I'll start it off right away by saying this was the MOST FUN I've had in a movie in ages and easily this entire year. Note that I did NOT say this was the "best movie" I've seen this year (that will probably be between "Hero", "Collateral", and "The Manchurian Candidate". You would be doing yourself a disservice if you're not a fan of adventure, action, or sci-fi if you didn't see this movie.
To describe "Sky Captain", I would say think of a giant movie blender. Now into that blender put one part Indiana Jones, some "The Rocketeer", add a little "Flash Gordon", mix in some "Jurassic Park", a dash or two of "Star Wars" and viola - you have "Sky Captain". This is not to say that this film is a rip-off - far from it. This film pays homage to those classics and then some.
Most of all this film pays homage to the Saturday afternoon matinee serials from the 1930s and 1940s with the wise-cracking hero and the spunky female reporter. Now because of this the film's dialogue may seem a little stilted or "cheesy" to our 21st century ears. Don't let that put you off - in fact you'll soon get used to it and realize that IT WORKS for this film and Law and Paltrow pull it off flawlessly.
The visuals are absolutely like nothing else you've ever seen before - but eventually you don't notice them as much and are just absorbed in the sheer fun that is this film. Giant Robots, flying bat-wing aircraft, Royal Navy sky platforms - this film is a geek's dream come true!
The plot is your standard ordinary razor-thin mad scientist plotline - we've seen this time and again (heck we've already played it twice this year with "Far Cry" and "Doom 3") but who the hell cares? If you're seeing this movie for the plot, then I think you're missing the point.
I could go on and on about this film but I won't. I think you should see it for yourself. I can tell by the audience reaction that 80% of the theater loved this film as they left laughing and with smiles on their faces.
I for one hope that this is the start of a media franchies - I would love to buy "Sky Captain" comics, books, and toys (especially toys!). This film was just made for merchandising and I hope they take advantage of it.
I know that the day this film is released on DVD, I will be first in line to get it. I can't think of any higher praise that I can give a film. Besides, any film that can bring Sir Laurence Oliver back from the dead is ok in my book.
SFLUFAN rating: 9.2/10
To describe "Sky Captain", I would say think of a giant movie blender. Now into that blender put one part Indiana Jones, some "The Rocketeer", add a little "Flash Gordon", mix in some "Jurassic Park", a dash or two of "Star Wars" and viola - you have "Sky Captain". This is not to say that this film is a rip-off - far from it. This film pays homage to those classics and then some.
Most of all this film pays homage to the Saturday afternoon matinee serials from the 1930s and 1940s with the wise-cracking hero and the spunky female reporter. Now because of this the film's dialogue may seem a little stilted or "cheesy" to our 21st century ears. Don't let that put you off - in fact you'll soon get used to it and realize that IT WORKS for this film and Law and Paltrow pull it off flawlessly.
The visuals are absolutely like nothing else you've ever seen before - but eventually you don't notice them as much and are just absorbed in the sheer fun that is this film. Giant Robots, flying bat-wing aircraft, Royal Navy sky platforms - this film is a geek's dream come true!
The plot is your standard ordinary razor-thin mad scientist plotline - we've seen this time and again (heck we've already played it twice this year with "Far Cry" and "Doom 3") but who the hell cares? If you're seeing this movie for the plot, then I think you're missing the point.
I could go on and on about this film but I won't. I think you should see it for yourself. I can tell by the audience reaction that 80% of the theater loved this film as they left laughing and with smiles on their faces.
I for one hope that this is the start of a media franchies - I would love to buy "Sky Captain" comics, books, and toys (especially toys!). This film was just made for merchandising and I hope they take advantage of it.
I know that the day this film is released on DVD, I will be first in line to get it. I can't think of any higher praise that I can give a film. Besides, any film that can bring Sir Laurence Oliver back from the dead is ok in my book.
SFLUFAN rating: 9.2/10
