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What it's about:
Almost 20 years after seeking the Holy Grail (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [1989]), Indiana Jones finds himself suspended from his teaching post after a brush with the KGB. After meeting with a young acquaintance (Shia LaBeouf) of his old colleague, Harold Oxley (John Hurt), he is winging his way to South America to find his friend and locate the fabled City of Gold. Along the way he tangles with Russian soldiers, local assassins and finds a mystery greater than anything he has encountered before.
What we thought of it:
Not since the anticipation I felt before seeing (and yawning through) Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999) have I looked forward to a new chapter in an old franchise as much as I have with the new Indiana Jones. Luckily it wasn't the same slap in the face George Lucas gave long-time fans with his three recent Star Wars movies, but does it stand up to its predecessors? Most of the time it does, but there are a few flaws which may irritate rabid devotees.
Despite his age, Harrison Ford slips back into the role of Indy like a hand into a greased glove. He kicks ass in a completely credible fashion and delivers Indy's sarcastic one liners like he's spent the last 20 years preparing for this. We still get all the lunatic stunts, the bullwhip and that mix of bravado and haplessness that has always made the character so appealing. Ford also looks a lot younger than 67, which goes a long way in drawing attention away from thinking about what would happen if an old person really fell 20 feet onto a hard stone floor.
The supporting cast all fit in beautifully and Shia LaBeouf shines as Mutt, nailing many of the traits that make Indy himself such an endearing character. Ray Winstone is funny enough as Indy's backstabbing old friend and John Hurt looks as though he was plucked straight out of Tintin's "Prisoners of the Sun". Cate Blanchett provides many amusing moments as Agent Spalko, the psychic KGB vamp, and it's a real pity that she wasn't given more to do.
The big problem with The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the final quarter. The story itself doesn't fit in that comfortably with the mythology of the other three installments, and there are several scenes, including the climax, that seem to be striving to compete with recent sci-fi blockbusters. The strengths of the previous three films are the human stunts, the characters and that mix of exotic and ancient. Indiana Jones was never sci-fi and all it takes is a single scene of overblown CGI to literally dwarf the characters and let you know you're watching just another tired Hollywood shell.
Another detail that I personally found irritating is the use of CGI insects. Every other Indy movie had scenes of people wading through loads of creepy crawlies which you knew were real, making it all the more cringe worthy. When they trotted out the fake bugs in this one it was like watching The Mummy (1999) all over again – come on!
Ultimately The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an enjoyable action adventure that stands up against any of today's good action movies. It has everything you could want for a good night's entertainment and the kids will enjoy it too. On the down side, it's the weakest of the four and some of the plot details might annoy you if you're a rabid fan. Despite the fact that it slammed the door on some treasured childhood memories, I can recommend it.
- Ivan Sadler
Almost 20 years after seeking the Holy Grail (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [1989]), Indiana Jones finds himself suspended from his teaching post after a brush with the KGB. After meeting with a young acquaintance (Shia LaBeouf) of his old colleague, Harold Oxley (John Hurt), he is winging his way to South America to find his friend and locate the fabled City of Gold. Along the way he tangles with Russian soldiers, local assassins and finds a mystery greater than anything he has encountered before.
What we thought of it:
Not since the anticipation I felt before seeing (and yawning through) Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999) have I looked forward to a new chapter in an old franchise as much as I have with the new Indiana Jones. Luckily it wasn't the same slap in the face George Lucas gave long-time fans with his three recent Star Wars movies, but does it stand up to its predecessors? Most of the time it does, but there are a few flaws which may irritate rabid devotees.
Despite his age, Harrison Ford slips back into the role of Indy like a hand into a greased glove. He kicks ass in a completely credible fashion and delivers Indy's sarcastic one liners like he's spent the last 20 years preparing for this. We still get all the lunatic stunts, the bullwhip and that mix of bravado and haplessness that has always made the character so appealing. Ford also looks a lot younger than 67, which goes a long way in drawing attention away from thinking about what would happen if an old person really fell 20 feet onto a hard stone floor.
The supporting cast all fit in beautifully and Shia LaBeouf shines as Mutt, nailing many of the traits that make Indy himself such an endearing character. Ray Winstone is funny enough as Indy's backstabbing old friend and John Hurt looks as though he was plucked straight out of Tintin's "Prisoners of the Sun". Cate Blanchett provides many amusing moments as Agent Spalko, the psychic KGB vamp, and it's a real pity that she wasn't given more to do.
The big problem with The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the final quarter. The story itself doesn't fit in that comfortably with the mythology of the other three installments, and there are several scenes, including the climax, that seem to be striving to compete with recent sci-fi blockbusters. The strengths of the previous three films are the human stunts, the characters and that mix of exotic and ancient. Indiana Jones was never sci-fi and all it takes is a single scene of overblown CGI to literally dwarf the characters and let you know you're watching just another tired Hollywood shell.
Another detail that I personally found irritating is the use of CGI insects. Every other Indy movie had scenes of people wading through loads of creepy crawlies which you knew were real, making it all the more cringe worthy. When they trotted out the fake bugs in this one it was like watching The Mummy (1999) all over again – come on!
Ultimately The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an enjoyable action adventure that stands up against any of today's good action movies. It has everything you could want for a good night's entertainment and the kids will enjoy it too. On the down side, it's the weakest of the four and some of the plot details might annoy you if you're a rabid fan. Despite the fact that it slammed the door on some treasured childhood memories, I can recommend it.
- Ivan Sadler
