"Sky Captain" follows the adventures of Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan (Jude Law) and Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) as they attempt to uncover the mystery behind the giant robots that have been plundering the world's energy supplies in a sepia-toned 1938. Perkins is an annoyingly persistent reporter, always scheming for the perfect angle, the best shot. She joins forces with the dashing and daring captain after an attack on New York City leaves Perkins in danger and a world-renowned scientist dead. As Perkins and Sullivan give chase and are chased themselves, the secret behind the thieving robots and the numerous missing scientists unfolds amidst layers of stolen history and mysterious signs. Through dying words and borrowed favors, they come to realize that their journey will ultimately end in a confrontation with the dastardly and mysterious Dr. Totemkopf. Along the way, they meet Frankie (Angelina Jolie) who plays an old love interest of the Sky Captain, the lost city of Shangri-La, a mysterious island populated by dinosaurs, and a mechanized army of robots straight out of "Star Wars."
"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" is a technical achievement of astounding measure. Filmed totally on blue screens, only the actors and actresses are real. Everything else was added by computer-generated images, and the effect is a movie as limitless as the screen writer and director's imaginations. New York City is a gray-and-white backdrop, while Shrangri-La's color and life rival Peter Jackson's fantastic Rivendale.
The movie plays itself out like a giant, three-dimensional comic book, with visuals that are compelling and often eye-popping, but inevitably cartoon-like. Its earnest and sensationalist character pays homage to the RKO newsreels and serials of the 1930s, but the heart of its exuberance seems to lie more with Indiana Jones, complete with full screen topographic maps and the narrowest of narrow escapes. Law's Sky Captain shares more than a few characteristics with Harrison Ford's Dr. Jones, and despite her best efforts, Paltrow's Perkins fades from memory just as quickly as Jones' love interests did in his classic trilogy. The movie is at its best when the Captain proceeds recklessly and heedlessly towards his goal, only to encounter a challenge so difficult that he should almost certainly be done for.
The movie only falters in its ending, which is anti-climactic compared to the dilemmas that have preceded it. Yes, the whole world and the future of mankind may lie in the balance, but in the world of the Sky Captain, things could be a lot hairier. Law and Jolie deliver cheese-ball lines like champions, accepting the silliness of the dialogue as standard in a world where aircraft carriers float in the sky and elephants can be shrunk to the size of oranges. This movie really believes in itself, which, combined with the stunning visuals and undeniable style, makes it easy for the audience to get on board for this one-of-a-kind ride.