SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

"Calling Sky Captain"

Enjoying twenty years of peace after the end of the First World War, the world's greatest scientists are been kidnapped and major cities around the world have come under attack by flying robots. Intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Paltrow) is following the story and all her leads throw up one name, Totenkopf. When the world is in peril, one man is given the call to save the planet from the mechanical onslaught, that man is Sky Captain (Law).

Combining everything that was great about the 1930s serials and the latest technological advances, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow could be the future of movies.

Using real actors and in a stylised, computer generated world, writer/director Kerry Conran could have changed the way films are made forever. While many films have already used CG extensively to create backgrounds and scenery, Conran has taken things one step further by creating everything inside the computer. Technology is now at the stage that realistic and beautifully designed sets and scenery can be created digitally. All of this means that creating worlds of the future and the past are now only limited by the filmmaker's imagination.

Imagine been transported back to a time when the world was filled with visions of extreme science, grandiose design and heroes saved us from peril at every turn. This was the time of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and the King of the Rocketmen, when the serial adventures gripped cinemagoers on a weekly basis. These series were high on adventure and low on budget, but they did have a huge impact on the movie world. Without them we would have never had had Star Wars, Indiana Jones and many others.

Now writer/director Kerry Conran has utilised the latest computer technology to create these fantastical worlds like they have never been seen before. Here we have giant robots walking through the streets of New York, Zeppelins docking with the Empire State Building and flying aircraft carriers patrolling the skies. The visuals are stunning throughout, capturing the look of the 30s and crossing it with the extreme scientific views of the Sci-Fi writers and filmmakers of the time.

Matching the stylised visuals is a story that captures the essence of the time. In Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan we have a hero that everyone can get behind. Polly Perkins is the typical tenacious reporter who finds herself in peril at every turn. Dex Dearborn is the young inventor who has a passion for science and a brain to match. Totenkopf and his machines you have a villain that is both mysterious and deadly. Couple these characters together with high adventure, fabulous set pieces and some snappy dialogue and you have a movie that successfully pays homage to those Saturday morning serials.

The performances of the cast also capture the spirit of the time and the style. While Jude Law might not be a Buster Crabbe, he certainly looks the part as the dashing ace pilot ready to risk his life to save the day. This is another fine performance by the actor that proves his can play the hero figure very well. Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect as reporter Polly Perkins. Her character might not be the typical damsel in distress that you usually associate with these types of movies but Paltrow makes the character a plucky, strong reporter who is not afraid to get involved in the action. Giovanni Ribisi is the quintessential geeky scientist who invents ray guns and does those special modifications to Sky Captain's plane.

There are also some good supporting performances from the always excellent Michael Gambon as Editor Morris Paley, Omid Djalili provides the comic relief as Himalayan contact Kaji and Ling Bai looks very menacing as the mysterious woman who controls all of the machines.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow captures the essence of the 1930s serials and has all the thrills and adventure you'd expect from genre. The movie also looks stunning throughout and when you throw in some excellent and enthusiastic performances then you have one of the best examples of a popcorn movie to come along in a very long time.

BONUS FEATURES

Disc 2

Brave New World (56.20 mins)
Writer/Director Kerry Conran, production designer Kevin Conrad, producer John Avenet, visual effects supervisor Darin Hollings, visual effects producer Daniel Rucinski, editor Sabrina Plisco and stars Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie take you through the production of 'Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow'. From creating the original six-minute short in 1998 to the start of filming in May 2003, the documentary takes you through the entire film's production from original concept to the glittering premiere. Highlighting the pioneering mergence of computer generated imagery and live action, we see how the 2000+ visual effects shots were created, from storyboards to animatics to completed renders. This is a fascinating insight into a groundbreaking production that opens up a canvas that only a filmmaker's imagination can limit.

The Art of the World of Tomorrow (8.19 mins)
Production and costume designer Kevin Conrad takes you through the design process involved in bringing Sky Captain to the silver screen. We see his original design concepts for the 'Flying Fortress', 'Flapping Wing', 'Sky Captain', 'Frankie', 'Polly Perkins', 'The Mysterious Woman' and 'The Robots' and see how they evolved into what we see in the finished movie.

The Original Six Minute Short (6.02 mins)
Kerry Conrad's original short that showcased the techniques that he would utilise in the production of 'Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow'. It includes a similar opening shot to that of the finished movie.

Deleted Scenes (5.06 mins)
Entitled 'Totenkopf's Torture Room' and 'The Conveyor Belt', these two deleted scenes explain how Dex came back, how the group met Unit 11 and explains the look of the slave. With a commentary track we don't why they where removed however.

Gag Reel (2.31 mins)
A montage of gaffs and mistakes as we see Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow have fun while working against the blue screen. These are intercut with CG funnies created in Previsualisation.

Secret Behind the Scenes look at the Animation Department (1.20 mins)
Watch Steve Meyer's video diary of the work done by the animation department, only to be interrupted by an unforeseen menace.

OVERALL

A pioneering Sci-Fi adventure receives a good DVD treatment from Paramount. The bonus features are very informative and fun, charting the full production of the film in a very insightful way. This is a must buy for fans of the movie and a great rent for those of you who missed the adventure on the big screen.

DVD

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

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2004