Review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) by Chris W — 26 Jun 2013

Even though the time period of this film is set in the 1950's, I still felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia as the opening credits rolled (the font used was the same one used for Raiders of the Lost Ark).

The gag involving the Paramount logo dissolve was probably the funniest and maybe best one of the series, and, when the shot of Indy (in shadow) putting his fedora on his head happened, I got goosebumps all over my body.

The man is back, and, though he may not be better than ever, he's still great. I don't have as many complaints as others do, but the overuse of CGI bugged me, some of it is pretty silly, even for this kind of thing, and the inclusion of aliens, while neat, wasn't necessary.

We know you like aliens Spielberg, enough already! I think I'm more okay with this film than other people because I realize that it cannot (and couldn't) have the magic that the others did. Too much time has passed for that to be possible.

The film is really thrilling though. It has tons of great action sequences and set-pieces, the pacing is perfect, and the 50's motif works well since Indy has aged. True, the absence of Nazis is a little sad, but there's only so much that can be done with Nazis.

I thought that Soviet Communists, and A-Bombs were a nice change. I really enjoyed the religious supernatural elements from the previous films, but the sci-fi/fantasy elements work just as well. More great things include the return of Marion (It's great to see Karen Allen on the screen again), Shia LeBouf making for a great sidekick, and Cate Blanchett as a superb villain.

Sallah is no where to be found, but, given the setting and the plot, having him in the film would have been awkward. People have been complaining about the "Monkey/Tarzan" scene, and to them, I say shut up.

It's funny. It's an Indiana Jones film, not an intellectual film. It's goofy, fun entertainment. Who cares if it's cheesy. Bottom line: ignore the bad reviews and haters. It's a good film.

It can in no way be compared to the previous ones, because they are in leagues of their own. Yeah, it doesn't have the magic of the others, but Spielberg and Co. weren't trying to outdo their previous masterpieces.

It's a worthy film, a great addition to the saga, and an overall really fun cinematic experience.