Fans Weigh in on Long-Awaited Indiana Jones Blockbuster
Aging 'Indy' Still Packs a Punch!
Two thoughts went through my mind within the first 10 minutes of the new Indiana Jones: 1) Wow, Indy is old and slow, and 2) Wow, this movie is kind of silly. About 15 minutes into the film, however, I was completely absorbed and enthralled—rooting for the swashbuckling archeologist just like old times. The truth is, Indiana Jones has aged 20 years since The Last Crusade and the story is completely out of this world—literally. But Harrison Ford does a great job, the story moves along at a quick pace and carries with it the wonder from the previous three films, and the action is non-stop fun.
Crystal Skull opens as Indy is recruited to help communist Russia find an artifact, the Crystal Skull, which will help create a psychic-mind weapon, allowing Russia to rule the world. It turns out that one of Indiana’s friends happens to have found the artifact in question and is kidnapped by the Russian army. Indy, along with his new sidekick, Mutt (Shia LeBeouf), fly to the Amazon to help their friend and find the artifact. Along the way, Indy’s old girlfriend, Marion (Karen Allen), re-enters the picture as Mutt’s mother. What follows is endless action in jeeps along high cliffs, encounters with deadly man-eating ants, and even nuclear bombs.
Heading the communist bunch is the sword-wielding Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who fits amazingly into the role of Jones’ first woman nemesis—and probably the most dangerous adversary he has faced yet! LeBeouf adds a comic relief and paves the way for future Indiana Jones films, and though he has aged, Harrison Ford returns to his role with gusto and pride—and succeeds in winning over the audience again and again and again.
The movie is rated PG-13 for non-stop action and violence, as well as for some language. Parents should be aware that the violence is real—kicks and punches produce blood, people are shot throughout the film, and several experience gruesome death-by-ants. It is not as graphic, or violently explicit as Temple of Doom, nor is it as dark, but the violence is still there. The language is also a bit more prevalent than the previous films, though not very extreme. One redeeming quality is that Indiana Jones is not as promiscuous as he was before, though his playboy days are mentioned several times. All in all, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is what summer movies are all about—it is fun, enjoyable and altogether entertaining.
By Derrick Hibbard
The opinions expressed in this review does not necessarily represent the opinions of Audience Alliance Motion Picture Studios.
