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Plot:
After being forced to leave Marshall College under dubious circumstances, Indy joins forces with rebellious, young Mutt, who believes he knows the whereabouts of one of the most spectacular archeologi...( read more 
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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Recent Reviews
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:November 26, 2008Pretty good! Not as good as the first one of course but still very very good. Some of the thins that happened in the movie were a bit off but it still had a good feel about it
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MCT:November 9, 2008''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.''
Famed archaeologist/adventurer Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.
Harrison Ford: Indiana Jones
Crystal Skull may i say is a breath of fresh air in one glorious stroke of genius by Steven Spielberg once again.
His fun ideas like Indy being saved by a fridge from an Atomic Blast to him blowing back a dart in some pygmy/Aztec's mouth to Indy clutching at a snake for dear life, is entertainment fun at it's best. Not to mention chases laden with effects that effortlessly stream across the screen. Crystal Skull has that magic from the other chapters and we see an older but still determined Jones out to save the World once again.
Now, about the cast. The star is aging, the sidekick is from Even Stevens, Karen Allen hasn't been in a big movie in God knows how many years, and, for some reason, people were worried about Cate Blanchett in here role. Well, let me put the concerns to rest,the entire cast is established pitch-perfect chemistry and everybody plays their parts incredibly well. Harrison Ford is, for the first time in a decade, having the time of his life and it shows in his excellent return to the famed American icon. It's no secret that he has been campaigning for this movie for years, and it shows in his strong performance. Karen Allen shares fantastic chemistry with both Shia LaBeouf and Ford, as she provides a lot of the necessary charm to the second act of the film. Blanchett uses a heavily over-the-top Russian accent, but she finds just the right note between creepy and intriguing to make her the best Indy villain since Belloq in Raiders. Ray Winstone does well enough in his role, as does John Hurt and Jim Broadbent.
Shia LaBeouf as Mutt( Echoes of Superman Returns family wise plus Mutt wasn't Indy named after the dog? :P) is sensational bringing youth and experience together with Ford. He's got attitude, spunk and charisma in his fresh approach, looking like something out of Grease but way more cooler.
Cate Blanchett as Irina seductive and beautiful even when playing a villain. She was fun along with Ray Winstone and John Hurt who added to fun upon fun.
Karen Allen has some good chemistry with Ford, showing a bickering but loving couple.
Look out for the reference to Raiders Ark Of The Covenant in the warehouse, bloody genius!
Music Skull has the flair of its predecessors which blends with the action and fast paced story. Effects are used but not overly while stunt work is not noticeable.
''I've got a bad feeling about this.''
Crystal Skull oozes 1950s: Russian spies, nuclear testing, a screening of Howdy Doody and Dr. Jones on a sort of academic blacklist all take place in the first ten-or-so minutes of the picture (as does?sad to say the high point of the film for me?a cameo appearance by Neil Flynn, a friend of Ford's from The Fugitive who is best known for his portrayal of The Janitor on ABC sitcom Scrubs). The filmmakers have discussed at length how, while the earlier Jones films were an attempt to capture the essence of the 30s and 40s adventure blended with a more contemporary feel, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be a 50s-style action romp with some science-fiction sensibility thrown in for good measure (a questionable choice to start, as many of those films eventually ended up as Mystery Science Theater 3000 fodder). In an attempt to capture that feel, you have some campy dialogue, some stock characters. There's a fairly generic bar brawl, started by LaBoeuf and set to the tune of Shake, Rattle & Roll, which solidly plants this film in its era. This is an interesting artistic choice because in the previous Indy films, even with their date stamps, the adventures that always transpired were always relatively timeless, as is this.
''Well, the word for gold translates as treasure. But their treasure wasn't gold, it was knowledge. Knowledge was their treasure.''
The other aspect of the film that is bound to turn some heads is the role that extra-terrestrials play in the picture. As in Spielberg's classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind, there is no dialogue, as such, shared between man and his visitors...but their presence is strong and pervasive, particularly in the second half. Using Roswell as a jumping-off point, it is revealed that the good Dr. Jones has been used as a government agent in a variety of capacities since we last caught up with him--he is a Colonel in the Army, apparently, and also has worked with the CIA, MI6 and as a spy against the Russians in the time since Hitler autographed his father's diary for him in the early '40s.
