Ryan McNeil
Red line zipping across a world map? Check. Paramount logo fading into an opening shot of a mountain? Check. Teams of vermin to gross out the masses? Check.
The Trilogy is dead. Long live The Quadrilogy.
Nineteen years have passed since Indiana Jones last rode off into the sunset. Many, including me, questioned the need and the wisdom of adding another chapter to this well crafted series. However, as it s-l-o-w-l-y came together, it started to seem like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas might realize what they were up against. Thus, THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL couldn’t get away with being your typical Indy movie. It had to embrace the fact that a generation had passed since we last left off. It does so, and is all the better for it.
The story begins in New Mexico, where our fedora’d hero (Harrison Ford) has been kidnapped by Soviets and brought to a government warehouse filled with wooden crates. He’s been told he needs to lead them to “an artifact” (no – not that artifact, though it makes a brief cameo). Though he attempts to foil their plans with the usual whip-cracking stunt work, the Soviet soldiers eventually make an escape. A few days later, as Indy’s life seems to be somewhat getting back to normal, he’s tracked down at the university by young Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf, looking like he just stepped out of a casting call for THE WILD ONE). Mutt corners him with the news that one of Indy’s old college pals named Oxley (John Hurt), has been kidnapped in South America. He’s been sent by his mother to try and get Indy to help. Cue the theme music.
The rescue mission eventually becomes a treasure hunt, as Jones starts piecing together the reason Oxley was in South America. Oxley seemed to be searching for The Crystal Skull, which legend has it, was the key to finding the lost city of El Dorado. After some detours through prisons and cemeteries, Jones and Mutt eventually catch up with Oxley. The Soviets keeping him captive are lead by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) – a baroness who seems like she should either be trying to capture a talking moose and squirrel, or singing “All That Jazz”. She hands Mutt and Indy a surprise: Mutt’s mother is being held prisoner too, and she’s none other than Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), Indy’s flame from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Spalko sets the stakes then and there: Indy will help The Soviets use The Crystal Skull to find El Dorado. Or else.
The story is a good one, though admittedly not a great one. The Crystal Skull is a bit of a MacGuffin, and doesn’t give the mission the same sort of weight as Indy’s quests for artifacts like The Lost Ark or The Holy Grail. However, the motive is clear – El Dorado is a city of gold, with untold riches. Who wouldn’t want to be the one to finally find it after centuries of failure? As for Indy himself, the story makes no bones about the fact that he’s no spring chicken anymore. The terms “old man” and “grandpa” are tossed around with gusto, and his stunt work is less finessed than it once was. But Jones can still pack a punch, crack a whip, and lead a chase…and for this series, that’s about all you need.
The supporting cast are all well chosen, particularly LeBeouf who does a lot of the action and comedic heavy-lifting. Karen Allen is every bit as feisty as we remember, and cements her status as the best leading lady of the series. Blanchett plays her part a shade over-the-top, but not so-much-so that she becomes ridiculous. As for Ford, he’s really looking rough around the edges, and I’d like to believe that this is the last time he’ll don his fedora. Of course, a big box office could prove me wrong.
The success of this movie comes down to the story. I will admit some of it felt like the legend of Indiana Jones was getting pulled in the wrong direction…but given the fact that it’s a Steven Spielberg movie, I can’t say I’m surprised by that direction. Still, it could have been worse – George Lucas could have written it. I promise you that there will never be arguments about whether CRYSTAL SKULL is the best film in the series, but it fits well with the others. As I watched The Trilogy recently, I noticed that RAIDERS and LAST CRUSADE were more in synch, with TEMPLE setting itself apart as the prequel. Many of the touchstones that RAIDERS and CRUSADE share are present in CRYSTAL SKULL, and as such it fits in well with the other stories we’ve come to know and love.
Not sure if you saw my post regarding the new Indy flick. More about the people sh*ting on it than the movie itself.
I had fun.
(and no, I have not yet watched Swingers… I’m busy training)
Yeah, I did see that, and I agree with a lot of what you said.
I almost want to slip a note to some of the haters that reads “There are PLENTY of tickets available for SPEED RACER…interested?”
Glad you liked it!
You are far too forgiving of Spielberg, my friend. Again, the tone and cinematography has a perfect fit – hence the autumn colors, great lighting in certain scenes, but I agree with you that it didn’t quite fit with the previous adventures. I understand that Lucas and Spielberg were wanting the film to be family friendly, but how much you wanna bet Lucas wanted those groundhogs talking at the beginning of the film? I consider myself an absolute Indy fan, and though I had didn’t have my hopes up too much – because it’s nearly impossible to do a proper sequel a couple of decades later – it felt like I was watching a new Indy flick and ended strangely empty of any enthusiasm.