Indiana Jones film follows formula and entertains
Review: Indiana Jones film follows formula and entertains

Published: May 22, 2008

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is Steven Spielberg and George Lucas dumping their bags of tricks into a pile and setting off an explosion of nostalgia and white-knuckle action. It's not as whip-smart as its predecessors, but it still swings.

In 1957, Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana” Jones Jr. (Harrison Ford) is teaching archaeology at Marshall College, but in the two decades since "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” the man was busy. That much is made clear in an opening sequence involving Soviet troops, icy superspy Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), and a nuclear test site.

Having been at the worst place at a terrible time, Indy comes under the scrutiny of "red scare”-obsessed government agents, and just as he's picking a new place to lick his wounds, he's hounded down by Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf). Mutt dresses like Marlon Brando in "The Wild One” and insists that Indy follow him to South America to help him locate his lost mother on an archeological mission gone wrong.

So this fourth film in the series takes Indy on a quest for the storied Crystal Skull of Akator, but it hardly matters. This is about getting back into the classically kinetic chases, strangely mechanical stone temples and old relationships made new again, including one with Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen, still beautiful and still a match for Indy) from "Raiders of the Lost Ark.” "Crystal Skull” is packed with about a dozen wild rides that do not disappoint, and yes, there are snakes. ("Why'd it have to be snakes?”)

But it's not what Indy wears on his head that is old hat. Director Spielberg and co-writer George Lucas are playing a hits medley with "Crystal Skull”: a little "American Graffiti” here, a lot of "Close Encounters” there, and some "E.T.” thrown in like Reece's Pieces on their big, gooey cinematic sundae. In fact, a major science fiction theme plays a lot like an Indy plot that was kicked around in the early '90s. It begs the question: what took them so long?

But these are minor quibbles, because at 65, Ford can still hit all the marks. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” acknowledges that the main character is older, but we all are. And the best parts of this "Indy” adventure will make most fans feel a little bit younger.

— George Lang

Your thoughts!