MPAA Rating: PG-13/ Genre: Action/ Stars: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Shia LaBeouf (oof)/ Runtime: 123 minutes
In case you didn’t know, or were just living under a rock, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the fourth entry in a series that is one of the most iconic in the world of movie magic. Yet despite being looked at with a healthy degree of skepticism in the run-up to being released in 2008 and mixed-positive reviews after it finally came out, this film still managed to be quite the hit with audiences across the planet who had desperately been craving the chance to see its titular hero back in the swing of things a year shy of 2 decades after he fought Nazis for the cup of Christ. In all fairness though if there was skepticism I can’t say that I’m surprised. After all by the time this film came out not only was lead Harrison Ford in his 60s, but film helmer Spielberg had already sent Indy off into the sunset at the end of the third one thus raising a few eyebrows as to why a fourth one was even needed. Of course, on top of that, nobody actually thought it would be great let alone best which came before it with special regard towards the first and third entries. Indeed Raiders of the Lost Ark is a truly iconic film and one of the finest action/adventure films ever made and the sequels that came after it were also engaging in their own right though Last Crusade is still seen as the best out of the 2. Suffice it to say then that Crystal Skull had quite a bit to live up to and astonishingly in many respects this film manages to triumph in being a worthy addition to the series. Yes it’s not on the level of Raiders or Last Crusade, but regardless of a narrative which isn’t as riveting or intriguing as those in the original three, Crystal Skull is still a worthy addition to the legacy of Indiana Jones. If anything, this film one day I predict will be seen in the same vein as Temple of Doom in that it’s fine and engaging and acts more as an outside adventure rather than as a continuation of the story set up by the first and third movies.
The plot is as follows: A solid decade plus after thwarting the Nazis in a hunt for the Holy Grail, our intrepid archaeologist/adventurer Indiana Jones finds himself drawn into yet another adventure when he finds himself literally dragged out of a car trunk and coerced into aiding a group of Soviet officers, headed by one Dr. Irina Spalko in their attempts to find a mysterious box hidden deep within a U.S. Government warehouse that is located inside an absolutely huge hangar at Area 51 in Nevada. Of course it should come as no bigger surprise to learn that Dr. Jones is able to locate what the Russians are looking for and manages to barely escape their clutches, but not before learning that a friend that was kidnapped with him is a sleeper cell for the Communists. Upon being rescued, but not before a delightful ride in a jettisoned fridge, Indy is shocked to discover that he is now under a cloud of suspicion by the federal government and as such is pushed to take indefinite leave from his professorship. However just as he is about to head out of town, Indy crosses paths with a young man who goes by the name of Mutt who tells him he was sent to enlist Indy’s aid by a former friend named Harold Oxley to help locate a mysterious crystal skull of unknown origin and return it to a place simply known as Akator. To that end, the pair are soon off to Peru in search of the artifact, but with Spalko and the Soviets hot on their tails will our duo find Ox and the skull, keep them out of Soviet hands, face off against other ailments such as killer ants, native tribes, some huge waterfalls, and maybe uncover a secret or two along the way? Naturally for this is just another day at the office for good ol’ Doctor Jones……
Now the primary reason why this film manages to work as well as it does is because, more than anything else, it remains true to the heart and soul of the original three. Indeed despite the 20-year gap between Last Crusade and this one, to say nothing of Harrison Ford getting older as well during that time, both this movie and her hero still fit like an old, cozy, leather fedora because they manage to go right back to familiar turf. Indeed this film doesn’t miss a trick when it comes to reproducing the style of the original three including Indy’s distinct mannerisms, that rousing John Williams score, and the fact that Ford plays this character so well you’d swear the whip and fedora were literally in the front hallway coat rack of his house just waiting to get the call to come back to set. Not only that, but these movies have always been about the globetrotting, the intrigue, the life or death circumstances Indy gets involved in, and the strength of the characters involved. As a result these films have always walked a very fine line between fantasy and reality because although they deal with the otherworldly, I mean three men do get their faces melted off in Raiders of the Lost Ark people, they also revolve around such riveting and realistic ideas as having courage when faced with a dire evil, standing up for what you believe to be true, and how the quest for answers is always an internal and external quest. As such, this film manages to cherish and continue that iconic legacy by mixing a lot of what people loved about what came before whilst also embarking on a whole new journey which manages to, both from a style and emotional perspective, ensnare the vibe of the original three while also being its own thing, introducing us to a fairly new cast of characters, and also bring back an old favorite or 2. Not only that, but the journey of time is handled with a skill and grace and, just as crucially, the artifact fits in with a lot of real-world tale and saga, and the enemies at the heart of the quest manage to be a perfect fit for the time period that this movie is set in as well which were huge factors that helped the first three movies succeed on the level that they ultimately did.
