Welcome Back Dr. Jones
Okay, having had time to reflect on the movie I saw last night, I have come to the conclusion that it is an entertaining romp that makes one nostalgic for the movies of old, specifically the 80s!!!! Well, maybe not. But it's a good movie.
Let me just get the negatives out of the way first. One, it is obvious at times that people are just going through the motions and paying lip service to the fans. Like the other Jones flicks, this one is pretty dang formulaic. Indy has someone on his tail, Indy gets a sidekick, Indy finds a pit of critters, something mystical is discovered and...surprise!... it really has powers. Baddies are disposed of, the end. Granted, I wouldn't want one where the baddies win and Indy is dead at the end, but over time some evolution should occur. Second, very interchangeable villains. While some might disagree, I do not believe the series has had any memorable bad guys since Temple of Doom. Like the James Bond series but nowhere near as desperate, this one suffers from a lack of creativity in that department. This time out they are the Soviets, but aside from their language, nothing really distinguishes them from the Nazis of the old series. Cate Blanchett does a good job as the lead villain, but she is given extreme limitations with the script. For the most part, she sounds like she is planning big trouble for "moose and squirrel" with her cohort Boris. Third, why did we need to have the new "it" boy in Hollywood? I am of course referring to Shia LeBouf, who plays Mutt Williams, a young man who may or may not be Indy's son. I am not bashing LeBouf's performance, he does a good job like all the rest, but I prefer to see a character exist to further the plot and not as an attempt to cash-in on the youth market.
Now for the good. After the debacle that was the Star Wars prequels, I have come to be really skeptical about anything created by George Lucas. Unlike the prequels, however, Indy is the creation of both Lucas and the director Steven Spielberg. While Lucas might be out of touch with how to get good performances and seduced by technology, Spielberg still knows what makes these movies work. I remember thinking I was going to get sick at times while viewing the recent Star Wars movies due to the wooden performances and cornball lines. Crystal Skull has some lame jokes, but Harrison Ford still knows how to play the character and Spielberg knows how to get good performances from his actors, thus making the movie more involving and not just eye candy. Perhaps the aspect I liked most about the movie was how Spielberg was able to emulate the look of a 1950s action adventure flick. Some people might not like this approach, but it is the same one he took with the originals, just set two decades later. Also, Spielberg uses the setting to effectively make a social commentary by drawing some parallels with that period's Red Scare and current events.
What pleases me most about the movie is also what is a weakness, it is predictable. But I was elated when I saw the Paramount logo fade into a real mountain like it did in the old flicks. People in my audience applauded when Indy hops a plane and we see the old animated red line go back into action. Indiana still knows how to kick some ass, despite being over 60 years old. The old theme song still plays loudly over the end credits, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Let me just get the negatives out of the way first. One, it is obvious at times that people are just going through the motions and paying lip service to the fans. Like the other Jones flicks, this one is pretty dang formulaic. Indy has someone on his tail, Indy gets a sidekick, Indy finds a pit of critters, something mystical is discovered and...surprise!... it really has powers. Baddies are disposed of, the end. Granted, I wouldn't want one where the baddies win and Indy is dead at the end, but over time some evolution should occur. Second, very interchangeable villains. While some might disagree, I do not believe the series has had any memorable bad guys since Temple of Doom. Like the James Bond series but nowhere near as desperate, this one suffers from a lack of creativity in that department. This time out they are the Soviets, but aside from their language, nothing really distinguishes them from the Nazis of the old series. Cate Blanchett does a good job as the lead villain, but she is given extreme limitations with the script. For the most part, she sounds like she is planning big trouble for "moose and squirrel" with her cohort Boris. Third, why did we need to have the new "it" boy in Hollywood? I am of course referring to Shia LeBouf, who plays Mutt Williams, a young man who may or may not be Indy's son. I am not bashing LeBouf's performance, he does a good job like all the rest, but I prefer to see a character exist to further the plot and not as an attempt to cash-in on the youth market.
Now for the good. After the debacle that was the Star Wars prequels, I have come to be really skeptical about anything created by George Lucas. Unlike the prequels, however, Indy is the creation of both Lucas and the director Steven Spielberg. While Lucas might be out of touch with how to get good performances and seduced by technology, Spielberg still knows what makes these movies work. I remember thinking I was going to get sick at times while viewing the recent Star Wars movies due to the wooden performances and cornball lines. Crystal Skull has some lame jokes, but Harrison Ford still knows how to play the character and Spielberg knows how to get good performances from his actors, thus making the movie more involving and not just eye candy. Perhaps the aspect I liked most about the movie was how Spielberg was able to emulate the look of a 1950s action adventure flick. Some people might not like this approach, but it is the same one he took with the originals, just set two decades later. Also, Spielberg uses the setting to effectively make a social commentary by drawing some parallels with that period's Red Scare and current events.
What pleases me most about the movie is also what is a weakness, it is predictable. But I was elated when I saw the Paramount logo fade into a real mountain like it did in the old flicks. People in my audience applauded when Indy hops a plane and we see the old animated red line go back into action. Indiana still knows how to kick some ass, despite being over 60 years old. The old theme song still plays loudly over the end credits, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
posted by Darth Liberal at 3:51 PM
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