Hollywood continues its ability to tarnish franchises by churning out in this particular instalment what is possibly the most disappointing film since Star Wars Episode I, although the one common factor between those two may have had something to do with it. Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull promised a rip roaring action epic to hark back to the earlier films and an earlier look and feel about cinema, that lent itself to a hugely entertaining experience while maintaining critical integrity, unfortunately when you strip away the bare elements that made the original trilogy so successful you're left with an ultimately hollow experience.
And the link between the two films? Need I say anything more than when I saw the opening introductory title sequence and up flashed "Story Written By George Lucas" I felt like throwing myself on top of my lightsabre and ending the pain, but I persevered, never judge a book by its cover...or author in this case. Having the actors and indeed the mainstay of Harrison Ford all having been aged by time it forgoes the old enemy of the Nazi's for what seems a logical conclusion with a linear progression on to the Soviets and those wretched commies are up to no good as they sniff around for the lost artifact. In essence little has changed in terms of plot premise with the previous outings, Harrison is exemplary reprising the role as he does indeed walk and talk like Indy, but something does not quite settle with the viewer and as such the thing that must be most intensely scrutinised is the script.
The dialogue is a typical Lucasian affair. While I handled the one off quips knowingly mocking his age in a very "wink wink, nudge nudge" style, and gritted my teeth through Lucas's insistence on trying to link the series with glimpses of Arks and various other in jokes, the simple fact is as George W would put it "there's more holes" in the plot "than Swiss cheese". Not only does Indiana survive a test of a nuclear device before proceeding to bathe in the warming radioactive afterglow like it's a tanning salon, but we now discover he's been a secret agent all along...*insert tumbleweed, clock chiming midnight and a wolf howling in the distance*. This could be passable but after the FBI having claimed they're keeping their eyes on him within the first fifteen minutes, not one American agent thereafter is seen, which is surprising given that 'The Reds' have been carting weaponry around Nevada for fun. The introduction of a son is bearable and in certain places brings some warmth to a cold mechanical script, but having him swing through the trees like Tarzan to end up being able to swing into a moving jeep at the most obtuse angle is nonsensical. Yes action in the previous Indy films was zany at times, but always had a grounding in reality, so due to CGIs ability to create whatever nonsense is manifesting in Lucas's mind it can be done, and it's put down as fun, as opposed to just far-fetched filth, which only suspends belief in the "oh my god I actually bought a ticket for this film, what have I done, someone please throw me off a suspended rope bridge" sense.
The artifacts in the original trilogy based around the mythical or legendary status of earth bound religious symbols so when "The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" finally reveals itself as a hybrid fusion of The Da Vinci Code, and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind you better have that empty popcorn bag on standby. The Crystal Skull in itself has no human relation, it's not grounded on this earth so I really couldn't care less about it and or what it does as I can never connect with the item, it means little to the viewer, while attributing thousands of years of Latin American history, El Dorado, The Mysterious Cities Of Gold, The Incas, The Mayans etc to a taller version of E.T. is just preposterous. CGI enables film makers to incorporate things they couldn't before as to make them look more convincing, but when the plot is so utterly unconvincing and nothing more than a device to show off special effects sequences, it ruins what little film remains. What has been put on reel is only Indiana Jones in name, the feel and charm of the films has dissipated but in reality is through no fault of Harrison Fords or indeed Shia LaBeouf. While Cate Blanchett pulls off a Russian accent as well as Hayden Christensen conveys emotion, which only adds to the wreckage. While I never thought I'd say it, I do hope for everyones sanity, that this is Indiana Jones' Last Crusade.
And the link between the two films? Need I say anything more than when I saw the opening introductory title sequence and up flashed "Story Written By George Lucas" I felt like throwing myself on top of my lightsabre and ending the pain, but I persevered, never judge a book by its cover...or author in this case. Having the actors and indeed the mainstay of Harrison Ford all having been aged by time it forgoes the old enemy of the Nazi's for what seems a logical conclusion with a linear progression on to the Soviets and those wretched commies are up to no good as they sniff around for the lost artifact. In essence little has changed in terms of plot premise with the previous outings, Harrison is exemplary reprising the role as he does indeed walk and talk like Indy, but something does not quite settle with the viewer and as such the thing that must be most intensely scrutinised is the script.
The dialogue is a typical Lucasian affair. While I handled the one off quips knowingly mocking his age in a very "wink wink, nudge nudge" style, and gritted my teeth through Lucas's insistence on trying to link the series with glimpses of Arks and various other in jokes, the simple fact is as George W would put it "there's more holes" in the plot "than Swiss cheese". Not only does Indiana survive a test of a nuclear device before proceeding to bathe in the warming radioactive afterglow like it's a tanning salon, but we now discover he's been a secret agent all along...*insert tumbleweed, clock chiming midnight and a wolf howling in the distance*. This could be passable but after the FBI having claimed they're keeping their eyes on him within the first fifteen minutes, not one American agent thereafter is seen, which is surprising given that 'The Reds' have been carting weaponry around Nevada for fun. The introduction of a son is bearable and in certain places brings some warmth to a cold mechanical script, but having him swing through the trees like Tarzan to end up being able to swing into a moving jeep at the most obtuse angle is nonsensical. Yes action in the previous Indy films was zany at times, but always had a grounding in reality, so due to CGIs ability to create whatever nonsense is manifesting in Lucas's mind it can be done, and it's put down as fun, as opposed to just far-fetched filth, which only suspends belief in the "oh my god I actually bought a ticket for this film, what have I done, someone please throw me off a suspended rope bridge" sense.
The artifacts in the original trilogy based around the mythical or legendary status of earth bound religious symbols so when "The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" finally reveals itself as a hybrid fusion of The Da Vinci Code, and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind you better have that empty popcorn bag on standby. The Crystal Skull in itself has no human relation, it's not grounded on this earth so I really couldn't care less about it and or what it does as I can never connect with the item, it means little to the viewer, while attributing thousands of years of Latin American history, El Dorado, The Mysterious Cities Of Gold, The Incas, The Mayans etc to a taller version of E.T. is just preposterous. CGI enables film makers to incorporate things they couldn't before as to make them look more convincing, but when the plot is so utterly unconvincing and nothing more than a device to show off special effects sequences, it ruins what little film remains. What has been put on reel is only Indiana Jones in name, the feel and charm of the films has dissipated but in reality is through no fault of Harrison Fords or indeed Shia LaBeouf. While Cate Blanchett pulls off a Russian accent as well as Hayden Christensen conveys emotion, which only adds to the wreckage. While I never thought I'd say it, I do hope for everyones sanity, that this is Indiana Jones' Last Crusade.