Movie Review - Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull


Reel rating:						4/5

Reel commentary: ... Every frame holds within it a delicious glee that radiates out the joy Spielberg has often stated he feels when making Indy pictures ... full review

Movie Review

By Christopher Symonds

A fourteen year old boy watched Indiana Jones ride into a bold orange sunset nearly twenty years ago, and felt one of his first moments of simultaneous elation and sorrow – for a third time, Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones, Jr. had thrilled beyond expectations but as his form atop a horse blurred from view came the realisation it was over… the Indiana Jones trilogy was complete and whatever adventures the famous archaeologist had from then on would be left to our imaginations…

Then came the imitators, and a television series about the adventures of a young Indiana, but none of them held the magic of the seemingly mystical combination of Lucas, Speilberg and Ford.

Then whispers began that Dr. Jones would be back. Again and again attempts to bring 'The Man In The Hat' back failed and it seemed, from all parties, to be nothing more than wishful thinking. These men have always maintained that they have as much fun making these movie as we do watching them, but they had changed, aged, and we with them. Indiana Jones became a beautiful, nostalgic dream that everyone, including those who brought him to life, liked to indulge from time to time.

Then, amidst a flurrying period of 'what was old is new again' confirmation came that Indiana Jones was back… and boy is he!

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones

Set in the late fifties, the period of communist paranoia, McCarthyism, atomic bomb testing, and motorcycle 'hoodlums,' one might mistake the first few minutes as a complete departure from what we remember. But rest assured, rapidly and with a magic that makes you forget its been 19 years, Indiana Jones re-enters the picture, up to his neck in trouble - and despite having a few more creases and silver hair, he starts this story running and barely stops for breath.

Indiana Jones finds himself at the hands of Russian bad guys, hell-bent on harnessing the supposed paranormal powers of a mysterious crystal skull. As Indy flees, collecting old friends and new along the way, he begins a race to find the skull and return it to its rightful place before Irina Spalko (a wonderfully over-the-top Cate Blanchette) and her Russian troops can use its power for world domination.

Harrison Ford maybe 65, but within five minutes of him being on screen (and the fact he kinda winks at the audience, acknowledging the passage of time) any doubt he can still lead you on an adventure that’ll leave you breathless will disappear. He is as agile now as he was in 1989, and the aging on his face only serves to enhance one of his character’s most endearing qualities: the man is always out of his depth.

The supporting players are as enjoyable to watch as all those that have come before them. Ray Winstone eats up his vice-ridden character and comes away with his fair share of the laughs; and Shia LaBeuof continues to infuse his easy-going everyman persona effortlessly into a fifties greaser with a comic ‘something to prove’ chip on his shoulder. Sean Connery, Denholm Elliot and John Rhys-Davies are missed, but the return of Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood more than makes up for what’s not there, and helps deliver a wonderful bookend feel to the series that The Last Crusade – as brilliant as it is - did not provide.

John Williams is as vital to these films as the aforementioned trio, and again proves that while many try to replicate the feel of these films, like any time-honoured recipe, without the exact ingredients it won’t be the same.

Spielberg has spent the better part of the last 15 years exploring darker material, but you’d be hard pressed to know it as he slips back into this genre unto itself as easily as Ford fits into that hat. Every frame holds within it a delicious glee that radiates out the joy Spielberg has often stated he feels when making Indy pictures. The world’s most famous director said a couple of years ago that this film would be ‘the delicious dessert after the bitter herbs of Munich. He has made good on his promise – they all have – and it was worth the wait. Thank you, gentlemen. I feel fourteen again.

Christopher Symonds

Comments

Frank Says:
May 22, 2008 at 07:54

More Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull quotes:

"Legend says that a crystal skull was stolen from a mythical lost city in the Amazon, supposedly built out of solid gold, guarded by the living dead. Whoever returns the skull to the city temple will be given control over its power."

"I'd cover my ears if I were you!"

