Reviewing "Indy 4"

Latest Jones Adventure Eclectic, Cerebral, Appropriate

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull provided plenty of pleasant surprises. We found out what happened with Indy's relationship with Marion Ravenwood after Raiders of the Lost Ark. We also learned that the last scene in Raiders, the scene where the U.S. military stores the Ark of the Covenant in a vast warehouse, takes place at Area 51.

Whoa. How cool is that? This revelation only enhances the mystique of the storied Ark.

We learn that Indy survived a nuclear blast at the Nevada Proving Ground by storing himself in a lead-lined refrigerator. The scene was a tad funny, yet it was so surreal. All of the nuclear experimentation stuff seemed surreal, especially the scenes where Indy is standing in a mock 1950s-era neighborhood intended for destruction by a test-controlled nuclear strike. (Judging by the good weather in the film, the nuclear test depicted in Crystal Skull was most likely part of Operation Plumbbob. According to Wikipedia, Plumbbob tests took place from May 28, 1957 to October 7, 1957.)

Tom Charity, writing for CNN.com, likens the nuclear experimentation story arc to a Twilight Zone episode. I would have never been astute enough make this connection, but I definitely agree with it. There Indy is standing in a 1950s-era house with bright decor, looking at plastic people and Howdy Doody. The imagery didn't look right, didn't look like typical Indiana Jones fare. It wasn't what we were used to, but it was historically plausible. The facts supporting such plausibility made the nuclear experimentation angle mighty interesting. George Lucas outdid himself on that one. Anyone claiming Crystal Skull appeared formulaic is missing the mark.

The Crystal Skull narrative also reveals that Indy has lost his father and his friend, Marcus Broady.

And Mutt Williams comes along to advance the crystal skull plot thread. Let me say this: Kate Blanchett did a great job as Russian agent Irina Spalko, and Shia LeBeouf did a great job as Mutt Williams. When he was doing his balancing act in the Amazon jungle, swinging a sword with one foot on two vehicles, he reminded me of Errol Flynn! I wonder if that was by design. Ole Mutt could have rivaled Errol Flynn or Flash Gordon for that matter. Lucas drew a lot of inspiration from Saturday morning serials and Flash Gordon. For a few brief scenes, Crystal Skull resembled an old Flash Gordon serial. This is an astounding achievement. Lucas and Spielberg managed to capture that swashbuckling feel of high adventure, and they did so in multiple spots.

As expected though, the plot slowed. Furthermore, cynics could liken the chase scenes in the Amazon to the speeder bike chase in The Return of the Jedi or the mine car chase in The Temple of Doom or the tank chase in The Last Crusade. People have complained that Lucas is repeating himself. But I must make this argument: How can you do an Indiana Jones movie without those types of scenes? You have to have them. And after all, don't we want a little of the same from the previous three films? We do. I loved the chase through the Amazon.

I didn't like the computer-generated bugs. That was too much CG for me. As for the special effect extravaganza at the end, it's a shame things had to come to that, but on the flip side, those effects were necessary to tell the story, so I have to approve of them. The upside is that the CG resembled the look of The Mummy, one CG effects film I like a lot. (It's hard to believe The Mummy is nearly ten years old.)

Crystal Skull's CG was bad and good, a sign of the times if you will. The effects helped tell the story. And we got a lot of meat and potatoes action earlier in the movie with Mutt eluding Russians with his motorcycle. So, audiences received a little variety, and that variety was laced together oh so well.

I've never really seen a film quite like Crystal Skull. Here we have two old school filmmakers who also happen to be the guys responsible for the technical advances used in effects-laden films like The Matrix. But they have the knowledge and the willingness to go back to the basics and test themselves. Then they turn around and throw us some ultra-modern CGI all in the same film. Never ever have I witnessed such wide degrees of technical variance in the making of one blockbuster. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull might be one to study for film students. What a technical achievement this thing is. It's quite avant-garde. It truly is.

Those who are critical of this film simply do not get it. They don't understand completely what Lucas, Spielberg and Ford were trying to do. Audiences expected Indiana Jones and it got some Goonies and X-Files to boot. Lucas warned that Crystal Skull wasn't that movie. Thank goodness it wasn't! Different never bores me.

By the way, when I first heard mention of crystal skulls with relation to this project, I totally expected a crystal skull shaped like a human skull, not an alien. I expected something along the lines of the Sankara Stones. I didn't get that, which was another interesting surprise.

I'm also glad Indy finally hooked up with Marion. The wedding at the end was a nice touch.

In conclusion, despite pacing problems caused by complex plot details, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is fun to watch. From a technical standpoint, it might have set a new bar. Perhaps other filmmakers will take the cue and add more stand-alone action to their summer projects. It worked with the Jason Bourne franchise, and it still works with Indiana Jones. Perhaps we'll get a fifth Indy adventure before things are all said and done. If one is offered, I will certainly make time for it.