Starring: Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie.
Directed by Kerry Conran
Our story begins in a snowy New York circa 1939 (we can tell this because Wizard of Oz is playing at a cinema). The Hindenburg III ( a very large zeppelin)docks at the Empire State Building and our intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Paltrow) is working on a story about disappearing scientists. Suddenly, an army of giant robots descends on the city and marches onward crushing everything in their path. The signal is sent and Joseph ‘Sky Captain’ Sullivan flies in to save the day. Aided by his Q-like sidekick Dex, he provides the means to resist this mechanical menace. Soon, the captain and his former girlfriend Polly are enmeshed in a web of intrigue that, if not untangled, may destroy the world. They are aided and abetted on their adventure by the very capable Frankie (Jolie) complete with eye-patch and floating base that looks like something out of a steam-punk version of Captain Scarlet.
Thrills, spills, daft science and love abound betwixt the frames of this alternate reality from the past (apparently shot entirely on Blue Screen and beginning life as a project on a humble laptop computer). It looks good and is an interesting experiment on one possible future for the film industry but (there’s always a ‘but’) it has its flaws. One is the very drab palette used – with sepia being the dominant colour. Obviously, this is a homage to the old black and white serials and I wonder if it would not have been better to do away with the very pale flesh tones, dull reds and mega amounts of sepia – just bite the bullet and do it in good old black and white. Is the viewing audience so fickle that it would find this move unacceptable in monochrome? Perhaps. Sound is very, very good (as you would expect with a movie of this nature) with precise 5.1 positioning which enhances the experience measurably.
On the whole, this is a decent, fun film which I quite enjoyed but will probably not put very high on my list for a second viewing. The problem with homages is that they are out of their own time and yet don’t sit very well when compared to their forefathers. After all, who would want to drive a replica Model T Ford in 2005? If I wanted to drive a Model T at all, I’d try and find a real one - not a copy. Anybody know any good scrappies?
6 out of 10
PS Is it just my imagination or did the digitally rendered Tottenkopf look awfully like the late, great Lawrence Olivier?
Directed by Kerry Conran
Our story begins in a snowy New York circa 1939 (we can tell this because Wizard of Oz is playing at a cinema). The Hindenburg III ( a very large zeppelin)docks at the Empire State Building and our intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Paltrow) is working on a story about disappearing scientists. Suddenly, an army of giant robots descends on the city and marches onward crushing everything in their path. The signal is sent and Joseph ‘Sky Captain’ Sullivan flies in to save the day. Aided by his Q-like sidekick Dex, he provides the means to resist this mechanical menace. Soon, the captain and his former girlfriend Polly are enmeshed in a web of intrigue that, if not untangled, may destroy the world. They are aided and abetted on their adventure by the very capable Frankie (Jolie) complete with eye-patch and floating base that looks like something out of a steam-punk version of Captain Scarlet.
Thrills, spills, daft science and love abound betwixt the frames of this alternate reality from the past (apparently shot entirely on Blue Screen and beginning life as a project on a humble laptop computer). It looks good and is an interesting experiment on one possible future for the film industry but (there’s always a ‘but’) it has its flaws. One is the very drab palette used – with sepia being the dominant colour. Obviously, this is a homage to the old black and white serials and I wonder if it would not have been better to do away with the very pale flesh tones, dull reds and mega amounts of sepia – just bite the bullet and do it in good old black and white. Is the viewing audience so fickle that it would find this move unacceptable in monochrome? Perhaps. Sound is very, very good (as you would expect with a movie of this nature) with precise 5.1 positioning which enhances the experience measurably.
On the whole, this is a decent, fun film which I quite enjoyed but will probably not put very high on my list for a second viewing. The problem with homages is that they are out of their own time and yet don’t sit very well when compared to their forefathers. After all, who would want to drive a replica Model T Ford in 2005? If I wanted to drive a Model T at all, I’d try and find a real one - not a copy. Anybody know any good scrappies?
6 out of 10
PS Is it just my imagination or did the digitally rendered Tottenkopf look awfully like the late, great Lawrence Olivier?
