Sky Captain And The World of Tomorrow remains an absolute joy ride through pure imagination. It is - by design - retro in feeling, high on nostalgia, pulpy in its comic book fantasy, and - thanks to Shout! Factory - now hitting its stride on home video thanks to this 4K treatment. It seems the times have finally caught up with Writer/Director Kerry Conroy’s directorial debut.
Can we have a sequel now?
Influenced by the designs of Norman Bel Geddes and Hugh Ferriss, industrial designers who worked on the 1939 New York World's Fair, Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow takes its multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds quite seriously and manages to create a comic book accurate serial-stylized look at rip-roaring adventure.
Writer/director Kerry Conran successfully borrowed the imagination and creativity of yesteryear to create a piece of art with its own exclusive fabric and texture. Ironically, it took today's technology to create what Alien invasion films of the '30s and '40s always wanted to be.
The actors are shot almost entirely on green-screen soundstages and then electronically composited into stunning art-deco environments. From the streets of New York City to spacious hangars, and retro-rocketships, the audience is transported, via the handiwork of Conran's Mac, back to a re-engineered, almost iconic environment.
This is a fantastical world where a technologically advanced 1939 reigns supreme as zeppelins moor themselves atop the Empire State Building and reporters - like Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), a reporter for The Chronicle, scurry about, mixing with spies and scientists, stumbling upon threats about a mysterious Dr. Totenkopf.
It is a world where Sky Captain, Joe Sullivan (Jude Law), Perkins' former lover, and the commander of the mercenary air force the Flying Legion, flying the not-so friendly skies in his souped-up Curtiss P-40 pursuit fighter, battle giant robots and the like in downtown New York City. 
And, thanks to the fine, fine work here in the CGI department, it is a world which absolutely comes to life and remains inviting thanks to the loving attention to detail in this fantastically rendered cityscape. Co-starring Angelina Jolie as Commander Francesca "Franky" Cook, commander of a Royal Navy flying aircraft carrier, Giovanni Ribisi as Dexter "Dex" Dearborn, ace mechanic of the Flying Legion, Michael Gambon, Omid Djalili as Kaji, Bai Ling as The Mysterious Woman, Julian Curry as Dr. Jorge Vargas, Trevor Baxter, Peter Law, and Khan Bonfils , Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow is a fun adventure as Sky Captain and his team of sky swashbucklers find themselves running against time in a case involving missing scientists and one hell of a villainous cameo as this mysterious Dr. Totenkopf and his plans are revealed for all to witness.
Polly and Sky Captain conclude that whoever is responsible for the missing scientists is also a suspect in the alien invasion. Their investigation takes them all over the world where they encounter various and sundry scoundrels, aliens, and sinister accomplices working for Totenkopf in his plan to conquer the world. Despite his storybook flying abilities, even Sky Captain needs assistance from time to time. Enter Franky Cook (Angelina Jolie), the sexy leather-clad heroine who has a knack for showing up just in the nick of time.
Costume designer Kevin Conran says her costume is an homage to artists Wally Wood and Al Williamson who drew fantastic space opera characters back in the '50s. Except for her eye patch that was added by Conran for "no reason whatsoever" except that he thought it would look "cool and sexy." Nice decision, by the way. The eye patch tops off the image of one of the most memorable heroines ever to grace the genre. Never mind the fact that Jolie is one of only a handful of actresses with enough effeminate gallantry to steal a movie with her preceding reputation alone.
There's so much style, delicious atmosphere and captivating story in Sky Captain that anyone is sure to find something intriguing. Gwyneth Paltrow's standout performance alone, delivered with an attitude reminiscent of some of Katherine Hepburn's best work, is reason enough to not miss this film.
If you like romantic bickering and stylized serial-like action, Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow should not be missed!
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Edition
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - May 27, 2025
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Video: HDR10
Audio: DTS-HD MA 5.1/2.0
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A
When giant robots attack New York City, intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow) enlists the aid of ace aviator and old flame Joseph 'Sky Captain' Sullivan (two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law) to stop a plot to destroy the world before it's too late. Co-starring Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie, Sky Captain And The World of Tomorrow will thrill and amaze you right through to the action-packed finale.
VIDEO
The newly released 21st anniversary edition is, in fact, a tonally and remarkable upgrade, making all other releases null and void. The stunning 4K resolution and Dolby Vision enhancement is damned remarkable, too. The film has been meticulously remastered from beginning to end, resulting in a superior visual experience that far surpasses the upscaled releases of the past years. Colors are more vibrant, details are sharper, and the overall picture quality is nothing short of breathtaking. This meticulous attention to detail has truly elevated a beloved classic into a new era of home entertainment.
AUDIO
Featuring a fantastic English DTS 5.1 Surround track, this release amplifies the immersive sound design and draws viewers into the enviros of the movie with charm and powerful explosions.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- See below for details
Special Features:
The old-fashtioned flick looks stunningly new again thanks to the work of Shout Select!
DISC ONE (4K UHD):
- NEW 4K Transfer From The 35mm Digital Negative
- NEW Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible)
- Audio Commentary With Director Kerry Conran, Production Designer Kevin Conran, Animation Director Steve Yamamoto, And Visual Effects Supervisor Darin Hollings
- Audio Commentary With Producer Jon Avnet
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):
- NEW 4K Transfer From The 35mm Digital Negative
- Audio Commentary With Director Kerry Conran, Production Designer Kevin Conran, Animation Director Steve Yamamoto, And Visual Effects Supervisor Darin Hollings
- Audio Commentary With Producer Jon Avnet
- “Brave New World” – A Two-Part Look At The Making Of Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow
- “The Art Of World Of Tomorrow” Featurette
- “Anatomy Of A Virtual Scene”
- The Original Six-Minute Short
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Theatrical Trailers
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Composite 4K UHD Grade
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MPAA Rating: PG
Runtime: 113 mins
Director: Kerry Conran
Writer: Kerry Conran
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow; Jude Law; Angelina Jolie
Genre: Sci-fi | Adventure
Tagline: The world will tremble this September!.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Alert the amphibious squadron!"
Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Official Site: https://shoutfactory.com/products/sky-captain-and-the-world-of-tomorrow
Release Date: September 17, 2004
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: May 27, 2025.
Synopsis: When giant robots attack New York City, intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Academy Award® winner* Gwyneth Paltrow) enlists the aid of ace aviator and old flame Joseph 'Sky Captain' Sullivan (two-time Academy Award® nominee** Jude Law) to stop a plot to destroy the world before it's too late.
