Post by dex on Jan 13, 2009 13:50:57 GMT -5
It's never just about the movie. It's also about seeing the movie. I like Sky Captain so much because I saw it in a theater that was just perfect, a little run-down affair in the desolate Mall That Wouldn't Die. Every third seat was broken, but the plush upholstery was like a time machine. This theater had texture.
It was very fitting that Sky Captain showed Radio City Music Hall in all its breathtaking past glory. I've never wanted to be inside a movie more. In this case – to watch movies. That's a weird, roundabout way of thinking, I know. Put it this way: How many movies would be even more fun if you could see them in unique theaters instead of interchangeable multiplexes?
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a very limited movie. At the worst, you could say it was riding the “geek's the new cool” wave. Certainly the plot is as insignificant as predictable and no enlightenment is to be had. To call the movie derivative would be a teensy bit of an understatement: indeed it references just about any film made in the past 100 years and the kitchen sink. And yet, it looks and feels like no other movie to me. Before going into this, a few lines about characters and plot.
The year is 1939, and the world differs slightly from history as we know it. No sign of the war, but in the States “Sky Captain” Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) runs a capable airborne mercenary command that the authorities habitually call for assistance. His services are most direly needed when an army of giant “mechanical machines” lead a mysterious attack on New York City. Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the other protagonist to get caught in the fray. The ambitious journalist is investigating the disappearance of several German scientists, and her findings compel her to join forces with Sky Captain. Who is her ex-lover and sorely tempted to shoot her on sight.
While the screen belongs to this pair, they have three sidekicks. The primary one is Dex*, who I will drone on about later. Then, from Sky Captain's past, there is Franky (Angelina Jolie), commander of a very... special unit of the British Royal Navy. (Hint: can it be an aircraft carrier doesn't get wet? Uh-huh!) Jolie's part is quite hilarious, and when she commands – with eye-patch, in a tight leather uniform and her chest pushed out in military posture – “Alert the amphibious squadron!” that is an image which keeps geeks awake at night. I reckon. And finally there is the other comic relief and old pal, Himalaya guide Kaji (Omid Djalili) – a little bland at times, but still enjoyable.
*I thought about putting a disclaimer here about how my picking a forum name was completely random... but what the heck? If you feel like it, go have a field day!
I've already told you what the movie lacks – wisely so: if a film is afraid to leave anything out, it often becomes a cluttered mess. But what does Sky Captain have to offer?
We get fabulous bits and machines right out of ancient SF; sometimes the movie feels like a comic book adaptation. We get action. We get adventure. We get a fleeting impression of noir when we see Manhattan. Nowhere else are the softly glowing visuals of Sky Captain more effective than here. The glamorous aura, the grand atmosphere, sometimes bordering on festive, sometimes on dark and even mystical. This artificial look is old and soft like fond memories, and it glows like a shimmer of magic.
The key to have fun with this movie is to accept its childishness. Look at the attention to detail of the technical toys, look at the gleefully over-the-top cheese. Look at the mad aerial chase through (not over) Manhattan. There's not a director staging an action scene, there's a kid playing with his toy planes. This movie is not Indiana Jones. This is the round-eyed kid glued to the screen when Indiana Jones is on.
Jumping back to the shortcomings, character development is not high on the list of Sky Captain's priorities, and the only noticeable arc anyone has is Joe's and Polly's bumpy (no, not what you think!) rapprochement. Watching Law give the tight-lipped hero and Paltrow the, well, the not-so-sinister femme fatale, I guess, it reminds me of the joke about how porcupines mate. (Very carefully!) Underlying the pair's subtle sparkling, their default mode of interaction is an easy-going camaraderie.
If you look closely, no major character is a mere cardboard cutout. And while they are all likable and enjoyable, especially when they allude to their common history, following the subtle interaction of the central trio is the most fun. The script balances them well. Although Joe and Polly have both more screen time and more flash, they are not perfect self-reliant heroes. Joe is the Designated Hero, but the greatest skill he demonstrates is fancy flying. So on the one hand, he's a hero the way a Champ Car driver is a hero. Apart from that, he stumbles forward because he can't help himself. On the other hand, he's the go-fer guy when hell breaks loose. He reminds me a little of the way British officers are often portrayed. A sense of duty, a stiff upper lip, yet understated... You will feel let down if you expected a super hero. Polly, though strong, essentially just tags along, partly motivated by journalistic curiosity.
Dex, seemingly underwritten, risks his life for a crucial piece of intelligence and gets captured for his troubles. It is not acknowledged, but off screen, he escapes, scouts the enemy headquarters and secures a foothold. Then, with a casual pat on the hat, Sky Captain and Polly take over for the five minute grand final – punching a robot and pushing a button.
[END SPOILER]
So, all in all, the trio is a team.
O-kay. Much rambling, little structure, so I'd better recap: Sky Captain looks great. Expect cheesy childish fun, no more, no less. Look out for the little things, which are overshadowed by the pulp candy. And maybe you will relive a little bit of childish wonder.
P.S.: Although I am posting in response to criticism of this movie, I forewent specific counterarguments. I don't like this movie enough to go on a crusade on its behalf.
