Take a nostaligia trip to the World of Tomorrow
Joe “Sky Captain” Sullivan (Jude Law) is a daredevil pilot who finds himself
caught up in a globetrotting adventure with the ever-resourceful Polly Perkins
(Gwyneth Paltrow), a newspaper reporter who will do anything to get a story
and win Joe’s heart. After a devastating attack on New York City by gigantic
robots, the pair discovers that the best scientists from around the world have
gone missing, as has a vast array of industrial components. Clues lead them
to believe that the mysterious Dr. Totenkopf (the late Sir Laurence Olivier,
who appears thanks to digital technology), a radical scientist who disappeared
more than 30 years ago, is behind these events and intends to build a doomsday
device. Joe and Polly travel from New York to Nepal with a side trip to Shangri-La
before ending up on a mysterious island to confront Totenkomp.
The film is rendered in glossy silver, black, and sepia tones, giving it a sharp-edged, nostalgic look. Every frame is a joy to behold, as is the story, which is a loving homage to the adventure films of the 1930s and ’40s and their comic-book brethren. The cast is obviously having a great time bringing to life the archetypes they’ve been assigned, with Law heroically jutting his jaw and snapping off his lines, Paltrow providing a feisty but vulnerable turn, and Angelina Jolie showing up as Capt. Francesca “Franky” Cook, a stern-but-sexy RAF officer who comes to their aid.
The only thing missing from the film is an emotional hook. No real connection exists between the audience and the characters on the screen, but seeing as how they have the depth of tissue paper, that’s probably too much to ask. Kerry Conran has done the unthinkable with Captain, crafting a film that will appeal to every generation. Though it harks back to a more innocent time, when you knew just who the good guys and bad guys were and that justice would overcome evil, he’s beautifully reimagined this world in a format that bravely points to the future.
Also opening in theaters this week. . .
Maria Full of Grace [R] A Colombian girl agrees to smuggle drugs into
the U.S. in order to escape a life of poverty.
Parkway Pointe
Mr. 3000 [PG-13] A retired baseball star, nicknamed “Mr. 3000,” finds
out he didn’t quite reach 3,000 hits. At age 47, he tries to reach that goal.
ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers [PG-13] Two of the world’s worst gold
diggers will do just about anything to get rich. Parkway Pointe
Wimbleton [PG-13] A pro tennis player [Paul Bettany] meets a young
player on the women’s circuit [Kristen Dunst] who helps him regain his focus
for Wimbleton. ShowPlace West
This article appears in Sep 16-22, 2004.
