“INDIANA JONES”: And The Last Review

I took Ryan to the midnight showing of the latest Indiana Jones movie this week. We attended the local show at Cinemagic 15 in Hooksett. Also in attendance was the local ABC affiliate and their morning news anchor and weatherman.
Anyway… I’ll start by saying this; I didn’t hate it. BUT… I didn’t love it either. I liked it. BUT… I want to make some changes, both in story and in editing choices.

Sly (and now crusty) archeologist super hero? Check! Fast talking, not quite ready for prime time sidekick? Check! Evil anti-American military villains bent on world domination? Check! Spunky, perky long lost love interest? Check! Fast paced, globe trotting, whip-cracking, fist-slamming action? Check! Character driven, emotionally resonant, meaningful story wrapped in pseudo-scientific mythological mystery? Um… Well… Sorta… no, not really.
This movie comes with all of the requisite Indiana Jones parts, but the chief mechanic (Mr. Spielberg) fails to assemble the perfect summer-blockbuster machine. There are moments when this film soars, and other times it flops about like a slowly dying fish.

As I told David at LAFilmcutter, I think the first half is just great! From the Paramount logo dissolve in the desert of Nevada, to the iconic airplane flight and red tracer maps is just terrific. And then… (sound of squealing tires) it takes a hard left into a nonsensical sci-fi mish-mash of uneven story telling. I sooo wanted this to be THE movie of the 2008 summer season. I love Indy. There are two movies from the 80’s that I site as the films that made me want to be a filmmaker: “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.
And this Indy is presented by the same great minds that brought us those great movies: Spielberg & Lucas. Along with Harrison Ford retuning as the fedora sportin’ college prof, and action-girl (now woman) Karen Allen, the gangs all here! But sonofagun it just doesn’t work! What should have been a reunion of passionate long lost loves, with a swelling John Williams score, and a happy lump in the throat is rushed and glossed over, reducing our happy couple to giddy, bickering teenagers. There are real moments between Indy and Marion but it just doesn’t seem to mean anything.

The look and feel of the film is just perfect. Spielberg’s use of film, the cinematography and the use of lighting that invoke a warm-fuzzy feeling of old-school movie making, make me wanna run out and buy a 16mm camera and go to work.
There are highlights a-plenty, and there are more reasons to see this movie then there are reasons not to. You’ll spot loads of Easter eggs - winks and nods - from all three prior Indy movies, to Chariots of the Gods to Han Solo, even The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles gets a shout out, I probably missed more then I spotted. Harrison Ford is rockin’ the bullwhip and realistically portraying a man of his age and Indy’s age. It’s great that he’s older, crustier but still kickin’ Russkie ass! The sorely under-used Cate Blanchett is beautiful and deadly, and delivers a performance that fully embraces the campy bad guy role that is a staple of the Indy franchise.

And to all you haters: I Like Shia LaBeouf! His character Mutt is a great anti-Indy by being a great young Indiana Jones. He’s smart, rebellious, has obvious father issues, he’s fast with his wits, fists and wise cracks. And in a very smart move, George, Steven and Harrison literally and figuratively keep him from donning the fedora. Should he be expected to carry the franchise into the future? Heck no! But we haven’t seen the last of him and being one of Mr. Spielberg’s new young faves, we’ll see more of them teaming up in the future.

One glaring goof is the total misuse of the Crystal Skulls. The real mystery and legend of the skulls is far more interesting then the sci-fi gobbledy gook that Lucas and screenwriter David Koepp come up with. [sigh]

As a summer, blockbuster, action movie I’ll give it a B
As the fourth film in a legendary, storied franchise? it's a C

Indy Links for you to check out:
IMDB
IndianaJones.com
TheRaider.net