The comics and the globe-trotting, adventure serials of the 1930s, 40s and 50s have never been so vividly weaved together and brought to life as in the Indiana Jones adventures. Harrison Ford always embodied everything we ever wanted to be - flawed, resourceful, knowledgeable and heroic. We always identified with his reluctance, to delve into the unknown and hence we always feared for his life. He breathed a new air into an action hero, one driven by primal instincts in life/death situations. Like magic, he opened our eyes inspiring curiosity that ignited a hunger for discovery and exploration, a fire that burns in all of us since the legendary tales of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
It is never surprising WHY the franchise became such a hit, because people, drawn by fantasies of conquest, needed a hero to take them there on a ride. Indiana Jones is THAT hero. We dreamed of exotic locale, of riding horses to rescue the damsel in distress whilst staving off enemies, of unearthing the mysteries of our ancestors and to find artifacts of ancient worlds - he took us there. And like all great epics, we dreamed of impossible romances sweeping over lands far away. It is because these films fulfill these criteria that they have been endlessly revisited for three decades and continue to inspire new generations. Crystal Skull is no exception. The family has been re-united to take us on the LAST CRUSADE? Sends a warm chill down my spine just thinking about the possibility of another one after this.
Riding into the sunset at the END of Last Crusade was the perfect closing curtains for the perfect franchise. But we were forever hungry for more. We loved Indiana Jones more than other heroes, because he was like us, "Giddy as a school boy". When I heard a new one was being made, my heart skipped a beat. It was THE MOST EXCITING NEWS!
As it turns out I was not disappointed at all. The film works on all levels, and it rarely borrows from it predecessors. It is different in every way. The location, the father-son relationship, the 20 year gap, the new characters and the most bizarre adventure I've ever seen filled the screen to create an Indy movie everyone had been waiting for. We find out more about Indy's mysterious life. We are introduced to his son Mutt, who is as rich a character as Indy himself, although completely different. References to previous adventures and characters warms our hearts and old flames make us feel right at home. Even with the consistent poke at Indy's age the film taking place 20 years after CRUSADE, with Stalin as the enemy the movie never slows down. Williams' tight score, Kaminski's breathtaking photography and under Spielberg's expert direction the film starts like a rocket, slow at the start but quickly builds speed and doesn't stop until the BIG BANG! It was the greatest cinematic roller-coaster experience since discovering Indiana Jones as a kid. I was immersed into the story like a child playing a computer game. I couldn't blink nor divert my attention. I was ACTUALLY watching another Indiana Jones movie.
Reading other comments, I have noticed that people were put off by the involvement of Aliens in it. Many believe that Indiana Jones was defined around the search for Religious relics. Whilst I agree with them on this point, considering the previous films WERE about such endeavors, I would like to make the following points. Indiana Jones is a throwback, a nod to the old adventure serials and action films of the Douglas Fairbanks/Errol Flynn era, an era filled with swashbucklers, grave diggers and romantics. An era that filled eager kids with infinite imaginations of far away lands, of lost treasures, religious artifacts and the unknown. Comic strips and comic books took children on epic heroic journeys (Phantom, Flash Gordon and Tintin just to name a few).
Spielberg was not the only director inspired them. Countless directors attempted to revive the genre, the most famous being David Lean. Lawrence Of Arabia took all the Oscars home showing that people were spellbound by such tales. Raiders Of The Lost Ark was a Arab/desert adventure. Temple Of Doom was an Indian/jungle/cave adventure. Last Crusade was a European/Arab/desert adventure. It was inevitable the latest outing was to be in the Amazon jungles of Peru (something different). Ancient South American civilizations have forever been a focus of wonder and imagination. One common question is how these ancient civilizations were technologically superior to the rest of the world, being cut away from the rest of the world. These ideas, unanswered questions and the ingenuity and architectural brilliance of these extinct peoples created many theories and suggestions as to their origins. Needless to say, although the first three films were based on REAL religions and LEGENDARY treasures, we neglect to realize that they're all just fantasies ("Power of god, fortune and glory"). All the supernatural aspects of the artifacts are all made up for the film's enjoyment. As bizarre as Crystal Skull is, we tend to forget that we are watching a serial. Serials are bizarre, action/adventure driven and completely fantastic. It's not like we didn't need to suspend our disbelief when watching the originals. The latest film's plot is one of the most engrossing, mesmerizing AND bizarre adventure stories I ever saw. I loved every second of it. IT FELT LIKE AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE FROM START TO FINISH. This is a perfect companion to the originals and it doesn't slow down for a moment.
