Review
“Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull” is an enjoyable ride.
The plot: After a young biker named Mutt approaches Indiana Jones, he quickly becomes caught up in a plot to rescue a friend/Professor whom is chasing after a mythical crystal skull. Hot on his trail are a group of Russians led by the evil Spalko. What exactly is this crystal skull and where does it come from? Who is Mutt? Why are the Russians after the skull? Tune in to find out.
Upon its theatrical release, audiences were wildly mixed on the 4th installment of the “Indiana Jones” series. Some found it to be a fun ride while others loathed the alien/inter-dimension traveler storyline. Personally, I found ‘Crystal Skull’ to be a good old fashioned tribute to serials, even if it was a bit of a disappointment considering the 19 year wait in between films.
The real reason that ‘Crystal Skull’ succeeds (for me at least) is due to the family interactions. As most of you know by now, we learn that Indiana Jones has a son and that he also reunites with an old flame (Marion). I adored the chemistry between these three characters, especially when they started arguing or tried to get out of the sand pit.
On the subject of the story, I thought the script was adequate. Several folks have had issues with the “alien” plot, but in reality it fits with the B-Movie/serial tone of the “Indiana Jones” series. Besides, the previous three films have all had supernatural elements that are also considered to be hard to swallow.
I also got a kick out of seeing references to the previous three films and even the “Young Indiana Jones” series. I am pleased Spielberg and Lucas decided to acknowledge Marcus Brody and Indiana’s father, but I am rather puzzled as to why Sallah was never mentioned or even seen.
The script is not without flaws, obviously. I really could have done without the groundhog, refrigerator, and Tarzan Mutt scenes as they were just too silly and unnecessary. I also find the character of Mac to be nothing more than a weak plot device. He really did not need to be in this film at all and was a poor sidekick character to boot.
As for the cast, they all mostly did a fine job. Ray Winstone and Cate Blanchett are rather wasted in their roles, but Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen and Harrison Ford are all superb. I was a little weary that Ford would be able to pull off the role again, but he really has no problem jumping back into the character’s shoes. This is certainly Ford’s best performance in quite awhile.
Finally, I should mention that the production design and F/X are first rate. Some have argued that ‘Crystal Skull’ relies too much on CGI, but I completely disagree. The film boasts some impressive practical F/X and there are also many great old school sets and booby traps that looked reminiscent of the previous three films.
Picture and Sound
The DVD contains a nice, clean transfer. The widescreen picture quality exceeded my expectations as it looked sharper than the theatrical release (especially the F/X).
The Dolby Digital 5.1 contains speaker-rumbling action and a rousing John Williams score. No complaints here.
Extras
* A demo containing a level (“The Lost Temple”) from the fun-filled “Lego Indiana Jones” for XBOX 360. This demo certainly makes you want to go out and buy the game.
* “Pre-production” (12:00) covers the pre-visualization, the costumes, the sword and whip practice, etc.
* “The Return Of A Legend” (17:30)- A Featurette that talks about bringing Indiana back to the screen, the script development process, and fun facts about Russian mind control and alternate titles. Interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Harrison Ford and others are included.
* 3 trailers.
* Art Department, Stan Winston Studio, production, portraits, and behind-the scene photo galleries.
* 3 Pre-Visualization sequences.
* “Closing Team Indy” (3 ½ minutes)- Shots of the people who worked on the film.
* “Production Diary: Making Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull”- This 80 minute making of covers looks at the shoots in New Mexico, Hawaii, Connecticut, sets, the action, and the wrap.
* A 5 ½ minute “Warrior Makeup” featurette.
* “The Crystal Skulls” is a 10 minute featurette on the skull mythology and prop.
* “Iconic Props” (10:00).
* “The Effects Of Indy” (22:30)- A featurette on the digital F/X.
* “Adventures In Post-Production”- This 13 minute featurette covers the editing (done on film instead of a computer), the sound, the score, etc.
