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

Director: Steven Spielberg

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121 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Dr Indiana Jones: a hokey, old-fashioned movie action-hero from the childhood of many film-goers who was based, back in the burgeoning summer blockbuster days of the early 1980s, on a hokey, old-fashioned movie action-hero from the childhood of director Steven Spielberg.

Yes, in case you haven’t realised, Harrison Ford is back as the university professor with a sideline in battling bad guys in a strictly archaeological context and a skill for dodging bullets and boulders in comic book fashion – without suffering a graze. Other pop-iconic inventions, like Batman, have since enjoyed the post-modern treatment at the hands of younger filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, but Spielberg avoids any nod-and-a-wink approach. There’s the odd self-referential moment that points to Indy’s age and to past plots but mostly this is played as straight as the fringe on Cate Blanchett as the villain of the piece.

It’s 1957, Jones has a good war record behind him, the Cold War is in full thrust, and fetish fans can rest easy in the knowledge that Indy has kept that hat, whip and leather jacket from his younger days. He digs them out when Mutt (Shia LaBeouf), a young lad who rides into the movie in a nod to Brando in ‘The Wild One’ – all leathers and attitude – offers Indy the challenge of hunting down the Crystal Skull of Akator.

Of course, Indy’s not alone in the search. There are Soviet agents on his trail, led by Blanchett. These are the same agents, all with that glassy stare that American movies often attribute to commies, who we’ve already seen Indy battle with on an American air field in the film’s first action set-piece. For this episode, he narrowly escapes from a nuclear test-bomb that’s detonated on a mock-up of the typical ’50s town. This is surprisingly chilling in tone and slightly recalls the creepy suburban set-up of the early scenes of Spielberg’s ‘AI’. But only Spielberg would puncture this nod at nuclear horror with a quick cut to an anodyne shot of fluffy desert animals.

The rest is familiar. There are car chases, quick sand, river pursuits, poison darts, and exotic locations from the Nevada desert to the jungles of Peru and the Amazon. The only real additions to the mix are some new characters, including Shia LaBoeuf as Indy’s younger sidekick and Ray Winstone as a companion closer to his own age, and a recourse to computer imagery that becomes less and less hidden as the film unfolds. There’s a nod to alien involvement towards the end of the film that feels out of place, and the more the film relies on spectacle, both from special effects and from production design, the more it segues from what audiences really want: human stunts and up-close combat. It’s all perfectly acceptable as a minor thrill ride – nothing more. The film doesn’t feel as punchy, amusing or as fast-paced as the best of the other three films, but it’s passable both as nostalgia and old-fashioned action-adventure that favours impossible leaps from waterfalls over psychological insights and anything in the realm of plot that you could possibly need to believe.

It’s John Hurt as an old academic buddy of Mr Jones who utters a significant line as this fourth adventure, 21 years since the last, comes to a close in a scene that’s so sentimental – even by Spielberg’s standards – that you might be shoving your fist down your throat at the very sight of it. He ponders ‘How much of human life is lost in waiting.’ Is that Mr Spielberg suggesting we shouldn’t get our hopes up over these silly things? If so, he’s definitely right. Expect little, remember that the first three films were all basic affairs, and you might just – just – avoid disappointment.

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 1970, May 21 - 27, 2008

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Comments posted by reader said...

Posted on Oct 22 2009 17:25

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Andy S said...

Posted on Nov 19 2008 11:01 Awful, just awful. Everything was bad, and Ford is well past it. Spielberg's worse film...well, I think The Terminal sucked more.

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nibbeler said...

Posted on Oct 30 2008 12:10 I loved this movie but one thing: when the atomic bomb thingy whent off and he was in a fridge and he went for absoulty miles and he was in it!! He would of died when he was in the air but hed just walked out of the fridge!!!

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nibbeler said...

Posted on Oct 30 2008 12:10 I loved this movie but one thing: when the atomic bomb thingy whent off and he was in a fridge and he went for absoulty miles and he was in it!! He would of died when he was in the air but hed just walked out of the fridge!!!

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Chris said...

Posted on Aug 09 2008 08:57 Absolutely awful. Nonsensical plot, rubbish dialogue and some of the worst CGI ever. Don;t bother.

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BS said...

Posted on Jul 22 2008 18:56 rubbish compared to the others. they were trying to hard to continue the great reputation for the other films but by making this film they have just lost my respect for the whole Indian Jones sereies. shame because i really enjoyed the other three. boo hiss boo steven spielberg

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wicca witch said...

Posted on Jul 05 2008 16:33 brill kept me on the edge of my seat. adventure and comical quips throughout. very enjoyable. Also like the fact that they did their homework there is a book about the crystal skulls which is interesting if yuou beleive in the spiritula side of life. interesting read.

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wicca witch said...

Posted on Jul 05 2008 16:30 Brill kept me on the edge of my seat advanture plus wit not bad for a sat nite when nought on the box

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Leanne said...

Posted on Jul 03 2008 18:57 Where is my reveiw? I am allowed free speech and wanted to warn everybody about the biddy festival at this film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eoin McLove has a happy face!!!!!!!!!

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iain said...

Posted on Jun 25 2008 21:19 I reluctantly went along with my girlfriend to watch this and, as it turned out, i left feeling like i'd enjoyed myself. some parts of the film are ridiculously far fetched and i wasn't to keen on the alien storyline - very strange - but the film is generally entertaining and enjoyable. i also thought harrison ford still looked the part even though he has obviously aged a fair bit!...

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katie barker said...

Posted on Jun 25 2008 15:02 i thought the film wasok, it was a typicalindianna jones film, they always getout of it in the end sort, but thats indianna jones, i myself think that shia lebeouf who plays mutt is hot hot hot, so i supposei had a different motive to see it, but worth watching.

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ahgdahvbafd said...

Posted on Jun 25 2008 11:24 super

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ashlee said...

Posted on Jun 21 2008 13:43 omg im going to watch this film tonyt better be good 4 the price

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