Film review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Plot

It's been twenty-odd years since the last Indiana Jones movie, and the film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull picks up our hero twenty-odd years after his last adventure. Jones is still teaching archaeology (part-time), his father and many of his friends have passed away, and he's still going on the odd adventure to excavate various legendary artifacts. This time, his old sweetheart Marion (Karen Allen, from the still incomparable Raiders of the Lost Ark) is in trouble, and has sent her son, ‘Mutt’ (Shia LaBoeff), to enlist Indy's help. The quest part of this adventure is focused on El Dorado, the fabled city of gold, and an enigmatic crystal skull that's curiously elongated and highly magnetic. Intrigued yet?

Those old-school fans hoping to see another adrenaline-fuelled romp filled with car-chases, fist fights, ancient booby-traps and centuries-old riddles will not be disappointed. The film has adventure to spare. I can't say much about the details without giving something away. However, the central premise is so hackneyed, and has been so overdone by previous films, that it's likely you'll be rolling your eyes before you get through the first act. (Area 51? Really, Steve?) But if you can by-pass the purpose of the quest and focus instead on what our heroes do to get there, it's a good-old-fashioned good time.

Acting

Harrison Ford seems bored of this character, but he still has the swagger and stamina to carry Indy through to the finish, and to do most of his own stunts. Any chemistry he may have previously had with Karen Allen is flat-out gone, though, as much fun as it is to see her onscreen again. The real stars acting-wise here are LaBeouf and a mostly-incomprehensible John Hurt. LaBeouf happens to be one of my favorite rising stars anyway, and he did not disappoint me. He delivers his role with a fearless, naïve idealism that's utterly believable, and he holds the picture together when the clichéd romance falls flat. Hurt is a minimalist in the absolute best sense: he acts with his eyes and body-language, drawing the focus to his character with such subtlety that you'll barely notice he's doing it. Oddly enough, Cate Blanchett is the ham actor in this picture. As ‘Stalin's favorite scientist’, she's the only one who seems to realize how ridiculous the storyline is, and chews up her phony Russian accent accordingly –boy, is it fun to witness!

Verdict: Campy, predictable, action-packed – everything the previous three films were, with not much more to offer. Try not to take it too seriously, grab a bucket of popcorn, and enjoy!

Laurel [guest reviewer]