol Flynn-like bravado by Jude Law). Polly, who knows him and realizes that he must know something about this, head to his base, intending to get a scoop however possible. Joe and Polly have a less than agreeable meeting, but at length they both agree to cooperate. They head back to the City together in search of Jennings, but it seems they're too late--someone else has been to the scientist's laboratory before them. As they investigate the lab Jennings staggers in, with a mysterious assassin not far off.

While Joe is fighting off the woman in black, Jennings hands Polly two vials--which she conceals from Joe. The scientists dies before he can finish telling them about Totenkopf, but despite this they uncover a clue that leads them to Tibet. Here they meet with an old friend of Joe's--Kaji, who agrees to help them find the place they're looking for. Embarking on a long trek over snowy mountains, Joe, Kaji, Polly and two guides stumble upon what appears to be an abandoned mine. Once inside Polly wanders off on her own--only to be ambushed by the guides, who demand that she hand over the vials Jennings gave her. Meanwhile Joe and Kaji realize that the mine was used for excavating uranium and that they must get out quickly.

When they realize Polly isn't with them, they split up to search for her. It is Joe who Polly in the clutches of the villainous guides and tries to rescue her, only to be locked in a large vault of dynamite, without the vials and helplessly watching the fuses burn down. Just when death seems unavoidable Kaji comes to the rescue, sending them spinning into yet another dynamic adventure in their quest to save the world. This film is so playfully made that it's hard not to laugh with it or like it "just because." Elements from various styles of the Golden Age of Hollywood, film noir, action/adventure and classic newspaper reporter flicks blend with lots of aerial battles for a kitschy trip back to yesteryear with an updated twist. Although the effects are largely computer generated they are of pretty nice quality (and the camera rarely stayed on one spot for more than a few moments, which helped smooth over the rough spots). The acting is fun and although I felt occasionally that Law and Paltrow didn't give their roles enough "umph," it's not a serious film and such flaws didn't bother me much.

While only rated PG, this film does have some content to be aware of. I counted 6 misuses of God's name, several d-mns, hells, and possibly one other word that I didn't catch fully. At one point, Kaji makes a very inappropriate comment about Polly in a foreign language, unfortunately translated for us in subtitles. Polly wakes up in bed naked with Joe next to her. At first we're enticed into suspecting that they're in an inappropriate situation, until the camera pans out to show Kaji also with them, the three having been rescued by a kind Tibetan who (presumably) didn't know any better than not to place them all in the same bed. Nothing happens in this scene at all; everyone is fully covered by blankets. There is plenty of action-related violence. Cars and buildings are crushed and destroyed. People are presumably killed. A man is disfigured after being exposed to high levels of radio activity. A body has been found that is decomposing (but not graphically). A man is fried to death by monster electrical currents. A creature that looks humanoid has half it's face smashed away to reveal wire and electronics underneath. Ominous moments of impending doom permeate the film.

I found this a refreshing change of pace for Hollywood. In a period when all that seems to come out of the film industry is gore, sex and extreme language, Sky Captain was a fairly clean flick. It really does feel like an old movie come back to life, and as such vintage film fans will enjoy it. There are holes in the plot, and it may seem a little cheesy at times; but it's a fun, fast paced adventure movie, sure to please those who enjoy this genre.

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