Now it should also be noted that the cast in this almost all manage to contribute wonderful and engaging performances for the audience to follow along with on this enjoyably wild, and break-neck pace of an adventure. This starts, as to be expected, with the return of Harrison Ford as our titular hero and, as to be expected, he does an outstanding job. Indeed he may not get in as many physical scrapes as he did in the past three installments, but make no mistake this is still very much the Indy we all know and love from his passion for archaeology to the wry quips he makes with a delightful degree of reckless abandon. Yes Indy has gotten older in this one, but as for if he is any wiser…..well I’ll leave that for each and every one of you to decide. Regardless the fact remains that Harrison Ford IS and always will be Indiana Jones and recasting the part for any future installments would honestly be the biggest mistake this side of when they tried to do that with Han Solo (that’s right I went there). We also get really good work from the supporting cast as they all manage to appreciate the fact that they are in a freaking Indiana Jones movie and so they just cut loose and have fun with their respective parts. Yet the finest supporting performance, though they all are good in their own way, has to be from Ray Winstone as Indy’s frenemy Mac. I mean this is a guy who clearly understands that this is supposed to be a mix of Sallah and Belloq with a bit of British flair mixed in and to that end he plays this hustler with a conscience that is the shape, length, and width of a dollar bill beautifully and he and Ford actually have a decent rapport with each other.
Now it may come as a shock to learn this, but this movie is nowhere even close to being what might be seen as “the perfect film”. With that said though, this film’s positives that I have mentioned do work overtime in order to ensure that the negatives don’t bring down the overall quality of the final film. I mean for starters I should point out that despite a wonderfully committed performance from the extraordinary actress that is Cate Blanchett, Dr. Spalko is without question the weakest, both in characterization and in writing, antagonist this series has had. Indeed not only is she poorly constructed, far from a genuine threat, and completely yawn-worthy at times, Spalko manages to function as no more and no less than a catalyst for the primary adventure to unfold because of. Also it has long been embraced by those of us who love the first three films in this series that the Nazis were the best villains. I mean no disrespect to Mola Ram, that way he doesn’t pull my heart out, but the Nazis and their allies, heck even Hitler himself in one of the equally as odd as it is humorous moments from the third film, were absolutely incredible antagonists and it’s no surprise this series dipped into that particular well twice. However in the late 50’s or around the time this film takes place, the Nazis, as Jones was familiar with, was dead and buried (or at least in hiding in South America). To that end, the film makes the brave attempt to switch from the Nazis to the Soviets and while it is a fine idea both in terms of concept and in keeping the film somewhat grounded, the chief antagonist still leaves you missing the days of Belloq and Toht just a bit more than you would like. Also even though this film does have some particularly head-scratching special effects work, that is ok when you realize that the goal of helmer Spielberg and producer Lucas was to make this movie in the same vein as a lot of the B movies that actually came out during the 50s. As a result, through both the film’s story and its work in the special effects department, they manage to triumph in giving the movie a throwback vibe though one assisted by modern craft and skull ehhh skill. Suffice it to say then that viewers should not consider this a particular disappointment.
All in all, despite a lot of people out there that are going to have an issue with what I’m about to say, it is easy for me to say that, despite its flaws, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a fine addition to the legacy of one of the greatest movie heroes of all time. Indeed it might not be by any stretch of the imagination the pinnacle of what this character has brought to the screen in his previous adventures, but this movie is still respectable in not only how faithful it is to what came before in the other films, but also in its concise showcase of the fight between good and evil with at least one morally gray character thrown into the mix and for showcasing a delightfully always-there sense of humor even when being pitted up against the most horrendous odds imaginable. Thus by reacquiring and reigniting the spirit and sense of just plain exciting and engaging fun that was present in the three films that came before, film lead Harrison Ford and helmer Steven Spielberg are able to sling this project up on their backs and carry it all the way; a feat that results in a film which, despite a few precarious mistakes, will nevertheless engage and entertain you whilst also giving those who’ve been fans since the beginning a few homages and winks and nods here and there whilst also wrapping some things up whilst also showcasing some new things that at least in my mind point to some very intriguing things for the future of this truly amazing and quite iconic franchise. On a scale of 1-5 I give Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull a solid 3.5 out of 5.