"Professor, this really is a dead end!"

"Damn, I thought that was closer! "

indianagroans says:
May 24. 2007 11:07

Christopher Symonds (the man who posted the review I'm commenting on) seems like one of the family members sitting on the couch in 1950s America where the nuclear family bonds between glasses of Ovaltine and Leave it to Beaver. All seems fine and dandy...but what is that SMELL?

Ahhh, it's the turd of a movie that Mr. Symonds insists on continuing to polish. Please put away your rag, Christopher.

Not only has your regression to a 14 yr-old severely impaired your critical faculties, but what's worse, it's caused you to write a review that I believe is dishonest and reeks of the ticket selling propaganda that you're probably somehow benefiting from.

I've posted my own comment of this movie if anyone is interested in a more than critical look at the cinematic betrayal of Indy fans all over the world by the now tired old guys named Lucas, Spielberg and Koepp.

- - - - - - - - - -
In all of the other Indiana Jones movies, there's always been the feeling that the supernatural powers (the power of the Ark, the Sankara Stones, etc) all present a real danger if they get in the wrong hands; utter destruction will follow because we see the potential of the bad guys fooling around with this powerful source of magic, whatever it may be. But in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, there's no such danger or threat. We go through an entire movie following Indy's flight from an impotent antagonist. Sure, the Russian bad guys search for the secret cavern where the crystal skull should be taken so they can then read the minds of everyone in the world and fill them with red propaganda, thus ruling the world, but this whole journey is tired - like Spielberg's direction. The movie just isn't built up with the suspense, the high stakes, the twists and turns that typify the other Jones films. After seeing this film, it's hard to believe that the same guy directed Raiders. Spielberg should have laid down for this one. I was actually waiting for the clip at the end of the movie- after the credits - where Lucas and Spielberg are sprawled in a baby pool full of money, dressed in nothing but leather colored g-strings, smoking fat cigars and waving to all of us suckers who paid to see this heap of hackneyed CGI junk (just compare the craftsmanship of the melting of the Nazi's face in Raiders to what happens to our lovely Russian at the end in this flop). After 18 years of having us wait in earnest since the last Indy flick, both Spielberg and Lucas should truly be ashamed.

Chris (reviewer) says:
May 26, 2008 10:20

I hate Ovaltine... and with the money they paid me to... oops, I said too much!

mk says:
May 27, 2008 11:30

I LUV THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!

Richard says:
May 28, 2008 09:01

indianagroans, from your catchy handle there it seems like you are predisposed to hate the movie in the same way that some of us are predisposed to love it. Are you trolling other web sites as well, spreading the word on how awful the movie is? I'll bet you are.

I'm not sure you're critique is altogether unbiased either, but I'd love to read your full review if you'd like to link to it. In the meantime, cut the reviewer some slack.

He liked the film...so did others. Get over it.

Kingston Biscuit says:
Jun 5, 2008 at 02:41

I felt like there was not as much suspence in this one. But I think I am also forgetting these films are based on old action movie serials and if I was a kid this film would still blow my mind.
I really hope they keep making this series.
I understand Ford is iconically linked to this character and no one else could play out the role (like in bond). So I hope he can do another 2.

I wonder if it is plausable to pass it onto Shia LaBeouf? Would this work? I'd like it to, because I'd like to see the series or "world of indie" continue in some fashion. Sure it wouldn't be the same, but would it necessarily detract?

I personally would love to see long continuing and even multiple releases of these movie "universes" e.g. Star Wars, Indiana Jones.

Off topic a little, but I'd love to see films from the Star Wars Universe in different film styles and on different kinda topics. Taking very small parts of these "worlds" and blowing them up into a film would be so much fun. I'd love to see a Jedi road film. So cool. Like the Kung Foo tv series or something.

Nate says:
July 28, 2008 at 19:41

Aliens... Seriously. Wow.... The things writers come up with these days.

DVD Information

This title not yet available on DVD

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2007)