(Look at the amount of CG work done to give it a 1950's feel)After a long gap (I would say a generation’s gap) of 19 years since his last adventure in The Last Crusade, Indy is back with a Bang! Well, this 4th installment is back but the usual high action, running around, prancing from one level to another and running away from danger is getting lesser. At least I felt that. The previous installments had me glued to my seat, wondering what would happen next. But nothing of that sort I felt in this one. Admittedly Indy is a lot older now than then and he even admitted this fact on the first scene! DAMN!!!
Truth to be told, the movie is every bit a good reminisce of why I love Indiana Jones last time and why I still love it now. But regretfully, most of Indy's moves are golden age moves, which don't appeal much to the modern crowd. His hat, the music, the sound effects and the fighting scene. The jokes are sometimes a bit stale but gradually find their freshness in you.
(Spielberg, Karen and Indy during a video call at Comic-Con)For those that have watched the first 3 movies before (like myself), you can see that Spielberg have retained all the same cinematography style from 20 years ago. He even managed to date back the happenings to the late 50’s. But within the old style, there is a lot of CGI and new style which blends in seamlessly. Without spoiling the movie at all, I would say that the movie is an uphill and downhill ride of adventure from one continent to another. Swashbuckling across the globe fighting various element of villain and whipping the enemy into order.
Indy gets to deal with the sensitive Crystal Skull this time. The movie revolves around a crystal skull being lost somewhere and our Indy makes sure that it’s found and placed back where it belonged. The Russians initially try to get hold of it to gain the enormous powers that it has but somehow fail. Thanks to Dr. Jones. It was a good surprise to see Dr. Jones reviving his love interest in Karen Jane Allen. Remember Raiders of the Lost Ark? And he also finds out that Shia LaBeouf (the silly guy who was in Transformers) is his son whom he had fathered while romancing with Karen Jane Allen. So I believe that he could be the future Dr. Jones Jr’s Jr. I wouldn’t want to comment much here about that. Maybe he could do a good job in the future movies.
(Shia on his Harley)Overall the whole movie is worth a watch, except some sequences in the end. I have also seen a Documentary on the Crystal Skull some time back and I would say that the movie has handled the Crystal Skull subject pretty well. Just that Spielberg shouldn’t have given the alien connection in the end. Below are some of the best and worst parts of the film.
Best Parts:
1. Indy’s entry in the film. His fallen hat, the background music (John Williams is awesome.) I loved this.
2. Mostly all the initial Comic sequences.
3. All the different car / Harley chases. (Shia happens to ride a Harley, though he doesn’t look as appealing as Arnie in the Terminator on that bike.)
4. The big Ant mount sequence.
Worst Parts:
1. The ending sequence where the Crystal Skulls are linked with aliens.
2. Dr. Jones survives a nuclear fall out in a refrigerator.
3. Dr. Jones manages to unite the skull with its body and then all the skeletons form into a single alien who feeds Cate Blanchett with knowledge. However, the knowledge overwhelms her, causing her to ignite into flames and then vaporize. The whole temple structure crumbles, and a flying saucer rises from the debris and disappears. So it is made to believe that the aliens were sitting there all along waiting for the skull to be united. That’s the ending part and I couldnt appreciate it.
Finally back home, Dr. Jones is made an associate dean of the college and he marries Karen Allen while their son Shia looks along. Then a wind blows and Indy’s hat flies inside the church (where Indy and Karen are solemnizing vows) and falls on Shia’s feet. He bows down to grab the hat and wear it (the trademark music plays in the background) just then Indy walks forward, grabs his hat, wears it and walks along with his new bride.
My Final Comments:
The movie is worth a watch, Once.