The adventure sequences in the picture are unrealistic yet highly entertaining and fun. While some of the car chases and fight sequences are good, and alot of the side jokes are on the mark, there are times (Marion is injured while driving, but mysteriously gets better) that it's hard to follow visually what's going on as they try to pack too many characters and subplots into a fast-moving sequence. Many of Harrison Ford's comic moments are on-target, but other diversions,(such a CGI-rendered prairie dogs and LaBoeuf's own private army of monkeys) bring to mind some of the more artistically-questionable moments of Return of the Jedi and detract from the seriousness of consequences faced by our protagonists.
''I barely recognize this country anymore; the government has us seeing communists in our soup.''
A strong story and great performances don't imply that this film isn't flawless. It isn't, but the flaws are few-and-far between and didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of the film. The first 20 minutes are somewhat slow, it takes a little while to get to Marshall College. These first twenty minute aren't necessarily boring; it is still entertaining, but it could have used probably 5 minutes of edits and pacing corrections. This is my biggest problem with the film, and once Indy returns to Marshall College, the film really kicks off and turns into the roller coaster ride that everyone has been hoping for.
Crystal Skull itself is well written, and well made with only a few exceptions. As long as you don't expect another Raiders of the Lost Ark, you'll probably be pleased with the film as it is, with the exception of one sequence which doesn't quite seem to fit. Beyond that, the plot, characters and acting all fit with this new kind of Indy film.
Cinematography is not the 80s style we'd probably all like, but it's not bad. The camera is certainly held much more stable than many of today's films, and the action is very clear and easy to follow, as is the stunt work great. There is a lot of computer animation--most of it looks believable, but some of it does not--but that which was done well fits superbly.
Overall acting was also very good. I was very impressed by Cate Blanchett, and to my surprise very pleased with Shia LeBeouf's character and acting.
To conclude, all in all out of the installments of Indiana Jones they all have a religion or premise at the heart the deeper you look, while Raiders was Jewish, Doom was Hindu, Crusade was Christianity. And Skull is out of this world! Watch and see...
Skulls is definitely a terrific fun comic caper masterpiece of sorts and Indy whips back out of retirement!''Imagine... To peer across the world and know the enemy's secrets... To place OUR thoughts into the minds of YOUR leaders... Make your teachers teach the true version of history, your soldiers attack on our command. We will be everywhere at once, more powerful than a whisper, invading your dreams, thinking your thoughts for you while you sleep. We will change you, Dr. Jones, all of you, from the inside. We will turn YOU into US. And the best part? You won't even know it's happening.'' -
MCT:November 7, 2008
The worst of the Dr. Jones series but still enjoyable to watch
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MCT:October 26, 2008NOT INTERESTED
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MCT:October 15, 2008
Mutt Williams: What's he gonna do now?
Marion Ravenwood: I don't think he plans that far ahead.
Let's get something out of the way. If you like to have silly fun and enjoyed the other Indiana Jones movies, then you should like this movie. Its an action/comedy bonanza focused entirely on entertainment and nothing more.
Now, that being said, when this movie was still stuck in development hell, I was hoping they would never get around to making it. Its damn hard to make a follow up in a series composed of classic films, but it happened and this is what it is.
Indiana Jones: Oh Marion, you had to go and get yourself kidnapped.
Marion Ravenwood: Not like you did any better.
Indiana Jones: Same old, same old.
Harrison Ford puts back on his fedora and packs his whip to return as Indiana Jones, now pushing 65 years of age, but he still delivers a punch like its no ones business. The sheer number of brawls this man goes through is impressive in itself.
Mutt Williams: You know, for an old man you ain't bad in a fight. What are you, like 80?
Of course, being 20 years older, the movie is now set in the 50s, meaning Nazis have been replaced by Commies and they too seek hidden treasure to help them succeed in their evilness or whatever.
The movie starts off in the middle of a situation for Indy. He has been kidnapped by Russians and taken to Roswell, New Mexico to help locate a particular item. These Russians are lead by a nightmare of a women, Irina Spalko played well by Cate Blanchett.
Agent Irina Spalko: No defiant last words, Dr. Jones?
Indiana Jones: I like Ike.
After narrowly escaping not only the Russians but a big blast of something that should make sure you know that this movie will push every limit, Indy is put into check by Americans questioning his Americanosity since he didn't do more to stop the Russians.
