Movie review - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Dum de dum-duuum, dum de dummmmm! Dum de dum-duuum, dum de dum dum dum!!! I am a lover of the original Indiana Jones movies. For the most part, I resisted spoiling it for myself and I'm aware of the mixed reaction this film has garnered. So number 4 in one of my most super favouritest franchises after an absence of 19 years, was I satisfied? (If the review is a bit shoddy, it's cos I'm trying to avoid spoiling!)

Set in 1957, the movie starts with Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is being coerced by Soviet agents led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) into retrieving something for them from the same Area 51 warehouse from the end of the first movie (Fan shout-out!). Although he only did it to save his ass, he is essentially forced out of academia for helping the enemy. On the day he is about to leave for a new job, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) approaches him for help to find one of Indy's lost colleagues, Ox Oxley (John Hurt) and Mutt's mother (Karen Allen - fans will know where this was going). Motorbike chases, stunts, crashing through the jungle and river rides ensue!

I have pretty much been sitting here all day thinking about the best way to review this because while I did enjoy it (verra verra much), I see it's weaknesses and how others wouldn't like it. My feeling towards it is a bit like the Simpsons movie. You want it to be brilliant - it's not, but that's not to say it's not entertaining! After a lot of reading of forums and doing my own considerable thinking, I believe the big issue here is the suspension of believe required to enjoy this movie. Frankly, the plot is pretty damn weak. Even taking into consideration the other Indiana Jones quests, it's outright ridiculous. I won't give away the big doozy but I have heard it totally spoiling the experience for others - hai Pooey! The set pieces here are also just...yeah. For those who have seen the movie, the words *Monkey scene* should bring up what I'm trying to get to. Likewise, straddling two cars while doing a sword fight.

The acting....hmmm, this is a bit of doozy because the dialogue IS cheesy and it's hard to be serious (and therefore be seriously reviewed) when you're saying clunkers like...

• Col. Dr. Irina Spalko: You fight like a young man; eager to start and quick to finish.
• Mutt Williams: You know, for an old man you ain't bad in a fight. What are you, like 80?

• Mutt Williams: I don't understand. Why the legend about the city of gold?
  Indiana Jones: Well, the word for 'gold' translates as 'treasure.' But their treasure wasn't gold, it was knowledge. Knowledge was their treasure

But despite this, I think everyone manages to acquit themselves well I mean, it's not terrible like Star Wars terrible. Nobody is treating themselves too seriously. Some of the people on imdb gripe about Shia LaBeouf's casting and Cate Blanchett's accent. Quite frankly, I didn't think they were that bad - I thought Indy and Mutt had good chemistry and adventure movie villians are always over the top. I though Blanchett had the right mix of menace and interesting.

I will refrain from talking about the use of CGI. All I'll say is that you can tell which bits are real and which ones are not. You will have to judge for yourself if you think they were better than the *real* stunts.

This was a pretty difficult film to review because I can see it disappointing a lot of the hardcore fans who want it to be absolutely marvellous. It is not absolutely marvellous. It is however, and enjoyable throwback to the adventure movies of yore. And isn't that what it has always been about?
7.5 - 8/10