I love Indiana Jones!
Everyone always picks a favorite between the (now) four movies and if I were to do that I would pick The Temple of Doom simply because it's usually everyone's least favorite and I like to be different. I'm weird like that. Besides, it's the darkest of the foursome, and that suits me.
But on my homebound vacation, it was Indy 4 release week, so I ponied up - not for the two disc set, only got the single disc. Call me morbid, but I'm not buying any box sets till Harrison Ford is dead and gone so I know they won't resurrect the character yet again, at least I hope they wouldn't..... "Indiana Jones and the Lazarus Effect", anyone?
Anyway, I've heard lots of mixed reviews. "Predictible", "unrealistic", "ridiculous"... is what alot of people said. Well I don't care. I always like to see a movie myself before I make any snap judgements. Then I can judge to beat the band.
In this case, however... I cannot complain too much.
I mean, isn't Indiana Jones supposed to be unrealistic? I mean, how many large balls of concrete chasing people in caves have you heard about on the news? Stones that protect a city and it's children? Eons-old guardians protecting the cup of Christ? How many faces have you seen melt off lately?
Come on people... it's just fun!
Who doesn't like Harrison Ford as Indy? One of the most fantastic and iconic characters in all of film if you ask me. And he can still pull it off. A little more rugged around the edges than usual, but it still works!
Though I would be wary of him waiting another 19 years and making another one... (lest he plays one of those very anciently old guardians...)
Not much use in me reiterating the plot. But I will.
Indiana is captured by evil Russians (it is the 50's - Cold War time) - they want him to find one of the crystal skulls that supposedly has some kind of magical powers that lead them to a city of gold. Yep. Gold.
The main Russian hard-ass (for lack of a better word) is played by Cate Blanchett, who had to have just done this popcorn flick for fun - it's so unlike her style. But she did a bang-up job.
In his adventures in escaping from the Soviets, he meets a 20's-ish lad who everyone already knows ends up being his son with Marion (from the Raiders movie)... Shia LaBeouf plays Mutt (seriously - I mean, these people have dog fetishes. First Indy's nickname comes from the family dog, then his kid just up and uses the name Mutt...) and Karen Allen returns as lost love, (and mighty spitfire) Marion Ravenwood.
Many 'unbelieveable' and 'ridiculous' stunts and antics ensue, and you know what? It's pretty fun to just sit and enjoy its absurdity.
I mean, even though George Lucas has become somewhat of a hack, you've still got Steven Spielberg at the helm. That counts for something.
And in case you haven't heard.... in addition to Nazis (Raiders and Last Crusade) and child-napping headhunters (Temple of Doom), we now have aliens. There, I've said it.
Sorry if I ruined it but I think you gotta see it to believe it.
Maybe that's what people thought was so preposterous.
But they sneak it in with a kind of Area 51 feel to it, so it works.
So, still my least favorite of the lot, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is still a feel-good, throw-your-brains-out-the-window-and-enjoy-it kind of film.
I like it, so sue me.
Still looks good in the hat...
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