Long-awaited fourth Indiana Jones installment
After "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989), the second sequel in the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" franchise, there was talk among producer George Lucas, director Steven Spielberg, and star Harrison Ford about making yet another chapter in the exciting exploits of the archaeologist/adventurer.  Ideas were bandied about, various writers were hired to pen treatments, casting was discussed, schedules had to be considered, and ultimately the project was postponed -- indefinitely, it seemed.  Apparently, it took 18 years before the three principal filmmakers could agree on a story and get it made.<br /> "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," a title that would have given heart attacks to the guys who put titles on marquees in the days when every movie theatre had one, offers plenty of action, a reunion with a character from the first film, a brand new sidekick, and enough exposition to fill a doctoral thesis.<br /> It is 1957, the height of the Cold War, so the Russians are trotted out after a long rest on the shelf of handy movie villains.  Indiana is kidnapped by a team of Soviets headed by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) so he can lead them to an ancient artifact -- a crystal skull believed to possess supernatural powers, just the thing to give Russia the edge over the capitalist West.  Essentially, the movie is a football match -- sometimes quite literally -- as chases, fights, derring-do, aggressive soldier ants, monkeys, and an agent who keeps changing his loyalty conspire to keep possession of the treasured skull in a state of uncertainty.<br /> Director Alfred Hitchcock always used what he called a McGuffin in his movies -- a device that exists just to set the dramatic forces in motion:  the stolen $40,000 in "Psycho," government secrets on microfilm in "North By Northwest," the chance meeting of a tennis star and a mild-mannered looney in "Strangers on a Train."  In "Crystal Skull," director Spielberg ladles out loads of chatter about the McGuffin -- the skull's history, its mystical associations, its power over mortal man. Meanwhile, the audience is impatient and eager to get on with the story -- how is Indie going to retrieve the skull and extricate himself from one perilous situation after another?<br /> It's great to see Harrison Ford back in fine form in one of his two signature screen roles (the other, Han Solo in the "Star Wars" films).  The script has some self-deprecating bits of humor revolving around Ford's age (he's 66), but they're clever and not overdone.  Assisted by countless stunt teams, Ford makes his way graciously through the action scenes, particularly a wonderful motorcycle chase across a college campus.  John Williams' terrific Indiana theme is present throughout, making the action stuff all the more thrilling and bringing back memories of the first film.<br /> Indiana is approached by a Marlon Brando/greaser wannabe named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf, "Disturbia," "Transformers") who wants help in locating his mother.  She turns out to be Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) from the first Indiana Jones movie, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and she's as feisty and spunky as ever.  Mutt has a chip on his shoulder the size of a telephone pole, a short fuse, and a pocket comb he likes to moisten in other people's Cokes and run through his 50's pompadour.  There's some good chemistry between Ford and LaBeouf, who share many scenes in the film.  There's also a neat bit of repartee going on, even when the going gets tough.<br /> Ms. Allen appears about halfway through the film and perks things up considerably, especially in a scene in which -- as captives of the bad guys -- Marion and Indie bicker, recriminate, and blame even as their lives appear in serious danger.<br /> Ms. Blanchett has fun with her role as the humorless but agile Russian comrade, as efficient with a 50-millimeter machine gun as she is with a sword.  There is a lot of comic-book villainess in her Spalko, but that is OK considering the tone of the movie.  She certainly adds stature to the picture, mostly from her body of work. Here, after all, is Elizabeth I chasing Indiana and an elongated skull in an armored truck through the jungle.<br /> For all its fun, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" lacks the overall impact of the earlier films.  Spielberg is known for creating wonderfully visual scenes in his films.  Think of "Jaws," Jurassic Park," and "E.T."  These are movies in which the story is told largely through a series of carefully crafted images with a minimum of dialogue:  the shark attacking a lone swimmer; the Tyrannosaurus Rex stamping the car into the mud; Elliott and friends escaping the police roadblock on their bicycles by soaring into the sky.  In "Crystal Skull," the director plunks in too many static sequences of characters standing around spouting exposition we don't really care about.  Spielberg has set a high standard for himself and other directors.  I'm just sorry this is not Spielberg at the top of his form.<br /> Rated PG-13 for a few scary images, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" has family appeal, is geared to attract a wide age range, and offers a neat roller coaster ride.  Only don't expect the Cyclone.
The movie title "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Two-Disc Special Edition)," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.6 from 2885 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Paramount Home Entertainment and Action & Adventure. 
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 {"Genre": "Action & Adventure", "Format": "Multiple Formats, Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, NTSC", "Contributor": "Shia LaBeouf, Harrison Ford, Jim Broadbent, Steven Spielberg, Ray Winstone, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Karen AllenShia LaBeouf, Harrison Ford, Jim Broadbent, Steven Spielberg, Ray Winstone, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Karen Allen  See more", "Language": "English", "Runtime": "2 hours and 2 minutes"}

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