Between reactions like “force feeds me pulp” and “unbridled childishness” or “not very colourful leads” and “reserved characters” may lie but small differences in expectations or gut feeling. It's a good thing we can explain here why we feel differently.
It was very fitting that Sky Captain showed Radio City Music Hall in all its breathtaking past glory. I've never wanted to be inside a movie more. In this case – to watch movies. That's a weird, roundabout way of thinking, I know. Put it this way: How many movies would be even more fun if you could see them in unique theaters instead of interchangeable multiplexes?
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a very limited movie. At the worst, you could say it was riding the “geek's the new cool” wave. Certainly the plot is as insignificant as predictable and no enlightenment is to be had. To call the movie derivative would be a teensy bit of an understatement: indeed it references just about any film made in the past 100 years and the kitchen sink. And yet, it looks and feels like no other movie to me. Before going into this, a few lines about characters and plot.
The year is 1939, and the world differs slightly from history as we know it. No sign of the war, but in the States “Sky Captain” Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) runs a capable airborne mercenary command that the authorities habitually call for assistance. His services are most direly needed when an army of giant “mechanical machines” lead a mysterious attack on New York City. Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the other protagonist to get caught in the fray. The ambitious journalist is investigating the disappearance of several German scientists, and her findings compel her to join forces with Sky Captain. Who is her ex-lover and sorely tempted to shoot her on sight.
While the screen belongs to this pair, they have three sidekicks. The primary one is Dex*, who I will drone on about later. Then, from Sky Captain's past, there is Franky (Angelina Jolie), commander of a very... special unit of the British Royal Navy. (Hint: can it be an aircraft carrier doesn't get wet? Uh-huh!) Jolie's part is quite hilarious, and when she commands – with eye-patch, in a tight leather uniform and her chest pushed out in military posture – “Alert the amphibious squadron!” that is an image which keeps geeks awake at night. I reckon. And finally there is the other comic relief and old pal, Himalaya guide Kaji (Omid Djalili) – a little bland at times, but still enjoyable.
*I thought about putting a disclaimer here about how my picking a forum name was completely random... but what the heck? If you feel like it, go have a field day!
I've already told you what the movie lacks – wisely so: if a film is afraid to leave anything out, it often becomes a cluttered mess. But what does Sky Captain have to offer?
We get fabulous bits and machines right out of ancient SF; sometimes the movie feels like a comic book adaptation. We get action. We get adventure. We get a fleeting impression of noir when we see Manhattan. Nowhere else are the softly glowing visuals of Sky Captain more effective than here. The glamorous aura, the grand atmosphere, sometimes bordering on festive, sometimes on dark and even mystical. This artificial look is old and soft like fond memories, and it glows like a shimmer of magic.
The key to have fun with this movie is to accept its childishness. Look at the attention to detail of the technical toys, look at the gleefully over-the-top cheese. Look at the mad aerial chase through (not over) Manhattan. There's not a director staging an action scene, there's a kid playing with his toy planes. This movie is not Indiana Jones. This is the round-eyed kid glued to the screen when Indiana Jones is on.
Jumping back to the shortcomings, character development is not high on the list of Sky Captain's priorities, and the only noticeable arc anyone has is Joe's and Polly's bumpy (no, not what you think!) rapprochement. Watching Law give the tight-lipped hero and Paltrow the, well, the not-so-sinister femme fatale, I guess, it reminds me of the joke about how porcupines mate. (Very carefully!) Underlying the pair's subtle sparkling, their default mode of interaction is an easy-going camaraderie.
If you look closely, no major character is a mere cardboard cutout. And while they are all likable and enjoyable, especially when they allude to their common history, following the subtle interaction of the central trio is the most fun. The script balances them well. Although Joe and Polly have both more screen time and more flash, they are not perfect self-reliant heroes. Joe is the Designated Hero, but the greatest skill he demonstrates is fancy flying. So on the one hand, he's a hero the way a Champ Car driver is a hero. Apart from that, he stumbles forward because he can't help himself. On the other hand, he's the go-fer guy when hell breaks loose. He reminds me a little of the way British officers are often portrayed. A sense of duty, a stiff upper lip, yet understated... You will feel let down if you expected a super hero. Polly, though strong, essentially just tags along, partly motivated by journalistic curiosity.
Dex, seemingly underwritten, risks his life for a crucial piece of intelligence and gets captured for his troubles. It is not acknowledged, but off screen, he escapes, scouts the enemy headquarters and secures a foothold. Then, with a casual pat on the hat, Sky Captain and Polly take over for the five minute grand final – punching a robot and pushing a button.
[END SPOILER]
So, all in all, the trio is a team.
O-kay. Much rambling, little structure, so I'd better recap: Sky Captain looks great. Expect cheesy childish fun, no more, no less. Look out for the little things, which are overshadowed by the pulp candy. And maybe you will relive a little bit of childish wonder.
P.S.: Although I am posting in response to criticism of this movie, I forewent specific counterarguments. I don't like this movie enough to go on a crusade on its behalf.
Between reactions like “force feeds me pulp” and “unbridled childishness” or “not very colourful leads” and “reserved characters” may lie but small differences in expectations or gut feeling. It's a good thing we can explain here why we feel differently.
