Computer whiz Kerry Conran's retro fantasia is, quite literally, an art deco cartoon brought to life, following the adventures of the eponymous P-40 fighter pilot (Jude Law) and his battle against the evil Dr Totenkopf's super-robots. On the plus side, Conran's CGI-created opus is a thing of technical beauty laced with clever homages to pop culture classics, referencing everything form Max Fleischer's Superman cartoons to The Shape Of Things To Come, The Island Of Dr Moreau and The Wizard Of Oz. On the negative side, the dialogue lacks the wry humour of Indiana Jones, while Law and Gwyneth Paltrow (as love interest come sidekick) appear to have forgotten how to act. Fortunately, the pace never lets up, and it kicks into overdrive when Angelina Jolie, as the commander of an amphibious squadron, replete with eye patch, ushers in a rollicking climax. All in all, it seems churlish to take issue with such a beautifully realised slice of classic pulp adventure. Particularly when the fearless hero is?at last? an Englishman.
Computer whiz Kerry Conran’s retro fantasia is, quite literally, an art deco cartoon brought to life, following the adventures of the eponymous P-40 fighter pilot (Jude Law) and his battle against the evil Dr Totenkopf’s super-robots. On the plus side, Conran’s CGI-created opus is a thing of technical beauty laced with clever homages to pop culture classics, referencing everything form Max Fleischer’s Superman cartoons to The Shape Of Things To Come, The Island Of Dr Moreau and The Wizard Of Oz. On the negative side, the dialogue lacks the wry humour of Indiana Jones, while Law and Gwyneth Paltrow (as love interest come sidekick) appear to have forgotten how to act. Fortunately, the pace never lets up, and it kicks into overdrive when Angelina Jolie, as the commander of an amphibious squadron, replete with eye patch, ushers in a rollicking climax. All in all, it seems churlish to take issue with such a beautifully realised slice of classic pulp adventure.
Particularly when the fearless hero is?at last? an Englishman.
