After a 19 year leave of absence, Harrison Ford returns once again as the swashbuckling, iconic hero, Indiana Jones, in Director Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated summer blockbuster "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." With new added faces to the already familiar cast, "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" isn't in par with its cinematically rich predecessors, but it doesn't stop the high-octane roller-coaster from being a fun filled ride.
When a group of Russian extremists led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) want to uncover the power of the crystal skull, they forcefully recruit the highly knowledgeable Dr. Jones to help assist the puzzling case. Because its 1957 and the fear of communism is on the rise, Indiana's reputation is severely tainted after escaping the clutches of his captors. Now being trailed by Russians, Indiana meets with Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) a greaser punk rebel who looks like a replica of Marlon Brando in "The Wild One." Needing Indiana's help to save his mother, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), the two jet off into an adventure that'll have you cheering with joy by the time the credits role.
With the dark annals of World War II being written into history books, Jones is no longer fighting treacherous, power-hungry Nazis; this time he's combating Russians. With the fear of communism and atomic warfare escalating, the paranoid induced era produced a wealthy amount of science fiction films commentating on current affairs. Although "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" doesn't necessarily make a political statement, it incorporates this ideology maintaining the 1950s tradition. With this in mind, it'll be easier to digest the film's climactic finally.
This latest installment is by far the most different Indiana Jones film to grace the silver screen. The previous films seemed excessive, yet plausible. "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" goes overboard with its plot which may turn some viewers off. It's like an overblown pulp fiction novel equipped with maniacal villains, undead Aztec guardian soldiers, and death defying scenarios that will have you scratching your head. It's a lot to soak in, but there's no denying that it's a lot of fun.
Even with all the elaborate sets, stunning computer graphics, and eye-popping action sequences, the film works wonders with its characters. This is something that the franchise has done so well over the years. They're extremely well likable charismatic characters. Who wouldn't want to be Mutt Williams, the punk, leather jacket wearing, switchblade talented rebeler? Indiana, who's all about education and responsibility, has endearing arguments with Marion, and it plays affectionately well.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" isn't a perfect movie, but if you're willing to go along with its zany plot, you may find the payoff well worth it. There are many of changes in this latest installment, die-hard fans may be disappointed, but there's no denying it; it is a fun time at the movies.
When a group of Russian extremists led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) want to uncover the power of the crystal skull, they forcefully recruit the highly knowledgeable Dr. Jones to help assist the puzzling case. Because its 1957 and the fear of communism is on the rise, Indiana's reputation is severely tainted after escaping the clutches of his captors. Now being trailed by Russians, Indiana meets with Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) a greaser punk rebel who looks like a replica of Marlon Brando in "The Wild One." Needing Indiana's help to save his mother, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), the two jet off into an adventure that'll have you cheering with joy by the time the credits role.
With the dark annals of World War II being written into history books, Jones is no longer fighting treacherous, power-hungry Nazis; this time he's combating Russians. With the fear of communism and atomic warfare escalating, the paranoid induced era produced a wealthy amount of science fiction films commentating on current affairs. Although "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" doesn't necessarily make a political statement, it incorporates this ideology maintaining the 1950s tradition. With this in mind, it'll be easier to digest the film's climactic finally.
This latest installment is by far the most different Indiana Jones film to grace the silver screen. The previous films seemed excessive, yet plausible. "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" goes overboard with its plot which may turn some viewers off. It's like an overblown pulp fiction novel equipped with maniacal villains, undead Aztec guardian soldiers, and death defying scenarios that will have you scratching your head. It's a lot to soak in, but there's no denying that it's a lot of fun.
Even with all the elaborate sets, stunning computer graphics, and eye-popping action sequences, the film works wonders with its characters. This is something that the franchise has done so well over the years. They're extremely well likable charismatic characters. Who wouldn't want to be Mutt Williams, the punk, leather jacket wearing, switchblade talented rebeler? Indiana, who's all about education and responsibility, has endearing arguments with Marion, and it plays affectionately well.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" isn't a perfect movie, but if you're willing to go along with its zany plot, you may find the payoff well worth it. There are many of changes in this latest installment, die-hard fans may be disappointed, but there's no denying it; it is a fun time at the movies.