Finally I want to reassure all those that haven't seen this masterpiece that Harrison Ford, being 65, looks as awesome as ever and I can't see him slowing down in the new future. Should Spielberg and Lucas decide to take us to the Outback on another adventure, I will welcome it with open arms.
It is never surprising WHY the franchise became such a hit, because people, drawn by fantasies of conquest, needed a hero to take them there on a ride. Indiana Jones is THAT hero. We dreamed of exotic locale, of riding horses to rescue the damsel in distress whilst staving off enemies, of unearthing the mysteries of our ancestors and to find artifacts of ancient worlds - he took us there. And like all great epics, we dreamed of impossible romances sweeping over lands far away. It is because these films fulfill these criteria that they have been endlessly revisited for three decades and continue to inspire new generations. Crystal Skull is no exception. The family has been re-united to take us on the LAST CRUSADE? Sends a warm chill down my spine just thinking about the possibility of another one after this.
Riding into the sunset at the END of Last Crusade was the perfect closing curtains for the perfect franchise. But we were forever hungry for more. We loved Indiana Jones more than other heroes, because he was like us, "Giddy as a school boy". When I heard a new one was being made, my heart skipped a beat. It was THE MOST EXCITING NEWS!
As it turns out I was not disappointed at all. The film works on all levels, and it rarely borrows from it predecessors. It is different in every way. The location, the father-son relationship, the 20 year gap, the new characters and the most bizarre adventure I've ever seen filled the screen to create an Indy movie everyone had been waiting for. We find out more about Indy's mysterious life. We are introduced to his son Mutt, who is as rich a character as Indy himself, although completely different. References to previous adventures and characters warms our hearts and old flames make us feel right at home. Even with the consistent poke at Indy's age the film taking place 20 years after CRUSADE, with Stalin as the enemy the movie never slows down. Williams' tight score, Kaminski's breathtaking photography and under Spielberg's expert direction the film starts like a rocket, slow at the start but quickly builds speed and doesn't stop until the BIG BANG! It was the greatest cinematic roller-coaster experience since discovering Indiana Jones as a kid. I was immersed into the story like a child playing a computer game. I couldn't blink nor divert my attention. I was ACTUALLY watching another Indiana Jones movie.
Reading other comments, I have noticed that people were put off by the involvement of Aliens in it. Many believe that Indiana Jones was defined around the search for Religious relics. Whilst I agree with them on this point, considering the previous films WERE about such endeavors, I would like to make the following points. Indiana Jones is a throwback, a nod to the old adventure serials and action films of the Douglas Fairbanks/Errol Flynn era, an era filled with swashbucklers, grave diggers and romantics. An era that filled eager kids with infinite imaginations of far away lands, of lost treasures, religious artifacts and the unknown. Comic strips and comic books took children on epic heroic journeys (Phantom, Flash Gordon and Tintin just to name a few).
Spielberg was not the only director inspired them. Countless directors attempted to revive the genre, the most famous being David Lean. Lawrence Of Arabia took all the Oscars home showing that people were spellbound by such tales. Raiders Of The Lost Ark was a Arab/desert adventure. Temple Of Doom was an Indian/jungle/cave adventure. Last Crusade was a European/Arab/desert adventure. It was inevitable the latest outing was to be in the Amazon jungles of Peru (something different). Ancient South American civilizations have forever been a focus of wonder and imagination. One common question is how these ancient civilizations were technologically superior to the rest of the world, being cut away from the rest of the world. These ideas, unanswered questions and the ingenuity and architectural brilliance of these extinct peoples created many theories and suggestions as to their origins. Needless to say, although the first three films were based on REAL religions and LEGENDARY treasures, we neglect to realize that they're all just fantasies ("Power of god, fortune and glory"). All the supernatural aspects of the artifacts are all made up for the film's enjoyment. As bizarre as Crystal Skull is, we tend to forget that we are watching a serial. Serials are bizarre, action/adventure driven and completely fantastic. It's not like we didn't need to suspend our disbelief when watching the originals. The latest film's plot is one of the most engrossing, mesmerizing AND bizarre adventure stories I ever saw. I loved every second of it. IT FELT LIKE AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE FROM START TO FINISH. This is a perfect companion to the originals and it doesn't slow down for a moment.
Finally I want to reassure all those that haven't seen this masterpiece that Harrison Ford, being 65, looks as awesome as ever and I can't see him slowing down in the new future. Should Spielberg and Lucas decide to take us to the Outback on another adventure, I will welcome it with open arms.