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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – movie
In theaters: May 22, 2008
Director Steven Spielberg is known for keeping a tight lid on advance reviews of his films. But as early as May 10, the New York Times reported that an theater executive, who had seen an advanced screen of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull “, only had harsh criticisms for Spielberg’s latest Indian Jones. To quote –
“This is the Indiana Movie that you were dreading.”
Now that the movie is finally here, I’m reading reviews from news networks everywhere and the reviews have been a mixture. Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews, gave it only a 79%. I would have expected more from a Spielberg-Lucas tandem.
Melbourne Australia’s Herald Sun wrote that the fans will not be disappointed with Indiana Jones’ return to the big screen… “However, they will not be absolutely dazzled, either.” The UK’s Telegraph thought the movie was great until about halfway, when it seemed that the writers hurried the story along. Several other reviewers expressed the same tone. Is the appeal of Indiana Jones wearing thin?
Indiana Jones himself – Harrison Ford – is a little worn down, and he admits that in the film too. He’s a little slower, but to his advantage still as quick-witted as when he was younger. Now I’m not sure if it would have been better to play up his age a little more, maybe to add humor (?), but certainly address his long absence. Now Indiana Jones has never been about his love, and this one isn’t either. In fact, I wasn’t sure why the character Marion Ravenwood was revived at all… well, except for one thing maybe.
Steven Spielberg was quoted as saying he didn’t want too much computer graphics on this movie, because he wanted it to have the same feel as the previous films. Unfortunately, the movie goers’ tastes have dramatically changed since Indy ruled the screen in the 1980s. I don’t know that we’ve become necessarily sophisticated, but we definitely have bought into CGI so much that we want an action/adventure movie to feel like the IMAX, like we are part of the movie and not just watching it. We don’t mind that the plot was in the 1950s, we just don’t want it to feel like we’re watching a ’50s movie.
Still, when it comes down to money, MarketWatch writes that the fourth Indiana movie could still come home a winner, if moviegoers come back to it after the Memorial Day holiday.
Have you seen the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? How do you rate it?
Photo Credit: David James
™ & © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used under authorization.
Halfway is about right. Lucas has dropped the savant and turned into just a rich film idiot. The second half script was the talents of everyone, but especially that of Ms. Allen. The jungle sword fight scene is the most pathetic of a long series of pathetic actions shots in the second half. The 1st half glitters, but the 2nd half sucks.
Spielberg’s direction gets lost somewhere in Howdy Doody time–Lucas must have been on the set.
Worth seeing only because am fan–otherwise what a let down. George PLEASE stay away from movies.