Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull *1/2

Produced by George Lucas
Directed by Steven Spielberg
With Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett
Seen in Theater



Hey, the price of admission was three bucks and it got from mediocre to good reviews. So why not?

Not surprisingly, this is a check your brain in at the door film, but it is good clean fun. I mean let's attempt to look at the plot. The bad guys are trying to get this skull that has something to do with some lost conquistadors that were searching for El Dorado. This skull of course has special powers and the bad guys want it (actually they want to return it because that is how they get the special powers) and Indiana Jones and pals are reluctantly helping them and fighting them. Apparently, when staring in to the eyes of the skull, it can make someone insane as it did to one professor that they were trying to rescue. But when Indy tried it, it affected him deeply (supposedly made some sort of connection between him and the crazy professor). yet ten minutes he's back to normal. Yeah - and the power is that they will be able to control and read people's minds, which is perfect for the bad guys because they are Russian communist who want to take over the world with their ideology (which is of course a true goal of communism).

What ever! It is all kind of besides the point. It is all about the action and the personality of Indiana Jones. And there, with all the resources of Hollywood and George Lucas, the film delivers on that part.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the film is the opening sequence which takes place in Atomic City - You know, the fake city that the U.S. Army constructed in New Mexico(?) to see the results of what would happen if an atomic bomb landed on a real city. Indiana is of course trying to outrun or out smart the atomic bomb, and (i don't think this is giving anything away) he does.

What makes me wonder is why they can't do a film like this with out all the hokum. Why can't the bad guys be trying to get incriminating papers or an existing, real weapon? Why does there have to be supernatural beings and aliens from outer space? You could still do the same action and comedy. In fact that opening sequence described above had vary little hokum and I thought it was particularly interesting. I guess since Indy is an archaeologist, his world is the world of legends, tales and cultures. (That too was interesting when he was explaining the characteristics of some cultures.) I mean that not too many bad guys are going to become ruthless killers to obtain a shard of pottery or an ancient chicken bone which is what archaeologists really deal with , if they are having a good day.

Then there is a new character to deal with. It appears that his character is to fill the shoes of Indy, since he is aging after all. But Indy has to be charming and I did not find this young kid to be charming at all. I thought he was kind of irritating - but he was a teenager so maybe that was the point.

So, while there is no hurry to run out and see this movie, it would surely make for some iteresting television watching. Or if perhaps you find the DVD in the clearance sction (that woulds be quite a while - but then there is no hurry is there?)