Sunday, October 19, 2008

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Film Review

Watched this a few days ago - Friday afternoon.

Plot Summary - Action packed adventure tale set in 1957 that brings Harrison Ford back in the role of Indiana Jones, apparently fearless archaeologist/professor who gets into a new adventure when approached by twentyish Mutt, Marlon Brando wannabee who can't be parted from his black leather jacket, his switch blade, and especially his comb - which he uses to constantly keep his thick head of hair in place. Seems Oxley (John Hurt), an archaeologist and old friend of Indy's, is in trouble for his life - and so is Mutt's mom. All in the name of a crystal skull that must be returned to a mythical lost "city of gold" somewhere in the Amazon. Soon Indiana Jones and new sidekick Mutt are in Peru and into a romping tale full of cemeteries, scorpions, skeletons, cobwebs, aliens, crystal skulls, an army of giant red ants, and some evil KGB villains after the crystal skull - especially one, Russian beauty/spy (Cate Blanchett) who is interested in acquiring a mind weapon for psychic warfare. I know, I know - this all sounds pretty out there, but it's all part of the fun.

Review - Okay, this is light, silly fare - but fast-paced and fun to watch. It's not the greatest movie ever made, but it did keep me entertained and amused for two hours. Well done special effects and non-stop action keeps this film alive. The big chase scene near the end is quite good - edge-of-your-seat sort of stuff - with Mutt sword fighting against the KGB gal while each is on top of their own side's speeding vehicle, then the cars end up at the edge of this steep cliff, and Mutt ends up in the trees where he seems to befriend a pack of vine-swinging monkeys. Um - okay, you must pretty much suspend disbelief over the way these characters go over cliffs and waterfalls and falls up or down stone towers and the like without any harm, while the bad guys seem to get it right and left - oh well. Karen Allen returns in her old part here - Harrison Ford is still using that bullwhip. The film has a real nice orchestral score, done by composer John Williams, which includes the familiar "Raiders of the Lost Ark" theme music. Rating - 8/10 stars

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This was the first indiana jones that has been release in a blu ray..Though i got a copy of this it was an awesome movie...i really like it..a lot..