Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

After New York City receives a series of attacks from giant flying robots, a reporter teams up with a pilot in search of their origin, as well as the reason for the disappearances of famous scientists around the world.

Director:

Kerry Conran

Writer:

Kerry Conran

Stars:

Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Angelina Jolie

8 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Polly Perkins
Jude Law	...	Sky Captain
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Dex
Michael Gambon	...	Editor Paley
Bai Ling	...	Mysterious Woman
Omid Djalili	...	Kaji
Laurence Olivier	...	Dr. Totenkopf (archive footage) (as Sir Laurence Olivier)
Angelina Jolie	...	Franky
Trevor Baxter	...	Dr. Jennings
Julian Curry	...	Dr. Vargas
Peter Law	...	Dr. Kessler
Jon Rumney	...	German Scientist
Khan Bonfils	...	Creepy
Samta Gyatso	...	Scary
Louis Hilyer	...	Executive Officer

Storyline

In 1939, an intrepid reporter in New York City makes a connection between the story she's covering -- of famous scientists suddenly disappearing around the world, and a recent attack on the city by giant robots. Determined to find the solution to these happenings, she seeks the help of her ex-boyfriend, the captain of a mercenary legion of pilots. The two are investigating the case when the robots attack the city again, though in a stroke of luck, Sky Captain's right-hand man is able to locate their source. They then set off on an adventure in search of the evil mastermind behind these schemes, who is bent on creating a utopia and destroying the current world.

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Plot Keywords:

expressionism | no opening credits | robot | scientist | reporter | 

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Taglines:

Join the Resistance

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for sequences of stylized sci-fi violence and brief mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK] Official site [United States]

Country:

USA UK Italy

Language:

English Tibetan German

Release Date:

17 September 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

The World of Tomorrow

Filming Locations:

Cardington, Bedfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,580,278, 19 September 2004, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$37,760,080, 19 December 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Brooklyn Films II, Riff Raff Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "hit list" shown near the beginning of the film shows the names of the Unit Eleven scientists to be: Dr. Otto von Funderburg, Dr. Matthias Hargett, Dr. Arler Kessler, Dr. Herbert Braun, Dr. S.L. Aufkäuser, Dr. Jorge Vargas, and Dr. Walter Jennings.

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Goofs

When Dex first tests his ray gun, the reflection of the beams in his goggles travel in the wrong direction.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Hindenburg announcer: Attention. Please prepare for docking procedure.

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Crazy Credits

Laurence Olivier is given a major on-screen credit, despite only being in the film through archive footage and having another actor voice his character's lines.

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Connections

References The Mechanical Monsters (1941)

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Soundtracks

Over the Rainbow
Written by E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen
Performed by Jane Monheit
Used by permission of EMI Feist Catalog Inc.
Jane Monheit appears courtesy of Sony Classical

User Reviews

This film is incredible

I read through some of the other comments on here... I can't imagine who went to this movie expecting it to be full of philosophy or deep thinking, it's just a fun thrill ride type of movie and it is one of the best of those types of films to appear in decades. I knew the film would be cool looking because I caught a few minutes of it at a drive-in, but when I watched the whole movie it really blew me away as a well-conceived well-executed whole. I liked the characters, I didn't think they were "realistic" but they were fun in the old-school movie kind of way. It reminded me somewhat of a Howard Hawks film, actually. I like the love triangle here and wish it had been developed more. The visuals are just amazing. This movie is in every way better than the new Star Wars movies.... it has the great futuristic dogfights that were so great in the first 3 SW movies but are missing in the new films, and its effects are better thought out and better done than "Attack of the Clones".

Everybody who likes science fiction or just who likes good old-fashioned movies should see this film. It is suitable for kids and for adults. Very good photography and direction, I think this one will be appreciated by film fans looking to the new fronteirs of filming also. This film gave me some hope, at long last, that Hollywood will not become a wasteland of effects without good story, so I am indeed surprised that many posters here consider it to be just that. To me, this film is a gem.