JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) – Trailer Included
May 23rd 2008 00:01
The Crystals of Fond Memories Skeleton
Thank you to the wonderful people at Paramount Pictures who were nice enough to send me a red carpet ticket to the premiere. Seeing Cate Blanchett and Jack Thompson was a fun bonus
Indiana Jones 4 is here
Director:Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent, John Hurt
“This isn’t going to be easy” - Mac
It’s been 19 years since Indy rode off into the sunset at the end of The Last Crusade and now the hero returns. This installment is a tongue in cheek and foot in mouth comic book film that whizzes along at the pace we expect from the adventures of Dr Jones.
Set in the 1950’s, Elvis Presley’s Hound Dog blares over the opening credits as a supped up hotrod toys with a convoy of military vehicles. On board the trucks as prisoners are the “obtainer of rare antiquities” himself (Harrison Ford) and an old pal named Mac (Ray Winstone).
"I have a bad feeling about this" - Indiana Jones
“Quicker than you can say Dr Jones you have a telegram from Cairo” the bullwhip is out and the fists are flying. Escaping the deadly clutches of a band of Cold War stereotype Russians led by Irano Spalko (Cate Blanchett) the intrepid archaeologist is intercepted by a tenacious Brando wannabe named Mutt. (Shia LaBeouf)
What the kid has is enough information to launch this latest roller coaster ride towards clues that will see them embark on the journey of discovering towards the legendary Crystal Skulls of the Ancient Incans.
"Legend says that a crystal skull was stolen from a mythical lost city in the Amazon, supposedly built out of solid gold, guarded by the living dead. Whoever returns the skull to the city temple will be given control over its power." - Indiana Jones
Age shall not weary them...
John Doe says:
Before JD begins the review I think its important to put some perspective on what kind of fan boy walked into the land that hides the Crystal Skull. Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels rank right alongside George Lucas’ other mythic tales in the Star Wars trilogy as the two most influential films of young Johnny’s life. Indiana Jones and Han Solo, the greatest characters that a twelve year old boy could ever hope to worship.
Aware of the inherit danger of hyped up expectations Mr Doe managed to breath through the excitement. Realising it would take a real radical error to quash the nostalgic appeal, the sentimental attraction.
He was partly right, what John D received was an uneven experience that had as many dips, turns and jumps as an out of control mine cart. In the appropriately fast paced story there were moments of magic, some impressive action set pieces and varied success with gags.
Sinking to the level of its imitators (Eg: The Mummy, Tomb Raider) this doesn't feel like an authentic Indiana Jones adventure, it was familiarity that saved it from being a monumental disappointment. There is something sadly generic, or is that geriatric about this chapter of the saga. If it were a stand alone film with no history attached it may have been viewed as a wasted opportunity that slips into parody.
Stuffed with references to both the preceding trilogy and Star Wars this is a movie that tries very hard to please everyone. The in jokes are laid on thick and fast in an attempt to please geek boy fans. Some work others are just clumsy. It is strange that all the witty lines in the trailer worked, but when they were in the context of the scenes they seemed to mostly fall flat.
Steven Spielberg (Emperor of The Sun, Jaws) is in his element here, doing what he does best escapist entertainment. Credit has to go to the restraint used that tapers glaring CGI FX, the camera is always in movement and technically is brilliant. Still embracing modern cinema technology and exploiting it to its full visual potential, by doing so though, the film has an uneasy aura that doesn’t quite sync with the earlier films.
George Lucas (THX 1138)has said that this film is like a “a B Science Fiction film from the 1950’s”, you can see what he is talking about and it succeeds sporadically. Other times its just to silly. The ludicrous conceits pile on way to swiftly. Sure all the series had its impossible achievements, (Eg: Indy swimming to the sub in Raiders, Jumping out of a plane with an inflatable raft in Temple of Doom etc) but here there is little effort to achieve suspension of disbelief.
Lucas’ influence is also felt with an American Graffiti era opening 15 minutes that over sells giving the audience a sense of time and place. What should come naturally is punctuated to early and a haphazard similarity to the preceding films often feels forced and changes the whole tone.
The script does its best to acknowledge Indy’s age and hence passes a lot of the more daring-do to Shia LaBeouf. Unfortunately, Harrison Ford does look like a man in his 60’s and so his ability to get in down and dirty fist fights with men much younger or perform some unbelievable physical stunt contradicts what we are seeing in downtime. Effectively replacing any excitement with a farcical air, it felt like a pair of aging cinema lords decided to try and be new millennium hip.
Harrison Ford (Witness, Mosquito Coast, Frantic) does manage to retain his dignity despite the unintentional mocking, but his delivery is so lethargic and wooden that he fails to capture the characters essence. The body language is different too, when not evading commie scum or plummeting down ridiculously large waterfalls we suddenly see the old man of action disappear.
Part of the problem with the film not fully engaging is the part of the villain as played by Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There, Lord of the Rings, Coffee and Cigarettes). Rightfully she apologised for her lousy Russian Accent that drifts into a British and Aussie twang repeatedly, but this is not a fatal flaw. There is a crucial element to her portrayal that is missing, she carries absolutely no threat or menace. There is never any question of danger, she seems inferior and never makes the audience quiver like Major Arnold Toht or Mola Ram. Worse still one second she realises she is in a cheesy actioner, then blinks into taking it all deadly serious, its like a lesson in flaky character continuity.
It takes a real skill to remove all of Ray Winstone’s (Sexy Beast, Scum, The Proposition, The War Zone) frightening testosterone soaked teeth, but that’s exactly what happens. Miscast, its like they have removed his spleen and replaced it with crazy putty, his character should have been a Peter Lorre type, what we get is more akin to Tom Hanks. (That’s a bad thing by the way)
Thank god for Karen Allen (Animal House, The Wanderers, Cruisin) as Marion Ravenwood. Everytime she smiles you see the same dame from 20 year earlier, just not drinking men under the table anymore. Though the screenplay does its best to remove her independence and take away her spark, vying to make her a romantic damsel Allen still manages to let you know its their in her eyes.
John Hurt (Elephant Man, Ten Rillington Place) too is his usual splendid self, eccentric and unfettered by ego he happily plays along as a brain wiped professor. Of all the cast he is the one who seems the happiest to be there. Unlike Shia LeBeouf (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Holes)who didn’t exude the giddy thrills you know he had off camera.
Writing this review has been very painful for John Doe, it isn’t unlike writing an essay on “Why My Mother is a Slut”. Such is his attachment to this fictional universe that just like The Phantom Menace in time he hopes to appreciate it for its nostalgic positives, rather than try and compare it to what he perceived as the celluloid Holy Grail when he was a much younger movie lover.
If you haven't already seen it - The mighty teaser trailer for Indiana Jones 4
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