Of course Indy tells the FBI where they can stick it, and attempts to move away. However, a biker kid, Mutt, played by Shia LaBeouf, turns up alerting Indy that his old friend has gone missing but has located a mysterious object, a crystal skull.
Mutt Williams: You're a *teacher*?
Indiana Jones: Part time.
Indy and Mutt then travel to the Amazon, where they encounter the Russians, a possible rival archaeologist/double agent played by Ray Winstone, a disturbed professor played by John Hurt, big damn ants, and Mutt's mother, none other than Marion Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen (who has aged very nicely) and may have a surprise for Indy.
Indiana Jones: Marion, take the wheel!
Mutt Williams: That's not fair, she drove the truck!
Indiana Jones: Don't be a child. Find something to fight with!
What follows is a series of bang up action and adventure sequences as the whole gang learn the truth behind the crystal skulls.
In terms of delivering the fun, this movie succeeds. There were a number of times where I watched in awe, as it had some of the same kind of breezy but exciting moments of the original trilogy. Seeing some of the iconic Indy moments, like his whip action and general brawler tactics, as well as the map on screen as he travels were nice to see again.
However, there are of course some gripes that will be no doubt shared with other fans. My main gripe comes from this statement:
Producer Frank Marshall stated that the film would be shot the same way as the previous three - with stunt men, and using CGI only when necessary.
This statement is simply not true. While there are a number of pretty cool stunts, the CGI and use of smoothing things out digitally are very apparent. There are a number of sequences in this movie, particularly the car chase in the rain forest, where the movie just looks to polished and glossy. It doesn't have the rough and tumble look of something like the truck chase in "Raiders" or the tank chase in "Crusade."
Another problem is the story, and for two reasons. One: it eventually stops being interesting and I just see more action without really caring about the story. There isn't as a great a connection coming from the character motivations as we have seen in the previous films, besides the whole "friend in need of help" aspect. Two: the switch from the supernatural to Sci-Fi does not work well for me. It is much more interesting for me to see ancient artifacts discovered and revealed to have more truth to the mythological aspect than thought, opposed to going down a previous road seen in other Spielberg and Lucas films. I can understand the reason for the shift since it is the 50s now, but I don't have to approve.
I was also a little disappointed in the lack of a stronger new theme for this Jones film from John Williams.
However, these gripes aside, this movie is very entertaining. Spielberg and Lucas have always worked together on these films to bring to life the old serials of their childhood to the big screen in the grandest way possible, and they mostly get that across once again here.
Indiana Jones: Drop dead!
[Dovchenko punches him in the face]
Indiana Jones: I'm sorry; I meant, "Drop dead, *comrade*."
It also helps that Ford is still very cool as Indy. His age makes no difference, the character is what is important, and its still there. LaBeouf is a good enough side kick. Blanchett makes for a good villain. And the film functions as a means to kill two hours with pure entertainment, just as Spielberg and Lucas intended with their first foray into this pulp adventure series.
Similar to my feelings about the fourth Die Hard, its tough to match the spirit of the original trilogy, especially after so much time has passed, but it does a good job at being a fun ride.
Marion: What the hell is that!
Oxley: It's a portal. It leads to another dimension.
Indiana Jones: We don't wanna go that way. -
MCT:December 4, 2008Impressive special effects and in my humble opinion a good movie to watch and eat popcorn in a boring evening
Comments
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AlternativeRockerposted 11 days ago -
Goddamn it is truly good to see Indiana Jones back in action.I got the entire saga and i m so proud for having it.Indy is the motherfucking man.
posted 13 days ago -
I liked this one, different to the old ones-not a classic, but appealed to a younger newer audience. Also liked the reference to his age, i think it reminded people that he's is getting older and therefore won't be displaying the same phsyical'action skills' as the others, also it opened the way for a new generation.
posted 46 days ago -
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I was kind of disappointed with this one.. it wasn't bad, but it just didn't feel like Indiana Jones to me. George Lucas wrote the story, and I usually love his stuff, but if he wants to write sci-fi,then he should stick to Star Wars. I understand the beliefs behind Crystal Skull, but they didn't actually have to bring it to life in the movie.
posted 72 days ago -
"Money Making Machine... Piece of Crap..
(Review This Later)
One Starposted 119 days ago -
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