The
latest Indiana Jones excursion, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull, again harks to the days of the Saturday
arvo serials – fast chases, spooky caverns, crazy sets,
full throttle fun with endless cliffhangers. Using the tried and
true formula of the earlier Indy films, it even cleverly makes
use of Harrison Ford’s advancing years; also enabling Cate
Blancett to exchange her Dylan hairstyle for a twenties-style
bobcut, complete with Russian accent straight out of Fast Forward.
This proves old actors and rockers never die (well, apart from
Elvis and even that’s in doubt), they just mellow with age.
Steven Spielberg is seldom better than when handling fast action
stuff like this, and he revels in playing tongue-in-cheek humour
to the hilt.
Harrison Ford does look a bit creaky round the edges
in the close-ups, but the script allows for that – after
all, it’s set some years after his previous adventures.
His young sidekick even asks “are you like 80?”; while
in another scene Indy remarks, “It doesn’t get any
easier”. But Ford isn’t slowed down, carrying many
of the action scenes himself. In fact, he’s a more authentic
academic character with a few wrinkles
Set in 1957, there are no Nazis left to punch up, so instead we
have the Ruskies in the middle of the Cold War. The film kicks
off to a good start with a wild motorcade to the strains of Elvis’
“Hound Dog” which sets the tone of the whole show,
plus there’s John Williams’ theme music to get you
all nostalgic. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his fair-weather
friend Mac (Ray Winston) are held captive by infiltrated Russians,
led by the sleek shivery cool Soviet spy Irina Spalko (Cate Blancett)
We move into the warehouse that was shown at the end of Raiders
of the Lost Ark, which houses a very curious item, the body of
an alien much desired by the Soviets. Indy escapes by some hocus-pocus
and ends up at – of all places – the atomic bomb testing
range. Cleverly using a fridge to survive the nuclear blast, Indiana
makes a return to the classroom.
There
Indy encounters young Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), his latest
motorcycling companion. Jones and friends, now equipped with the
inevitable treasure map, race against the Soviets lead by the
indomitable Irina to find the legendary crystal skull of a pre-Mayan
civilisation which, when returned to its hidden tomb in South
American jungle, will somehow enable the USSR to have supernatural
power over the world. Along the way Indy’s aided by the
nutty Professor Oxley (John Hurt), unreliable Mac and his old
flame Marion (Karen Allen) making a welcome return to the series.
The younger actors Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blancett
obviously enjoy making the most of their characterisations with
LaBeouf behaving like the Fonz doing a scene from The Wild One.
The action barely ceases over waterfalls, cliffs, deep caverns,
and the final big set of the hidden alien city. The special effects
department works overtime as expected.
A few
minor gaffes – last time I looked gunpowder isn’t
magnetic, and the mumbo jumbo about the supernatural is less than
convincing, but who’s going to care in the general mayhem.
Even if it’s mainly nonsense don’t let that stand
in the way of good solid action. Spielberg regurgitates some of
the most successful aspects in the previous three films for sure-fire
success. For example, this time the bugs are scorpions and ferocious
ants, and there are again excellent set pieces including the lost
city, and the atomic bomb target site. Naturally there’s
exotic scenery, tremendous waterfalls and dark cobweb-laden caverns.
You’ll have a feeling of deja vu for much of the time, although
the eerie sequence at the atomic test site breaks new ground and
is a highlight.
Considering director Steven Spielberg, producer
George Lucas and Harrison Ford are all in their sixties, it’s
a happy thing they can make a film that exudes almost childish
enthusiasm for the medium. Long may they reign in the world of
cinema entertainment. An older Mr. Jones with fedora and bullwhip
can still give those who enjoyed his earlier movies their money’s
worth.
The
latest Indiana Jones excursion, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull, again harks to the days of the Saturday
arvo serials – fast chases, spooky caverns, crazy sets,
full throttle fun with endless cliffhangers. Using the tried and
true formula of the earlier Indy films, it even cleverly makes
use of Harrison Ford’s advancing years; also enabling Cate
Blancett to exchange her Dylan hairstyle for a twenties-style
bobcut, complete with Russian accent straight out of Fast Forward.
This proves old actors and rockers never die (well, apart from
Elvis and even that’s in doubt), they just mellow with age.
Steven Spielberg is seldom better than when handling fast action
stuff like this, and he revels in playing tongue-in-cheek humour
to the hilt.
There
Indy encounters young Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), his latest
motorcycling companion. Jones and friends, now equipped with the
inevitable treasure map, race against the Soviets lead by the
indomitable Irina to find the legendary crystal skull of a pre-Mayan
civilisation which, when returned to its hidden tomb in South
American jungle, will somehow enable the USSR to have supernatural
power over the world. Along the way Indy’s aided by the
nutty Professor Oxley (John Hurt), unreliable Mac and his old
flame Marion (Karen Allen) making a welcome return to the series.
A few
minor gaffes – last time I looked gunpowder isn’t
magnetic, and the mumbo jumbo about the supernatural is less than
convincing, but who’s going to care in the general mayhem.
Even if it’s mainly nonsense don’t let that stand
in the way of good solid action. Spielberg regurgitates some of
the most successful aspects in the previous three films for sure-fire
success. For example, this time the bugs are scorpions and ferocious
ants, and there are again excellent set pieces including the lost
city, and the atomic bomb target site. Naturally there’s
exotic scenery, tremendous waterfalls and dark cobweb-laden caverns.
You’ll have a feeling of deja vu for much of the time, although
the eerie sequence at the atomic test site breaks new ground and
is a highlight.