I had a swell time seeing Harrison Ford at a ripe near-66 years young strutting his usual stunts as Indiana Jones. He is a wonderful role model for aging men and as his return as his famed character in this latest installment, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," he has not slowed down a bit. Maybe he is doing lesser stunts, and is spending more time as a university professor, but Ford feels that age should not be a detriment to his character or his acrobatics.
Also adding to youthful middle-age is Karen Allen. She doesn't get to do as many stunts as she did as Marion in the first of the series, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," but, at 56, she appears in the second hour of the film looking even better than she did when she was pushing 30. Allen smiles a lot throughout this current installment, and that smile gives her a countenance of youth.
As for the plot, it is 1957, more than 20 years after Indiana Jones' first adventure. Indy gets called to uncover a crystal skull in the Amazon Jungle of Peru, battling a villainous army of Russians headed by the exotic Colonel Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett). Blanchett combines the Russian accent with her own Aussie accent, giving her voice a seductive international rhythm. The fights and chases are always exciting to watch as we see who gets their hands on the skull. And in every "Indiana Jones" movie, a gross creature scene is never left out to keep us awake and at the edge of our seats - from snakes, to insects, to rats, and now swarms of giant ants that heap up the amazon.
There is a brand near character in this - Mutt Williams, played by Shia LeBouf. He is a Marlon Brando type of a young man who claims that Indy is his illegitimate father, and enlists him to help his estranged mother in the Peruvian forest. Mutt is the catalyst of reuniting Indy with Marion. Mutt also brings comic relief to the movie with his 50's tough-guy, greaser-biker caricature. Midway through the movie, there is a hilarious aside where Mutt gets into a fight in the malt shop.
What seems to be the problem with the latest installment is that it copies the plot line of "Raiders," you know, the expedition, the university, the assignment, the expedition, the reunion of long-lost lovers, the battles, the gross insects, and a finale where the villains gets the same gory treatment as the original Nazis. Thus, it appears that "Crystal Skull" is a more of a remake of "Raiders" than a sequel. But there is no criticizing the excitement and fast-pacing that doesn't lose a beat. Occasionally, the movie gets talky when it comes to the university scenes, and also a bit heavy-handed as it asks us to get sentimental over a photo of Sean Connery, Indy's father in the third installment, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," which, of course, it is not. It may not be as Oscarworthy as "Raiders" was, but it is pure summer escapism.
Also adding to youthful middle-age is Karen Allen. She doesn't get to do as many stunts as she did as Marion in the first of the series, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," but, at 56, she appears in the second hour of the film looking even better than she did when she was pushing 30. Allen smiles a lot throughout this current installment, and that smile gives her a countenance of youth.
As for the plot, it is 1957, more than 20 years after Indiana Jones' first adventure. Indy gets called to uncover a crystal skull in the Amazon Jungle of Peru, battling a villainous army of Russians headed by the exotic Colonel Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett). Blanchett combines the Russian accent with her own Aussie accent, giving her voice a seductive international rhythm. The fights and chases are always exciting to watch as we see who gets their hands on the skull. And in every "Indiana Jones" movie, a gross creature scene is never left out to keep us awake and at the edge of our seats - from snakes, to insects, to rats, and now swarms of giant ants that heap up the amazon.
There is a brand near character in this - Mutt Williams, played by Shia LeBouf. He is a Marlon Brando type of a young man who claims that Indy is his illegitimate father, and enlists him to help his estranged mother in the Peruvian forest. Mutt is the catalyst of reuniting Indy with Marion. Mutt also brings comic relief to the movie with his 50's tough-guy, greaser-biker caricature. Midway through the movie, there is a hilarious aside where Mutt gets into a fight in the malt shop.
What seems to be the problem with the latest installment is that it copies the plot line of "Raiders," you know, the expedition, the university, the assignment, the expedition, the reunion of long-lost lovers, the battles, the gross insects, and a finale where the villains gets the same gory treatment as the original Nazis. Thus, it appears that "Crystal Skull" is a more of a remake of "Raiders" than a sequel. But there is no criticizing the excitement and fast-pacing that doesn't lose a beat. Occasionally, the movie gets talky when it comes to the university scenes, and also a bit heavy-handed as it asks us to get sentimental over a photo of Sean Connery, Indy's father in the third installment, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," which, of course, it is not. It may not be as Oscarworthy as "Raiders" was, but it is pure summer escapism.