Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 10/14/2008 Run time: 122 minutes Rating: Pg13
Nearly 20 years after riding his last Crusade, Harrison Ford makes a welcome return as archaeologist/relic hunter Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, an action-packed fourth installment that's, in a nutshell, less memorable than the first three but great nostalgia for fans of the series. Producer George Lucas and screenwriter David Koepp (War of the Worlds) set the film during the cold war, as the Soviets--replacing Nazis as Indy's villains of choice and led by a sword-wielding Cate Blanchett with black bob and sunglasses--are in pursuit of a crystal skull, which has mystical powers related to a city of gold. After escaping from them in a spectacular opening action sequence, Indy is coerced to head to Peru at the behest of a young greaser (Shia LaBeouf) whose friend--and Indy's colleague--Professor Oxley (John Hurt) has been captured for his knowledge of the skull's whereabouts. Whatever secrets the skull holds are tertiary; its reveal is the weakest part of the movie, as the CGI effects that inevitably accompany it feel jarring next to the boulder-rolling world of Indy audiences knew and loved. There's plenty of comedy, delightful stunts--ants play a deadly role here--and the return of Raiders love interest Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, once shrill but now softened, giving her ex-love bemused glances and eye-rolls as he huffs his way to save the day. Which brings us to Ford: bullwhip still in hand, he's a little creakier, a lot grayer, but still twice the action hero of anyone in film today. With all the anticipation and hype leading up to the film's release, perhaps no reunion is sweeter than that of Ford with the role that fits him as snugly as that fedora hat. --Ellen A. Kim




Stills from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Click for larger image)

Customer Rating:
Summary: Crystal Skull a mixed bag.
Comment: I recognize the hard work that went into the making of this movie, but can't help thinking that while watching it, that not everyone was on the same page. In a word, I was disappointed by this movie. That said, the Blu-Ray itself is good:

Special Features: There are plenty of goodies for the Jones fans and for people who like to get an idea or what its like to make a movie.

Video: The video transfer you would expect, with today's digital transfer techniques, to be flawless. And it is. So, why does it SEEM like it was filmed in the 80's? Because that was the style they wanted to replicate - that of the three Indiana Jones predecesors. The film used the same photography styles, lighting cues, etc. They even used film in its production, which is now the exception, not the norm.

Verdict: Indiana Jones fan = buy it. You'll be slightly disappointed, but you'll have the collection.
Otherwise skip it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Indiana Jones latest movie
Comment: This movie was one of the best Indiana Jones ones yet. I hope this isn't the last one. I have all the movies and can watch them over and over without getting bored.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: You will be embarrassed for everyone involved in making this movie
Comment: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas was given a spark of genius which empowered him to write and direct such inspired classics as "Star Wars" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Then, for whatever reason, the charism was taken away in the mid 80s and the man has spent the ensuing decades churning out mostly rubbish. Not only has he embarrassed himself with horrific new conceptions like "Howard the Duck", but he has debased the quality of his successful franchises with sequels and "prequels" of positively shameful inferiority. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is the nadir's of Lucas' artistic degeneration.

Unbelievably stupid, boring and utterly without charm or suspense, this movie disgusts as well as insults the viewer. Figuring (correctly) that the public will pay to watch Harrison Ford pick his nose so long as the film has the "Indiana Jones" title attached to it, Lucas tied half his brain behind his back and produced something of truly historic worthlessness.

Firstly, the inane storyline insults the viewer's intelligence. The "pre-Columbian" crystal skulls at the center of the plot are well known to be, in reality, 19th century European forgeries that were made to swindle gullible academics. That knowledge takes something away from the informed viewer's ability to suspend disbelief. What will be Indy's next adventure? Unlocking the secret powers of Barnum's Cardiff Giant? These action heroes like Ford and Bruce Willis also seem to get more ridiculously superhuman as they get older. I'm glad to find out that the phrase "nuke the fridge", referring to Indy's use of a refrigerator to survive a nuclear blast, has now replaced "jump the shark" to refer to TV shows and movie series that are so creatively depleted that they resort to the most moronic and implausible gimmicks to move their story along. Swinging from vines at the pace of a speeding automobile, riding rocket sleds and having anthropomorphic animals help the good guys are also great examples of the disrespect Lucas has for his audience.

Whatever remnant of possible enjoyment that could have been taken from the movie was ruined by the insipid, cartoonish and completely convoluted script, the groan-inducing clichés of 1950s culture, the smug, self-referential allusions, the irritating Shia LeBoeuf as Indy's love child, and the whole dopey idea of space (sorry- interspace) aliens sitting dormant in the middle of South America until someone returns their leader's head.

I really shouldn't have written this much about this horrible film, but I am seriously outraged at how a great movie franchise was ruined by its own creator. Someone should just give George Lucas some crayons to play with in his early dotage and keep him away from Hollywood.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: SOMETHING ONLY A TRUE FAN WILL LIKE
Comment: I heard that this movie sucked so I did'nt go to the theaters so I rented it and I liked it something that was different and new I would like to see them make another. but like I said only A true fan would like it like the new star wars movies episode three sucked but I still bought it so as a hard core fan I liked it nothing like the origanal.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Speilberg lost his touch.
Comment: What a terrible movie. I know that some movies are meant to be entertaining but this was a ridiculous movie. I liked Temple of Doom way better. The plot of this movie was horrible, see monkey scene to know what I mean. It would have been better off if he did not make a sequel and left the franchise untouched.

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