Just saw this today. I had high expectations, but I found it extremely boring. I actually fell asleep a couple of times. The acting was horrible, as was the writing. The actors ALWAYS looked like they were inside a large indoor studio, regardless of the environment in the background.
With the heavy emphasis on CG and insufficient attention to story, the film reminded me too much of Star Wars E1 and E2. At least those films had good CG effects. Sky Captain looked hand drawn half the time. This was probably for some artistique effect, but the children’s book feel didn’t work for me.
I would rather have my 290 NT back (+ 150!!! for Sprite and popcorn - yay, Warner!) so I could spend the money on a good graphic novel or Maurice Sendak book. At least one of those would keep me awake.
Giant robots, hot chicks in leather (AJ’s eye patch was sexy!), guns, lasers, monsters. It had every single aspect of what a good movie must have. It was AWESOME!
Saw it on the weekend - I thought it was good. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece or anything but it is visually very stunning and memorable. It does have a story and moves fairly quickly. The humor of the dialogue is funny at times and is akin to the sharp and snappy dialogue of movies in the 1930s. It has a sort of Raiders Of the Lost Ark feel to it. It takes place in New York City, around 1939 with an alternate history.
Just rented this movie last night and had a very curious reaction. In fact I really enjoyed it. It was soooo forties sci-fi, down to the guy chewing bubble gum as he admires the hole he’s melted through a metal plate with an experimental lazer pistol.
There have been not a few cartoonish, old-style sci-fi spoofs like this in recent years (“Hell Boy” being a noted favorite of mine) but I haven’t seen something quite this, um spot on before. It’s not just the effects, props and costumes which are dated – the whole plot, the lines they speak, the exaggerated gestures and eye movement, even the name of the movie… It all made me very nostalgic.
Does anyone know how this movie was received in North America? I get the feeling a lot of modern audiences wouldn’t get it and just call it corny, which is sad, because someone put a lot of love into making this movie.
Also, are there any particularly good examples of this kind of movie from the forties or fifties that someone can recommend for me?
When I saw it, I was reminded of the 1936 H. G. Well’s film Things to Come. Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers would have been this way if they had known how to do special effects. It’s a nostalgia film about times that never were.
(This is in answer to a question that hasn’t been asked yet.)
