Thoughts on Indy 4

So, lately I've seen and heard lots of people saying that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is not a worthy Indy, that it does not live up to the other three and that after the last three Star Wars and the last Indy, George Lucas should retire.

Well, particularly, I loved everything about the Crystal Skull. The whole series has naturally a comical side. The weirdness caused in some, I believe, it's simply because the fourth film is not a classic like the others yet. Crystal Skull is exactly what I could expect of a fourth Indy film.

The Indiana Jones series is a direct offspring of James Bond (something that couldn't get any more obvious in The Last Crusade) and both are the most direct influences to other films of the genre. As much as action/adventure films have evolved, nowadays, we can't think of action films without fast cuts and lots and lots of CGI. Indy's return had to be a comeback to the old style, including slapstick humor so typical of the 1980's films together with the action.

Because of that, the film does not only doesn't bring anything new to the genre, nothing we haven't seen before, but more, it steps back in a way. And this step back might be wonderfully nostalgic for some (myself included), but a rejection it might have from others ends up to be inevitable (that's not the only reason though).

*****SPOILER TIME******

And Crystal Skull is not only the fourth Indiana Jones film, but also the fourth film on another of Spielberg's series. The Extra-Terrestrial Series. Begun by Close Enconters of the Third Kind followed by E.T. and War of the Worlds. Notice (if you haven't yet) two things: some notes of the Close Encounters theme in the end of the film and a reference to The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

Crystal Skull rocked. Everything but Shia Lebouf swinging from one vine to another. That sucked. Everything but that felt like an Indy movie.

It doesn't surprise me that a lot of people hated it - but I adored the film.

It's a different Indiana Jones film, but a good different.

Just like Silent Killer said, Shia swining from one vine to another did suck. Some of the film's over-the-top action is its only downfall. Apart from that - bravo!

My review can be found here

I didn't hate it, it was a reasonably good movie. It's not even the worst Indy movie, that dubious honour goes to 'Temple of Doom'. That said, it's nowhere near as good as Raiders or Crusade. Those were among the best Action-Adventure movies ever made. 'Crystal Skull' is just another summer flick that is entertaining but forgettable, much like Terminator 3. My review here.

Crystal Skull certainly doesn't come close to Raiders or Last Crusade. But it's the same style - humour, action, adventure, etc.

The film doesn't deserve the heavy flaming and pasting it continually receives from net trolls.