It’s not often that a movie can really be called an event with a straight face, but Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is one time when it’s justified. The return of everyone’s favourite whip-cracking hero delivers just what we want with an exhilarating adventure.
This time out, it’s 1957, and an older Indiana Jones is up against Cate Blanchett’s KGB agent, who wants possession of an ancient crystal skull for the usual world-control reasons. Teaming up with Indy is young rebel without a cause Mutt, played by Shia LeBeouf, and our hero’s old flame Marion Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen from Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
At its best, Indy 4 is about as much fun as you can have in the cinema. The set-piece sequences are dynamic and perfectly choreographed. What’s a shame is that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas shatter our suspension of disbelief by at times, going totally over the top.
At 65 Harrison Ford is still a convincing action hero, and Indy 4 is smart enough to make a joke of his advanced years. But Harrison Ford’s ability to deliver a wisecrack hasn’t stood the test of time quite as well. His banter and emotional moments aren’t as effortless as they once were. The movie’s also stuck with a plot that needs a lot of explaining but still doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Despite these problems, Indy 4’s brilliant moments more than make up for its mediocre ones. The only question now is how long will it be before Indy 5 is announced?
As a rollicking good time, Indy 4 rates four stars and stands proudly beside the first three movies.
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