Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow would have been one of the best films of the summer had it come out on it's original release date. As it stands, it will still emerge as one of the very best movies of the year when it's released on Sept. 17th. So for those of you who may suspect that the movie was held back because Paramount lost faith in it, guess again. Clearly, the studio wanted to allow time to make this picture the best it could be and they have more than succeeded.

After attending the brilliance that was Shaun of the Dead, some colleagues of mine and I noticed a rather large line making it's way into another screening room at the Gaslamp 15 in Downtown San Diego. Personnel were passing it off as another Shaun screening, but we knew better. We decided to get in the line and see what the scoop was. While waiting, I bumped into Quint of Aint-it-cool-news fame. We talked for a few moments, when suddenly it came to my attention that the movie that was about to screen was Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. WHAT!!!! There was no way I was going to miss this one. I had to get in! Happily, we got into the screening room without any problems at all. The security people (God bless them) were surprisingly lax.

Now, I know Paramount and other studios don't like reviews posted this far before release date, and given that I sort of busted into this particular screening, I'm well aware that this film company might not invite me to other screenings in the future. The truth is, I was so enamored by the absolute beauty and passion on display in Sky Captain, that I'm going to take a chance and post a review anyway.

With this breathtaking piece of visual splendor, director Kerry Conran and his enormous crew of effects wizards have created a film experience that pretty much had me watching with my jaw dropped to the floor for the majority of the picture. I truly believe this will be a trend-setting film, and while it could be argued that this is yet another example of style over substance, I hold Sky Captain at a different standard. As I watched it, I never felt assaulted (the way I did during that big screen video game Van Helsing). I love this movie. I admire it's purity and innocence and marveled at it's beauty from beginning to end.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow takes place in the 30's (it looks like the 30's anyway) and features Gwyneth Paltrow as feisty and independent reporter Polly Perkins. An enormous robot attack unleashed upon the city plunges Perkins into a wondrous adventure with ex-flame Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan (an entertaining Jude Law), a cocksure plane pilot who makes a habit out of saving the day. Soon, Joe and Polly, are hot on the trail of the evil-doers responsible for the attack.

Sure, much of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is extremely familiar with it's ode to old school serials (most notably Flash Gordon and Max Fleischer's Superman cartoons), and true it bears resemblances to Star Wars, Indiana Jones and, of course, The Wizard of Oz, but ultimately, it succeeds in delivering a look that we've never really seen before. It reminded me of watching Tron for the first time (I was also reminded - to some extent - of Nick Castle's entertaining Last Starfighter from 1984).

Director Kerry Conran loves the movies and it shows in nearly every frame of this gorgeous picture. In addition to the more obvious, previously mentioned influences, I could detect hints of Rocketeer, Iron Giant and countless other films, but it never felt like a rip-off.

The effects left me breathless. Not only the production design (which is stunning), but everything else. The sequences in which Joe glides his plane through the city while being chased by massive, bird-like robots are truly spectacular. They don't appear organic, but that hardly matters. Sky Captain has a unique look, and I was totally sucked into this world.

There will, no doubt, be some who criticize Sky Captain for it's cornball dialogue, and in fact, I've already read such gripes, but for me, the dialogue meshed perfectly with the spirit of the times and overall tenor of the movie.

The performances are near perfect. Paltrow plays Polly Perkins as a stubborn busy-body who's used to getting her own way. Law hits all the right notes as the adventurous Joe Sullivan. He brings a sort of suave James Bond vibe to the role, but all the while, he remains a human hero (think Indiana Jones). Angelina Jolie lives it up as the playful Captain Franky Cook (looking smashing in that eye patch). In particular, I loved her flirty moments with Joe. They're priceless. Giovanni Ribisi is also fun as Joe's scientific side-kick Dex Dearborn. And finally, through the miracle of technology, there is another interesting performance by a legendary actor whose name I refuse to reveal in this review. In fact, I'm quite irritated that other writers have given up the name (but then, I guess no one has really gone out of their way to keep it a secret - the actor's name is listed on the credit sheet over at imdb.com). When this icon appeared on screen at our showing, people applauded.

What I liked most about all of the performances were their overall feel. The attention paid to character detail is extraordinary. Not just in terms of how they dress and look, but how they speak and comport themselves (even the character names are perfect). Director Conran and his actors really immerse themselves into the time period. There was nothing contemporary about it, and this more than anything creates cinematic magic that will be admired for years to come. It really is a stunning achievement, and I hope Sky Captain is a big hit. It is odd at times and overflowing with excess, but it is beautiful excess and I found the entire experience unforgettable. I'm marking Sept.17th on my calendar right now, because I can't wait to see this flick again.