Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images
Film rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Moral rating: Better than average
What is there to say about Indiana Jones? Without a doubt he is one of the most iconic movie characters in recent history. The first 3 movies in the series- Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade- are some of Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg's finest achievements. The question that everyone has been asking is this- does Crystal Skull live up to the Indy name?
The answer is YES.
While Crystal Skull is not flawless, it is without a doubt my favorite movie so far this summer. Instead of going up against Nazi Germany, this time Indy takes on Russian Communists. Instead of religious artifacts, this time Indy takes up something that is, well, out of this world.
My biggest concern going into this film was how producer George Lucas and director Spielberg were going to portray Indy, now that he is 60! The times have definitely changed in America in this movie and much has happened since the trilogy. In a nutshell, Indy is getting old! Amazingly, though, Indy is still just as much fun now as he was then. With spunk and wit, Harrison Ford's portrayal proves that just because Dr. Jones is getting old doesn't mean he is giving up! This time around he just gets a little more help, thats all!
Some of the help Indy receives is from Mutt Williams, portrayed by the talented young Shia LaBeauf. This guy has attitude AND a motercycle, so watch out! The supporting cast helps to make Crystal Skull what it is, featuring Ray Winstone and Cate Blanchett in major roles, and a return by Karen Allen- who played Marion Ravenwood in the first Indy film.
It would take forever for me to write all that I am thinking about Crystal Skull, so lets condense. The acting is superb, the cast is stellar, the dialogue is fresh, the action is amazing and the effects are VERY GOOD. Bravo to Spielberg for forgoing the new digital effects for traditional filmmaking techniques. And the plot is.....well, not perfect.
SPOILER WARNING
If there is one area that Crystal Skull has a problem, it would be the plot.
While the movie is amazing, this one just does not feel as much like an Indiana Jones movie as it should. The gimmick this time is the Crystal Skull which, it turns out, belongs to an alien visitor that came to South America hundreds of years ago.
NOTE, I am not criticizing this. The books and games are MUCH weirder than that. What I am criticizing is Lucas' insistence to put so much emphasis on them. We actually SEE the aliens and see their spinning ship (which Spielberg fans will recognize from Close Encounters of the Third Time). Never, has an Indy movie been about the prize. Instead, it has been about the journey that Jones has on the quest for it, and his character growth.
In Raiders he sees the power of God. In Temple of Doom he learns to value the people around him. In The Last Crusade- wow...there was a lot! This one however, merely resolves a few petty issues and leaves us feeling a bit stunned. The ending is massive alright.
That said, however, we do see the rift between Marion and Indy mended, which is a relief! Also, Mutt Williams gains some insight and life principles from his mentor. Because of this, I can forgive the majorly sci-fi plot.
END SPOILERS
Overall, I was very impressed by the 4th installment in the Indiana Jones series. The door was left open at the end of this one for a 5th. I am fine with that as long as it is the same caliber as the previous 4. Don't miss Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!
Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler
1 comment:
I have to say that I was disappointed with this Indy flick. I loved the Mutt side-plot (I thought it was one of the film's saving graces) and seeing Indy as protective dad? Awesome! Having Karen Allen come back? Stroke of genius. But the believability of the movie was just...not believable at all. Aliens???? Mutt suddenly becoming Tarzan? A multitude of man-eating ants? Surviving a nuclear blast in an old fridge? (My comment to that one was "How is he holding that door shut while he's bouncing madly down a desert?" What was the best reply to this? "He's Indiana Jones!" Ugh.) Still, the movie was fun and I did enjoy myself. Am I going to go see it again? No. But thanks for the review!
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