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SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
Blu-ray Edition
Review by Michael Jacobson
Stars:
Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael
Gambon
Director: Kerry Conran
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Studio: Paramount
Features: See Review
Length: 106 Minutes
Release Date:
“Our
last moments on earth, and this is all you have to say to me??”
“Couldn’t
we just for once die without all this bickering?”
Sky
Captain and the World of Tomorrow dips into the same well that once gave us Raiders
of the Lost Ark. It hearkens
back to the fun of Saturday morning serials where words like “Romance!”
“Danger!” “Action!” flew at you from the screen in a kind of playful
braggadocio that kept movie fans hanging on from one week to the next.
The
difference is that writer/director Kerry Conran employed modern technologies to
tell an old fashioned tale. Possibly
the first movie since Brazil to create a “retro-future” look, Sky
Captain seems to take place between the World Wars and has a decidedly old
fashioned style in terms of look, craft and fashion…yet computer animation
filled the frames with visual wonder and a no-holds-barred approach to
imaginative filmmaking that the old serial artists could only dream about.
It
stars Jude Law as Joe, aka “Sky Captain”, a swashbuckling pilot, and Gwyneth
Paltrow as Polly, the kind of plucky female reporter that risks life and limb
for a good scoop. The reason I
mention them up front is because the way they play off of each other with
Conran’s scripts is another of the movie’s throwback pleasures.
I was reminded of the banter between Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck in All
About Eve, or even some of the classic Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn
comedies. This duo is out to save
the world…if they could only get off each other’s cases first.
This
is definitely a movie that emphasizes style over substance, but one that gets
the style part so gloriously right that it more than serves the purpose for
entertainment value. The plot, as
in the old serials, is just an excuse to thrust our heroes into and out of one
eye popping situation after another, and we can’t help but clap, cheer, gasp
and giggle in our seats the whole time.
As
it is, the story involves the one-by-one disappearance of a number of world
renowned scientists. It turns out,
they all have a connection to some secret project that was more dastardly than
anyone could imagine. Now Totenkopf,
the man behind the project, seems to have resurfaced to finish what he
started…but where is he, and what exactly is he hoping to accomplish?
Some
of the scenarios include a classic New York under siege by gigantic flying
robots, planes that quickly and efficiently slip from aircraft to underwater
vehicles, a tremendous flying airstrip manned by the lovely and mysterious
Franky (Jolie), and a final face-off against the mad scientist behind it all,
who happens to be played by none other than Laurence Olivier.
Considering how long the great British actor has been dead, I have to
say, he must have one hell of an agent!
The
film is fascinating from a technical standpoint in that the actors never left
their soundstage and performed all against blue screen backdrops.
Computers took care of the rest, creating the kind of world and special
effects that would have been impossible by conventional means.
It’s like a living breathing comic book in the way it looks, feels and
plays out.
The
more the movie played out in front of me, the more I enjoyed it.
I may have been a little skeptical in the early going, but the simple
story and the enjoyable characters were enough to win me over.
The constant start-to-finish eye candy was just bonus.
Quite
simply, this is one of the most imaginative and creative uses of computer
technology in recent memory; taking what is new and making it seem old, but
fresh at the same time. I don’t
mind saying that I hope Sky Captain flies again in a sequel.
Video
****
I thought the visual style of this movie lent itself well to DVD; it's better than ever on Blu-ray! The coloring and levels of detail throughout really make Conran's vision come to life, and make an artificial world seem more lifelike than ever.
Audio
****
On Blu-ray, you get a choice of Dolby Digital or DTS tracks, and the technological capabilities of the format make for a more expansive and immersive listening experience than before. There are many big sequences that really get your system into full swing, with more dynamic range than ever contrasted with more subtlety.
Features
****
Paramount
jam packed this Blu-ray disc with all the goodies you would want.
There are two informative commentary tracks:
one by Kerry Conran and his technical crew, and one by producer Jon
Avnet. A two part documentary
“Brave New World” takes you behind the scenes and shows how the movie came
about and how it was done with cast and crew interviews.
The original 6 minute short Conran made on his computer to sell his idea
is included, and is quite cool, along with a pair of deleted scenes and a short
gag reel. A look at the art
direction and some previews round out a quality disc.
Summary:
Paramount 's entry into the Blu-ray market is making quite a splash. One of their best DVD offerings now showcases what the new technology can deliver. This is a superb home theatre experience from top to bottom!
