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Photo Credit: David James |
Two and ¾ stars
Not a bust but not a beaut either, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skulls” creates just enough high-tension action and snappily delivered dialogue to earn a look-see.
But it succeeds mainly as a tribute to itself, drawing heavily on the Indy lore, tried-and-true Indy features (creepy bugs, rock temples rising and falling) and even characters from earlier films to endear itself to today’s viewers.
I won’t give away those characters or the interesting plot twists that get sprinkled into this forced story about a crystal skull and an ancient race that visited Earth.
Suffice it to say that this film may serve as a final chapter to the Indiana Jones movies as we know them, and as a bridge to another generation of films that were originally high-octane, new-age takes on the old Saturday afternoon serials.
Keeping this latest Steven Spielberg-directed adventure from becoming a favorite in the Indy franchise is a less-then-stellar start.
Sure, there’s a middling car chase and a mildly interesting escape in the first reel, but this is where Harrison Ford is looking the longest in the tooth. And when you have to call on the explosion of an atom bomb to jump start your action, things can only go up.
Things pick up, and the film begins having some fun when Shia LaBeouf arrives as a motorcycle-riding youth channeling James Dean as he seeks help from Indy to find a missing professor.
Soon enough, after nostalgic nods to the Red Scare and a tangle with a bunch of KGB toughs and their chief, Irina Spalki (a rare, one-note performance from Cate Blanchett), the greasers end up fighting the preps as Indy and his new pal Mutt (yeah, Mutt) are off on another adventure.
The crystal skulls story is a tad weak, a mishmash of mystical power and alien intervention. And much of the action and the backdrops feel overly familiar, like they were left over from “Temple of Doom.”
But LaBeouf and Ford work a little on-screen magic as the old hand and the young buck joining forces to battle a host of foes, from uniformed Ruskies to dart-shooting natives to giant ants who want the heroes for an afternoon snack.
Saying too much about the return of old friends would give away the plot twists that provide fun, surprises and eventually, the completion of a circle that started the first time we saw that hat and whip.
That’s the good will this film eventually draws from true fans, throwing things into the mix that can’t help but make those who’ve been around for the whole series smile.
Yes, many will miss some of the best thrills and chills that were found in the early films.
But with generous helpings of wise-cracking humor from Indy, equal retorts from his young sidekick, Mutt and enough action to make a few goose bumps pop up, this is worth including in the franchise.
Especially if you’re the kind of fan who’s seen each of the earlier films enough times to care about where this series will head next.
