Film Review: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Hollywood finds itself submerged in a sea of mediocrity, a truly disheartening situation. Even more disheartening is when Hollywood manages to create something original and refreshing, only to have it tragically undervalued and misunderstood. A prime example of this is Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, a 2004 science fiction adventure film written and directed by Kerry Conran.

The film's simple concept proved too intricate for some critics attempting to summarise the plot. Set in a New York reminiscent of the late 1930s but with hints of belonging to alternate history universe, the plot follows Polly Perkins (portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow), a newspaper reporter investigating the mysterious vanishing of renowned scientists. These disappearances coincide with the appearance of gigantic robots attacking major cities worldwide in search of resources. The only hope against these robots lies with the mercenary Flying Legion, led by Joe Sullivan, also known as Sky Captain (played by Jude Law). Reluctantly, Sky Captain joins Polly in her inquiry as they uncover connections between the missing scientists and the enigmatic Dr. Totenkopf, possibly linked to the robots.

Inspired by sources akin to those that influenced Lucas and Spielberg in creating original Star Wars and the Indiana Jones trilogy – pulp literature, comic books, and film serials prevalent in 1930s American culture – Conran crafted a captivating fictional realm. This universe mirrors the futuristic vision of the 1930s pulp culture, where zeppelins facilitate intercontinental travel, nations are not gearing up for war, the British Empire acts as a global policeman, the USA lacks a robust military relying on mercenaries for defence.

In contrast to other films inspired by 1930s popular culture like The Shadow and The Phantom, which superficially approached their anachronistic themes, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" intricately weaves a tapestry of details that demand multiple viewings for full appreciation. Drawing from popular films of that era, the film's architecture and fashion exude unmistakable 1930s influence. The cinematography by Eric Adkins, with its sepia tones, offers a surreal glimpse into 1930s cinema. Remarkably, almost the entire film was digitally created, with actors added later without physical sets or props. This practice is quite common for major Hollywood productions now but appeared as a novelty two decades ago.

While visually captivating, the film's meticulous attention to aesthetics comes at the expense of plot and character development. Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow strive to embody 1930s film archetypes but are hindered by their characters' one-dimensional nature and lacklustre dialogue. Supporting actors are relegated to forgettable roles, with Angelina Jolie's brief appearance driven more by commercial motives than artistic merit. Even Jolie is overshadowed by Sir Laurence Olivier's digitally resurrected presence in his first posthumous acting role. Olivier’s appearance was brief, but it paved the way for Marlon Brando, another cinema giant, make similar posthumous performance in Superman Returns two years later and thus set the precedence for practice which is recently creates a lot of controversy over deepfakes and similar abuses.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow was mostly well-received by critics, but the audience, already accustomed to less ambitious CGI spectacles based on established media franchises, had trouble understanding its concept and accepting original characters. That meant that the film made with rather high budget, turned into massive box office flop. Nevertheless, its succeeded as a “proof of concept” for films made on digital backlots, paving the way for many future and more successful films made with the same technique. Watched now, outside its film history context, and despite its flaws – somewhat inevitable given its ambitious scope – this delightfully anachronistic digital masterpiece warrants high praise as one of early 21st Century most significant films.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

(Note: Original version of the review is available here.)

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