OK–saw the new Indiana Jones movie last evening, and though I am glad I did–being a huge fan of the series (as well as the Disney-MGM show), this one counts as a series-completer more than anything else. Even if you buy the premise, which becomes clear only near the very end, the audience hasn’t been prepared to suspend disbelief in the same way that worked so well for earlier Jones movies, particularly Last Crusade and the original Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. The ark itself, by the way, makes a cameo appearance–very quick, and one of a few really cute and clever throwbacks to the earlier films. That said, even Crystal Skull critics rated this movie better than Temple of Doom, the second Indiana movie.
Reviews of “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” are mixed, to say the least, and they have nothing to do with one of the most obvious pre-release questions about the film–namely, the age of the film’s starring actor Harrison Ford. With or without stunt doubles, this film has enough action to keep us occupied virtually every minute. And that’s really the problem.
Despite some critics’ complaints that the archeology thing has been overdone, what with National Treasure, DaVinci Code, and others, I think this film suffers from too little archaeology (too little plot and story development) and way too much action. I am awed at the sheer number of never-seen-before in-an -Indy-movie ancient and diabolically clever mechanisms that lead to certain death for the trespasser, only to be outrun, outwitted or out-maneuvered by the ridiculously lucky group seeking the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Scorpions, waterfalls, multiple machine-gun episodes and countless (really) other deadly circumstances hardly slow them down. We are verging on the super-hero level of invulnerability here. I’m not sure it entirely works.
Karen Allen, looking her age (as in, quite a bit older than the last time around) but still cute, makes a charming return as Marion Ravenwood. It’s nice to see her again. And since the adventure is now set in 1957, there are of course Russian commies as the tradition-desecrating power-hungry nemeses. They are every bit as cold and machine-like as the most extreme stereotype would suggest. Too bad–they don’t even have the vodka-drinking personal foibles that screenwriters allowed the bad guys in Raiders (one of Karen Allen’s classic scenes–the drinking contest). These bad guys simply have no soul, artistic, scientific, Soviet, or otherwise.
Who will really like this film? Die-hard Indy fans (I’ll probably at least rent the movie sometime in the future), those who want a preview of some great potential thrill rides for the Disney theme parks, lovers of maximum action situations, speculators on the development of future Indiana Jones film(s), and maybe even some sci-fi (shhh..) fans.
If you like Indiana Jones films, you will want and need to see this. No need to make it first on your list.
Update. The Russian Communist party isn’t too thrilled with the depiction “Skull” offers. Read the report here.
