Indiana Jones Does It Again

by Ian Harding

Twenty-seven years ago, an adventurer with a scruffy face, a fur felt Fedora, and a fear of snakes was brought to life on the big screen. Captivating the minds of youngsters while prevailing over the evil forces that challenged him, a new style of hero emerged from the mind of writer George Lucas. He may not have been a super hero, but a hero he was. With nothing but a whip and a plethora of archaeological knowledge that he had learned over the years both by his own studies and from that of his father, Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones became a household name to everyone.

In 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark took Indiana Jones from the steamy jungles of South America to the blistering deserts of Egypt, battling the forces of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in search of a biblical artifact called The Ark of the Covenant. Three years later in 1984, Indiana Jones found himself in deep the heart of India rescuing children and a lost Sankara stone in The Temple of Doom. Finally in 1989, Indiana Jones squared up against the Nazis for a second time in search of yet another biblical artifact, The Holy Grail, in the film The Last Crusade. Now, twenty-seven years after the release of the first film, George Lucas once again teams up with director Stephen Spielberg to bring Indiana Jones back for another death defying adventure in, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I have to admit, I have always felt that adding a fourth installment to an already popular trilogy never seems to work, as evident with both the Batman and Alien films (some may disagree). But we all know this film was only made for money. I grew up watching the Indiana Jones films over and over, as did many others, so it was obvious that I was the target audience. I had to see this film, and I was willing to shell out the money to do so.

I enjoyed the movie overall, but the plot was just too far-fetched to really get engulfed in the story as I had done with the previous films. The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a fitting though. I mean, its no more cheesy than The Temple of Doom. The unfortunate part is that once I realized what the crystal skull was and what its purpose and powers were, I left the theatre saying to my friends, “What the hell was that? That was so lame.”

The interesting part is that like each of the past films, many of the artifacts exist in reality, adding to the realism of the films. “The skulls themselves are real, and a lot of the stuff in the movie is real, just like in the other movies,” George Lucas said. What was added, however, was the power that the skulls possess.

Was this film what I had expected? Sure it was. Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas did a pretty good job bringing an older Dr. Jones to the screen, adding scenes that link you to the originals, and after a brief chuckle at a full American flag shot less than two minutes into the movie, I felt it started off well.

As it progressed, I found it had everything an Indiana Jones fan could have asked for. Gun fights, fist fights, car chases, natives with poison darts, ancient artifacts, big scary men (and women), temples with gold, plenty of action scenes… and even something extra. And of course, what is an Indiana Jones movie without plenty of Indy whip action. Actually, if you look close enough, you’ll notice that each whip is different too. More than ten different whips were used in the film, each woven differently for different styles of stunts.

In the end, however, it was the “something extra” that ruined it all for me and was also the whole reason I wasn’t 100% satisfied when I stood up and walked out of the theatre. No, I’m not talking about the addition of Mutt Williams, played by Transformers and upcoming Transformers 2 star Shia LaBeouf, and the story that unfolds with his character. I was ok with that addition. No, I’m talking about something else; the purpose of the crystal skull. And even though I can’t mention here, that part of the movie will have you too leaving the theatre talking about how bad the ending is.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching 66-year old Harrison Ford play the role of a childhood hero. He may have been 39 when he first made an appearence as Indiana Jones, but he certainly managed to hold his own and escape injury during filming, unlike Shia, who suffered a pulled groin when shooting a jungle sword fight scene against Irina Spalko, played by Cate Blanchett. And I’ll be honest, if they ever come out with Back To The Future Part IV, you can bet I’ll be there to see it, whether it sucks or not.

To many actors and actresses, their face stands out as one primary character that they played on screen in their careers. So I leave you with one question, and the answer will determine whether or not you see this film. Who does Harrison Ford represent more, Han Solo or Indiana Jones? I think the answer is obvious.

3.5 out of 5
Watch the trailer.

Ian Harding