Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullBefore watching this movie tonight, I had been literally foaming at the mouth with anticipation. I'd managed to miss it during its theatrical run and it won't be hitting store shelves for a couple of weeks. When one of my sources offered me the opportunity to finally see it, I jumped at the chance. All day at work all I could think of was getting home, pulling up on the couch and settling in to see this. After an excessively long day, the time had finally arrived.
This flick was one of the most hyped of the summer. It had been 19 years since the last installment in the series. People wondered if Harrison Ford could still pull it off given his advanced age. Seeing as how the first three movies are some of the most beloved movies out there, this one seemed like it was going to have a tough time ahead of it. And when it hit theaters, it did. There were a lot of negative reviews. People said it was too campy and over-the-top. People were disappointed by the use of CGI in some scenes. The general consensus was that it was a disappointment. These days however, people find reason to complain about just about everything.
Personally, I enjoyed this one. It's not the best movie ever. Nor is it even the best Indiana Jones flick. However, it's an enjoyable way to spend two hours. Upon first seeing Ford on the screen, the first thought in my mind was "Damn, he looks old.". For an older guy though, he sure manages to pull off what many thought was impossible. Once he sprang into action, I was taken back 20 years. He's still as solid as ever in the role. The rest of the cast here is solid with Shia LaBeouf cast as Mutt Williams, a young Marlon Brando wannabe who may or may not be Indy's son. Karen Allen returns almost 30 years later and, amazingly enough, looks better now than she did then. Cate Blanchett is solid (and sexy) as the villainess Col. Dr. Irina Spalko. She looks like she's having a good time, engaging in high speed chases and sword fights. The story is thematically similar to the earlier flicks in the series. Indy is on a quest to find something while the bad guys are chasing after the same item and trying to stop him. Typical stuff. Not to say that it's bad. Not by any means. It's interesting enough. Sure, there are some silly parts but let's face it....isn't the thought of a grown man on a quest to find treasure kind of silly in and of itself? The action sequences are generally the highlights in these movies and this is true here. I particularly enjoyed the one in the warehouse to kick things off. Good stuff.
Wrapping up, let me just say that I enjoyed this movie. If I were 12 again like I was when I saw The Last Crusade, I'd probably love it. The simple fact is, the older you get the tougher it is to accept new versions of the things you loved growing up. To me that explains the hatred towards remakes and sequels that are separated by many years. And it explains the negativity towards this one. I say see it for yourself. See it with an open mind. And sit back and enjoy the ride since it's not as bumpy as many folks would have you believe.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull gets a 7/10.
2 comments:
ause people said this movie sucked but I really wanted to see it. I loved the IJ movies when I was a kid, not as much now though. That might be a big part of the problem. Regardless, I still really want to see this.
Great job, fucking blog. Way to delete half my comment. Jesus Christ. What was that?
What I originally said: "I wondered about that, because people said this movie sucked but I really wanted to see it. I loved the IJ movies when I was a kid, not as much now though. That might be a big part of the problem. Regardless, I still really want to see this."
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