Movie Reviews

Sometimes a movie can get by on its looks alone. I don't mean "looks" in terms of big budgets and big production values; I think it's to the point now where a lot of filmgoers are desensitized to the concept of 'spectacle' on screen (I'd consider myself to be among that group). I mean "looks" in terms of uniqueness, and originality, and style. Big budgets and special effects will always eventually be outdone by the next blockbuster in the line-up, but style can remain un-copy-able.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow has more than enough unique style to it that I can forgive its lack of a memorable story. This movie more than just "gets by" on its looks. The technology behind Sky Captain's unusual blend of CGI and blue screen certainly is impressive, but the important thing is that it's used in such a way as to create an entirely unique visual world, unlike that in any other movie I've seen.

In addition to that, I should also give credit to the filmmakers for their imagination in terms of creating really cool set-pieces and evil robot monster things. If only someone had been as imaginative when it came to the plot (the only really memorable writing involves the relationship between Jude Law's Sky Captain and Gwyneth Paltrow's Polly Perkins: there's a very strong but nicely un-cliched reluctant romantic connection between the two of them), Sky Captain would've been a real hit.

Oh well. I'll still look forward to a sequel.