Was having supper at Jago Close with several friends from church when the topic turned to movies that we’ve watched recently. Naturally, felt very intimidated trying to push Sky Captain over the movie a couple of women were championing, 2046. Kinda made me NOT want to catch 2046, actually, despite looking forward to it ever since it spawned that little Cannes fiasco where director Wong Kar Wai only managed to bring a copy of the film late to the cinema.

Ah well.

Decided on the way back home to re-write my review of Sky Captain, in a way to bolster my flagging self-esteem after tonight’s little debate. So here goes.

The first thing that strikes you about the movie is just how stunningly beautiful it is. The atmosphere is simple and clean, which of course harkens to a distant future (it is said that most imaginable futures are either squeaky clean or immensely dirty), yet somehow the film manages to retain a certain air of decades past - a feeling derived from the fashion trend, the technology used and the general bleakness of the scene.

Yet, there remains a serene awe of each visual as the movie flows from one scene to another, a contemplative wonder of a time frame that all but the oldest members of our world can still remember seeing so vividly. There is no shock value throughout the whole movie. Each jaw-dropping location is simply presented to you, whether you notice it or not.

Such is the wonder that is Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.

Initially named The World of Tomorrow, the name itself is a misnomer because what you are seeing is really the world of the past, or the world that always is. The show begins in a idealistic version of 1930s USA, where the Hindenberg accident that prevented hydogen-filled zeppelins from becoming a transportation panacea never occured. Instead, zeppelins now are the preferred mode of cross-Atlantic transport, and one - the rather unoriginally named Hindenberg III - just arrives in New York City carrying a passenger with a cryptic mission.

He is Dr. Jorge Vargas, a member of an elite group of scientists and one of only two still at large. The others have disappeared in mysterious circumstances and Vargas is trying to look for his one remaining compatriot before all their research is lost. However, Vargas is barely able to pass on two unlabelled vials before he too is kidnapped.

As yet another scientist goes missing, the case is picked up by intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) who, despite her editor (Michael Gambon, aka Professor Dumbledore) Paley’s empathic requests that she drop the story, decides to track down the remaining doctor. Before she can fully understand what’s going on, New York City is invaded by an army of giant robots who seem to destroy everything in their path.

We are then introduced to our hero, the swashbuckling, death-defying, Joe “Sky Captain” Sullivan (Jude Law), who in a moment rivalling Legolas in Return of the King, takes out one robot and prevents the whole mechanical troop from further destruction.

And thus begins an adventure like no other. In the seemingly short span of 107 minutes, we are introduced to the hidden base of Sky Captain, the ships of Royal Navy (which, as it turns out, has their R&D people working overtime), the secret location of Shambala (in the neighbourhood of Mount Everest) and uncover a dastardly plot to destroy the world.

In his directorial debut, Kerry Conron creates a world that almost every comic enthusiast, film noir fan and adventure game player will immediately recognise. The dashing hero, the ditsy love interest, the grand scheme of unadulterated evil and of course, the sexy, sensuous, in-your-face Angelina Jolie.

Okay, maybe the last one didn’t quite fit, but damn, did she make the film all the more enjoyable to watch.

Jude Law owns the film. As Sky Captain Joe Sullivan, he is the ultimate superhero: fearless, gets all the good lines, saves the day (and the girl) and still looks drop dead smashing in his flight gear. Jude Law is truly in his element, as years and years of stage experience come to the forefront as he turns a dangerously cheesy script into a true fantasy for all ages. Thanks to him, Joe Sullivan becomes more than your run-of-the-mill superman, but instead becomes a real character for all in the audience. Love or hate the Sky Captain, you can’t deny your admiration for him.

Gwyneth Paltrow makes the most of a rather simple role, that of the damsel in distress. She just exudes the chauvinist stereotype of the typical femme - blonde and beautiful, but air-headed and much too self-absorbed. Playing a role made famous by Bonita Granville (aka Nancy Drew) and duplicated dozens of times: Kim Basinger (Batman’s Vicky Vale) and Judith Hoag (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ April O’Neill). Paltrow seems rather uncomfortable playing Polly Perkins, probably because she tries too hard to add a dimension of realism to her character. One would think a slightly less-serious actress such as Basinger or Jenny McCarthy could do more justice to the role. Nonetheless, it seems Paltrow was willing to sign on to the project at a wage much lower than she commands, so kudos to her for that.

Perhaps the real saving grace of the movie is Angelina Jolie, who steals much of the show in the short time she is on the screen (apparently she filmed all her scenes in 3 days). As Captain Frankie Cook of the British Navy, her character is undoubtedly the only modern touch to the film. Even the rather macho Sky Captain treats her like an equal, talking to her in a way that is very different from his attitude towards Polly. Perhaps much of the success of Jolie’s character is ironically, the fact that she is still very much Angelina Jolie - the same kick-ass actress that can be seen in Gone in Sixty Seconds, the Tomb Raider movies, heck, even way back in Hackers. After almost half an hour of the annoying Polly Perkins, Jolie is a breath of fresh air. Too bad her role was so limited though.

But, as I mentioned at the beginning, the real draw of the movie is undoubtedly the visuals achieved by the 95% use of CGI in the whole movie. It is the scores of visual effects people who should truly be applauded for their excellent work on the film.

I give it a 9 out of 10 (7 for the CGI, 1 for Jude Law and 1 for Angelina Jolie).