SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

Sheer Propulsiveness, Staggering Inventiveness, and Mind-boggling Visuals.

As promised; (Reference to my post dated Sunday, October 17, 2004) I am delivering my Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow review. Although by now I am sure some of you might ask why bother writing a review for a movie that was released more than 3 months ago.

The problem with me is when I make a promise I always honor them. So without ado, I present the long overdue Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow review.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Review
Every few decades, a movie comes along that is a seminal achievement – and forces both audiences and filmmakers to re-think the innate capabilities of the medium as a whole. 1977's Star Wars is an example.

Alas, modern audiences (in general) seem less enthusiastic than they used to be, having been hardened and disheartened by countless over-produced, ill-conceived genre spectacles (some from Star Wars creator George Lucas himself).

As such, Sky Captain may well run head-long into a bit of turbulence, although its cult afterlife is certain to be both eternal and glorious. Although, this "burn" factor may actually work in its favor – perhaps perennially abused viewers will actually recognize that this is "the real thing," and give The World of Tomorrow the attention it so very much deserves.

Where many effects-driven, stylistically reliant films often fail, Sky Captain soars. Its creative and artistic audacity is paralleled only by the sheer exuberance with which creators Kevin and Kerry Conran spin their tale.

It’s far-from a perfect script. Logic and reason are often thrown aside with almost gleeful abandon. But what the film lacks in substance is compensated for via sheer propulsiveness, staggering inventiveness, and mind-boggling visuals.

What began ten years ago as a small project filmed inside the director's apartment, Sky Captain's success rises from pure love. The filmmakers' unwavering belief in their project, and their passion for film as an art form, is evident in every single frame of this movie.

Their affinities are immensely bolstered by the utter conviction of all performances as well as the graceful, thoughtful elegance with which the project's gargantuan effects team have approached the Conran's material.

Visual effects are traditionally used as narrative tools – as means to create spectacle happening within a film's setting. Sky Captain uses visual effects as a device – a device every bit as critical as a camera lens or editing bay. Here, effects not only create the setting as a whole, but an incalculable array of nuance.

Every shot in the film has been artificially augmented. Sometimes the touches are as simple as adding soft focus/halo lighting to a character's face. Sometimes it's even more subtle, like instilling a Rembrandt quality to a close-up of a character opening a book – or tweaking a shaft of light that flows in through a window. And, of course, some of the work is glaringly obvious – like the creation of unfathomably huge building interiors. On top of it all, an overwhelming percentage of the film is actually virtual – there are few physical components in Sky Captain beyond the actors themselves.

Interestingly enough...by the filmmaker's own admission...many of these effects are imperfect, highly stylized, and aren't even close to being photorealistic.

However, between the photographic artistry evident in nearly every frame...and the consistent appearance of effects throughout...The World of Tomorrow quickly becomes an utterly immersive, disarmingly atmospheric, and impressively quality controlled illusion.

In a very real sense, it is moving art. Love it or hate it, you have never seen anything remotely like this movie.

It also revels in pop culture itself, through an onslaught of fleeting references that clearly ground the film in a parallel universe cohabitated by several genre icons. By deftly visualizing our "real world" imaginings of futures that never came to be, and sprinkling the film with subtle pop cultural nods, Sky Captain deftly manages the nearly impossible: it is utterly unique, yet comfortably familiar.

Which brings us full circle to Sky Captain's use of technology, and the seminal nature of this film. For all of its obvious whizbangery and blatantly geeky propensities, Kerry and Kevin Conran have reminded us of a fundamental truth of filmmaking: cold, unemotional technology can create the most stirring and evocative images conceivable – and tell the most amazing stories imaginable – as long as they're piloted by people who aren't afraid to let their imaginations fly free. As long as they are guided by people who don't view a visual effect as "just another visual effect." The possibilities in filmmaking are limitless, if we let them be.

On a Final Note
Sky Captain is an exciting ode to influences of old. It’s periodically breath-taking in its visuals and periodically head scratching with its story, but the film might awaken childhood glee within the viewer.

I won’t pretend the film isn’t flawed, and I know the primary audience that will love Sky Captain are boomers with a love and appreciation for classic cinema. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow will be a blast for a select audience, but outside of that group the film’s flaws may be too overwhelming.

So till my next post ya, its bye from Ganz.

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