Rating of
3.5/4
An exciting addition to the series
newmans_own - wrote on 05/22/08
Thanks to the change in setting, the film contains quite a bit more apparent CGI work than the earlier films. It examines multiple forms of American culture in the 1950s, most notably the Red Scare and the weapons being developed to fight it. But Spielberg wisely balances the fake stuff with exhilaratingly real action that reminds us of what good movies used to be. And surprise, surprise- it’s just as exciting now as it was back then. As expected, every inch of the film is expertly constructed. This is Spielberg’s brightest and purely exhilarating film in at least ten years. The final moments of the climax are particularly stunning – an ending only Spielberg could pull off. It’s basically his entire career come full circle.
Returning as the titular hero, Harrison Ford gives a more invigorated performance than he has in years. It’s peculiar that Ford’s freshest performance this decade comes from a character he created over 25 years ago, but here he proves once again why he is who he is. Balancing the heroic action with a surprisingly sharp sense of humor and some good-natured ribbing at his age, Ford is just as capable if not more so than he was in the first film. Karen Allen makes a delightful return as Marion after a four-year absence from the screen, even if she is a bit more wishy-washy than we remember.
There are only a few setbacks in the film; remarkable, considering how wrong things could have gone after nearly two decades of waiting. And aside from a CGI overload in the film’s finale, it superbly reconstructs the realistic, B-movie serial feeling that the original three films excelled at. In some cases, it even surpasses the other two sequels in its ability to create suspense through action and humor. In INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, Spielberg, Lucas and Ford prove they haven’t lost any of their magic and could easily continue the series without ruining a thing. Let’s just hope is doesn’t take 19 years next time.
***1/2/****
Full review at http://newmanscorner.blogspot.com
