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

Director: Steven Spielberg

Time Out rating

Average user rating

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 2008-05-18 19:44:54

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

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User reviews of this film

Jonny said...

Posted on May 29 2008 14:50 I am a great fan of the first three which stretch the imagination within the realms possibility. This latest film just went too far in many respects. The crystal skull where only some metal items were attracted to it, swinging through trees like Tarzan and actually catching up speeding cars, going down three waterfalls in a steel boats and surviving, the needless appearance of Alan Dale (Jim Robinson - Neighbours), Indy punching and taking on 3 baddies like he is superhumanand all these Russians in the US. In addition to this the plot was very fast and did not use Indy's investigation powers like the last ones. Great to see Indy back at it but overall very disappointed.

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dan said...

Posted on May 29 2008 14:46 very poor only decent acting came from the, now senior, harrison ford. Attempts to capture the style of the earlier films falls flat, drawing too much upon cheap humor. Also whoever said the special effects in this film were anything other than mediocre shouldn't become a film critic, their absence would have been a far more appropriate feature. The ultimate blow out was the casting of Shia LaBeouf as the aptly named 'mutt' realy a dogs dinner performance, well out of his league! should probably go back to childrens tv, a far less critical audience!

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theodora poole said...

Posted on May 29 2008 11:32 this movie amazing cleverly put together. great story as well as eerie colourful creative great characters. i liked the rat snake and the incredible crystal skull with its magnetic powers. Theodora Poole.

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john said...

Posted on May 28 2008 21:10 this is good film and i like the trailer and this will be the dogs bolloks and this is the big bang and then you will be all the tome doing films like this

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Elliot said...

Posted on May 28 2008 17:17 Excellent mix of action and comedy however the story does not seem to fit with the classic Indiana Jones design. An all round brilliant film but may not please the die hard fans.

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Josh said...

Posted on May 28 2008 17:16 Ive never seen an Indianna Jones yet my dad raved about all the other films when I went to watch the new one I was utterly dissapointed the plot was ridiculous although the special effects were amazing I felt nothing but boredom throughout the rest of the film.

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Aires said...

Posted on May 28 2008 16:00 Anyone who doesn't like this film has no sense of fun and is up their own backside. The film well lives up to it's hype and it's just a rollicking good fun film that doesn't pause for breath. I can't think of a single minute where I thought 'oh this is really starting to drag now'. It's not a piece of art but then it's not meant to be and it's just good comic book fun. LaBoeuf looks like a young de Niro in this film and isn't anywhere near annoying as you'd think - in fact he isn't annoying at all. Blanchett is outstanding as the baddie and Hurt isn't as underused as reviews suggest. The one thing that did annoy me apart from the fact that Winstone is in the film at all, is the fact that he keeps calling Indy - Jonesy! He's not called Jonesy - he's called Indy for fcuks sake!!

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Paul said...

Posted on May 28 2008 15:52 Although it was a good movie and the reviews saying otherwise aren't true!! My only problem with it was the aliens that are in the movie, in my opinion these were unneccesary and not at all like the 3 movies before it. This ruined the ending for me a bit but 90% of the movie was very good

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ice said...

Posted on May 28 2008 15:38 well my daughter old loved it. she couldnt wait to tell her dad it was great. she hid in the creepy insects sceen lol she watched it without moving all the way through.
i thought the ending was naff really and yes the aliens were somewhat obvious but remember it is set in an era when america was just becomming gripped by alien fever. yes the russians were as usual sent up so badly but thats what indy films do best lol! all in all i was gald i took her and will be going again tonight to take hubby so it cant be that bad i will be watching two days in a row

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Clare+Nicole+Rebecca said...

Posted on May 28 2008 12:17 Gd film

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beth said...

Posted on May 27 2008 22:59 going to see this tommorow cant wait, i going with my dad he loves all the movies and is a big fan like me!!!

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Craig said...

Posted on May 27 2008 17:31 WARNING: Do not waste your money on this inept piece of film-making. Poor casting, poor script-writing, BAD acting, senseless plot...oh dear.

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AndrewEdinburgh said...

Posted on May 27 2008 17:03 terrible, awful. X-files with Indy. As for Marion,Indys x, what was has role in the film, and as for the lad...his son...come on give us a break. what happened to the laws of physics? sorry but its a big brown pants film! save your money see something else.

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Nik1 said...

Posted on May 27 2008 15:54 Gutted!! my fella and i have been waiting for this film forever and i don't think we could have been more disappointed! :o( it was more like indiana jones meets the x-files...kept expecting mulder and scully to jump up. The idea behind the film was ok but from the minute they included aliens it just went downhill. The plot was very ropey, there were next to no booby traps you'd expect in an indiana jones movie, there was no solving of the clues or working from history like in the other films because the legend they were following wasn't even close to real! We remain true indy fans but this one was just a let down. And as an extra Cate Blanchetts accent was appauling! sorry guys but i don't think i'd waste the time or money :o(

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sam said...

Posted on May 27 2008 12:57 wow ,if you are a true indy fan you will love this film...it is definatly indy alll over again, watching this film made my heart smile and from their i knew indy was back!!!!.harrison ford has still got it no matter what age he is dont listen to people saying dont watch it , its the best fim of 2008 so far ....long live indy ....i thought the fridge bit was great f... it ,it was alll great woooooooooooot..their was not too much cgi(what)oh excuse me mr alien can you appear in the new indy film...clearly people who have reveiwed it saying its bad watch too much day time tv...this film is amazing

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