We finally got around to watching the fourth Indiana Jones movie. No point in rehashing the plot at this late date. So just a few comments. This one has the same problem as TEMPLE OF DOOM and LAST CRUSADE. In trying to be bigger and better than RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, for the most part what the other three movies accomplish is to be louder and sillier. Sure, RAIDERS has its far-fetched moments, but it’s grounded enough in reality that a part of you wants to believe, if only for the moment, that a human being could actually do all the stuff that Indy does. The other three get so ridiculous that they cry out, “It’s only a movie.” That said, I enjoyed CRYSTAL SKULL for the most part. There are a few good stunts (actual stunts, not special effects), the photography is nice, and it’s always good to see Karen Allen again. One of the cutest of the Seventies actresses. I liked the kid more than I thought I would. Harrison Ford is appropriately grizzled. And John Williams’ music always puts a smile on my face. I’d put CRYSTAL SKULL on about the same level as LAST CRUSADE, and better than TEMPLE OF DOOM. It’s not RAIDERS, but it’s worth watching if you haven’t seen it yet. (And am I the only one who hates references to INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, as if that’s actually the title of the damn movie? It’s not. It’s just RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, blast it.)Thursday, February 05, 2009
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
We finally got around to watching the fourth Indiana Jones movie. No point in rehashing the plot at this late date. So just a few comments. This one has the same problem as TEMPLE OF DOOM and LAST CRUSADE. In trying to be bigger and better than RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, for the most part what the other three movies accomplish is to be louder and sillier. Sure, RAIDERS has its far-fetched moments, but it’s grounded enough in reality that a part of you wants to believe, if only for the moment, that a human being could actually do all the stuff that Indy does. The other three get so ridiculous that they cry out, “It’s only a movie.” That said, I enjoyed CRYSTAL SKULL for the most part. There are a few good stunts (actual stunts, not special effects), the photography is nice, and it’s always good to see Karen Allen again. One of the cutest of the Seventies actresses. I liked the kid more than I thought I would. Harrison Ford is appropriately grizzled. And John Williams’ music always puts a smile on my face. I’d put CRYSTAL SKULL on about the same level as LAST CRUSADE, and better than TEMPLE OF DOOM. It’s not RAIDERS, but it’s worth watching if you haven’t seen it yet. (And am I the only one who hates references to INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, as if that’s actually the title of the damn movie? It’s not. It’s just RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, blast it.)
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7 comments:
I put CRYSTAL SKULL above TEMPLE OF DOOM, below LAST CRUSADE. RAIDERS is my favorite movie all-time.
And you're not the only one who hates INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. I similarly dislike STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE. George Lucas can't leave a good thing alone.
Gerald,
I feel the same way about the retitled STAR WARS. I was there for the first show the day it opened, and it'll always be just STAR WARS to me. (Come to think of it, I saw RAIDERS first show, first day, too.)
Ditto on the titles. I'm one of those old enough to remember the original titles and abhor the changes.
For my money, there should only be two Star Wars movies and one Indiana Jones.
No, you are not alone. I'll admit, however, that I enjoyed the young Indy shows with Patrick Sean Flannery. The best thing about Indy stories are his romp through history.
Yeah, I liked the Young Indy series, too. Great fun.
We saw a preview of RAIDERS when it played before the Sean Connery flick OUTLAND. About halfway through, I turned to my wife and whispered, "This is what the Doc Savage movie should've been."
I thought the color was off throughout the whole movie, something that seems to be the case for all the high FX movies anymore. I guess it's to make the blending of live and CG material easier. At some point I just wish they'd cut some of the FX and let the picture look real.
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