Others say...

"I'm glad I RENTED it....they should not have bothered..."
From watching the 'special edition' interviews, what stands out in my mind is how right Steven Spielberg was when he initially expressed reservations about making anymore sequels to IJ, how he took special care to give a satisfying ending to 'Last Crusade'that would neatly wrap things up, how he had doubts about using the alien skull idea that Lucas was pushing.......You shoulda gone with your gut Steven!! You could feel the script writer going thru the previous IJ movies in order to establish a formula so that this one would follow the same patterns- the only problem is, that in this one you know exactly what he is doing and what scenes are comparable to the earlier ones. Shia L does not have the same natural charisma as people like Harrison or Sean Connery, much less Johnny Depp, etc. -that makes you want to watch what they are doing. The wedding scene is trite as is just about everything else in the movie. Ack- go watch 'Last Crusade' and try to forget about this one........

"Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
I was so eager to see this movie but ended up not making it to the theatre to see. I'd heard all the hype about it being a disappointment but still planned on buying it to add to my collection. I'm glad I did buy it after watching it. It's no Raiders of the Lost Ark but still is enjoyable. One thing that I did find grating was the pg-13+ language in it. I don't remember that in Raiders as much. So this chapter is pg-13 for more than the action/ violence so be warned. It was nice to see the Marian/ Indie romance pick up where it left off. I personally do feel that Harrison Ford would be stretching it way too far to pursue this character any further unless just in a supporting role. He can't carry that type of action anymore believeably. On the other hand I could see this franchise picking up where it left off with the newcomer to the storyline continuing in Dad's footsteps... But be realistic in your expectations because lightening seldom strikes twice in the same spot!

J. Gibson (Winston-Salem, NC)


"Not great, but not awful either"
Qualifying as gleeful entertainment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull definitely doesn't come close to the greatness achieved by the first three Indy flicks, but it isn't nearly as bad as many have claimed it to be either. Harrison Ford makes a triumphant return to his defining role as the fedora wearing, whip wielding adventurer; who is coerced by a young greaser named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) into taking a trip to Peru to rescue his mother (Raiders of the Lost Ark love interest Karen Allen) and friend (John Hurt) who knows the secrets of the fabled Crystal Skull. With a team of Soviets (led by Cate Blanchett) hot on his tail as well, the aging Indy certainly has his hands full. The biggest flaw of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is that it is ever so predictable. Any of the big twists, revelations, or surprises you will see coming a mile away; and the biggest plot element of all is so weakly inserted here that you'll wonder just what it's doing in an Indiana Jones movie. Still though, there's just something about the film that still makes it worth seeing regardless, with spectacular stunt work and action sequences, and the fact that Ford still stands tall as one of the best screen heroes in all of cinema history. All in all, despite its many flaws, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an enjoyable romp that many will no doubt be split on, but in the end, seeing Indy back in action is reason enough to celebrate.

"What was this--a movie or a farce?"
Since the first spotlighted reviewer wrote exactly what I had to say, I have to re-think "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." What is there new to say?

I adore Harrison Ford. Has he won that special Oscar yet? He should (but not for this role). Let's get right on to Karen Allen. "Marian, you're going to drive off the cliff." "Trust me, Indie. I know what I'm doing," and she does. She drives right onto a tree over the river and the car is gently delivered into the water. Wow! How is this possible? Because she is older and better? Because this is an Indiana Jones movie and the characters can do darn well anything they set their minds to doing. Then they skee-daddle right over a huge waterfall in that car. No problem. No broken bones. No concussions. Everyone lands a foot from their sitting place in the car and hops right back in. Then they do it again two more times over two more waterfalls.

But my favorite action scene is when Indie and is-his-name-Mutt-or-Mudd? are riding the motorcycle through campus, trying to escape mad Russians representative of the Three Stooges minus one. Indie is pulled off the bike right through that little car window. After he wrestles around with the Stooge a bit, he slips right out that window onto the motorcycle again! Holy Moly! At his age he's that agile?

One other thing that seriously bothered me was Indie opening the cocoons and allowing the folks inside to puff--go up in dust! No posterity! You'd think an archaeologist would know better.

I do have a favorite scene: At the end when he and Marian kiss, it's such an old geezer kiss. Come on, Lucas and Spielberg, even as geezers we can still pucker out a wet one.

I dozed off during this movie. I dozed during an Indiana Jones movie! What's wrong with the world? And that kid? Please don't make him the next "Indie" He doesn't have IT!

"THE INDIAN JONES MOVIES YOU DREADED TO SEE....."
....is now on DVD.

The most disheartening thing is to watch Harrison Ford amble so stiffly through the production. His responses are slow pivots. There is no tension or suspense to speak of.

The Phantom Menace aside, this is the greatest validation for the The Beatles never having attempted a reunion.

You can't go home again.

(Unless you own the Ruby Red slippers, which - ironically - Spielberg does. Oh well, I guess he forgot to click his heels three times.....)