Cool News
Indiana Jones IV - You've Seen It? What'd ya think?
Hey folks, Harry here... Some of us have been waiting, dreading and anticipating this night for the past 19 or so years... A new INDIANA JONES movie - you know what I think, what all of our writers think - but this is where you get to have your say... Love It, Hate It, Indifferent, Surprised, Ecstatic... whatever - let's celebrate the differences of opinion - because well... ain't that what we geeks do? Here ya go...
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How Sweet it is
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Is pretty sweet too
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times the charm
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I got nothin
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you will be a true believer, hah hah hah hah
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hang on lady ,we going for a ride!
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in HELL!
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til tomorrow.
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5,6,7,13, and I'm 27.
glad they got in to it the same way i did when i was a rugrat -
i like them all equally. and ford will be on conan in a minute.
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my friends were all nit picking it afterwards but i dunno, i liked it. yeah some of it was ridiculous, a lot moreso than in previous movies, but hey it was entertaining. pity they shot so much on sets to keep all the secrecy. You could kinda tell. Also Kaminski's photography still feels way out of place with me. And Idny doesn't do as much action in this one, but hey, that's kinda to be expected right? Yeah I liked it.
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Dude, this is fucking weak. When I see articles like this I feel like I'm looking at "Hey since there are so many reviews of IJATKOTCS on this site here is a place for everyone to put their talkback opinions and, more importantly, for the people who have marketed this movie to check in and see how it's doing with that 'geek' demographic some delightful person decided to devote the entirety of hollywood to." It Cool News Dot Com.And that makes me feel bummed out.
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Hate it and complain about EVERYTHING. Everyone else loved it. That's all.
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It could have been a disaster, but it was pretty great.
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Harry, did you and I see the same movie? WTF?
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Also Temple of Doom is still my favorite.
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and that is its greatest accomplishment. If you really think about it, most of the stuff that happens isn't that much more ridiculous than anything in previous films. It had that same great Indiana Jones feeling, it isn't my favorite, but all I really wanted was to be able to say I'm glad they made, and I can say that with ease. Even a "good" Indy movie is leagues better than most anything else. I give it a heart-felt "yay."
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May 22, 2008 12:11:34 AM CDT
PotSmokinAlien, Harry usually puts one up for the Big Ones.
by nodiggity
And this film is a Big One, in terms of Interest.
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I like the way you work it, ::no diggity:: I got to bag ::I got to bag it up:: it up yeah / I like the way you work it, ::No diggity:: I gots to bag it up ::duh nu nuh nuh nuhhh::
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I have a feeling Cruel_Kingdom has just written the most truthful review yet. It's too bad everyone wasn't shanking and crying.
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I tried not to get my expectations through the roof for this one, and even though I have minor nitpicks, I truly thank Spielberg and Lucas for making me forget about everything else surrounding this movie and given me A GODDAMN INDIANA JONES MOVIE.
Seriously, there were moments of pure fucking joy: the nuclear test site, that 50's fight, motorcycle chase, even the ridiculous tarzan sequence was great (well, everything around the tarzan sequence).
Minor complaints: Silly jokes, so little violence and darkness (all other three movies seem R rated by comparisson), weak ending (there wasn't a single HOLY SHIT moment for me in the ending, whereas even DOOM had plenty) and... Well that's it.
I completely loved the rest of the movie, and I had a steel smile on my face for 80% of the footage shown. That's more than enough for me and I plan to see this at least three more times in a movie theater.
We have a real INDIANA FUCKING JONES movie playing RIGHT FUCKING NOW. And for that, I thank both beards and everyone else involved. Cheers. -
I went it frightened of watching another beloved childhood memory gutted before my eyes, but was happy to find a true Indy experience. While I too hated the monkey-Shia bit, could have done with less cgi, and found the last third (other than the ending) a bit of a mess, I love this film and I want to see it a few dozen more times as soon as possible...
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because it's nostalgic. Gee, way to go Spielberg.
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It's good to hear it "felt like an Indy movie". That's what I was hoping for. You pretty much guaranteed my ticket.
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at Leicester Square with a bit of luck. Expensive but I'm down in London anyways and well, Indy's worth it.
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I saw The Last Crusade in theaters with my late grandfather (who looked just like Henry Sr.) when I was 7 years old. I'm happy to say I'm not critic but thanks for not spoiling my childhood like another George Lucas production fanbase suffered. Spielberg took a very welcome traditional note in making Indy 4. It's almost as if he remembered the words of Henry Jones Sr. "Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the sky." The CGI never overshadows the amazing scenery (a lot less so than the matte painting outlines that were so blatant in the trilogy). The whole movie FEELS pure INDY (as for "silly plot" complaints let me remind you of the voodoo doll in temple of doom and the lack of explaining how Indy survived the U-Boat ride in Raiders (whip on periscope anyone?) among others. So just eat your popcorn and enjoy the ride. Raiders was a film made by 2 fans of Republic serials, this movie was made scene by scene for Indiana Jones fans as Spielberg promised! And by the way, Shia is 100 times better than Short Round. Not to say that's good, but at least we don't have another Jar Jar or Marcus Brody (rest in peace) to have for "comic relief".
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Make a George Lucas Films marketeer ejaculate of joy because of all this "articles" in spite of Indy 4?
Love the movie, hate the sell-out factor in the media bitches. -
My friends and I wanted time to actually sit around and discuss what we saw, so we decided it can wait until a time we wont get out of the flick until three in the morning. i'm sure afterwards at the local Denny's there will be much coffee drinking and shouting.
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I think Spielberg's at his best when he's being nostalgic. Minus Hook. I dunno WTF happened there. But nostalgia is EXACTLY what I want out of this movie. Silly plot details and over-the-top action have always been part of Indy's charm, and I wouldn't want him any other way.
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U-Boats regularly traveled on the surface unless they had specific reason to go under. they may not have been that far away anyway. that is an old nitpick that was disproved a decade ago.glad you liked the new one though, I'm seeing it tomorrow.
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what's wrong with a little nostalgia?
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At least, he didn't seem to have it on him when he climbed on board the submarine. I think the last time we see it is when he jams the handle somewhere under the truck.
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You could pimp the Falcon and have a Greyed up Chewie. Hey just planting seed kids.
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This weekend, enjoy this with your family - the movie's fantastic!
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I saw INDY 4 yesterday and it was okay - but not as great as it should've been. The most annoying thing is that fucking crystal skull which seems to have more screen time than Harrison. Seriously. Plus most of the action scenes were underwhelming at best. And that fucking UFO finale was the topping of the turd.So, fuck you, George. Again, you've ruined a great franchise. DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!
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i don't think it is possible for steven spielberg to make a bad movie (since the lost world that is), but he is capable of making a disappoiting one. So i was rather confident that i would surely enjoy this film, at least. I can say that they all kept their word, the film is a really really fun ride. But as far as good filmmaking goes, it's an ok picture (i have the same feeling about the other 3 indies, so...).
Only 2 things bothered me (and that's not a lot):
-the exposition part in the film, 20minutes in, where Indy meets Mutt, is too much. Not that it's too long or confusing but it's too much plot. There was a simplicity about the plots of the other indy films that i miss here. The crystal skull tale is too fat. There's a skull missing, there's a woman missing, there's a professor missing, there's already a doublecrossing partner at this stage. And indy doesn't need to simply find the skull, he has to bring it to this city, where in combination with other skulls, you can achieve 'some sort' of power. That's a big lead up for a vague goal i thought. But after this there's no stopping the indy train and you don't even think too much about where this is leading us. you can enjoy very large parts of the film without worrying about where's it going.
-i'm sorry to say that i have a real problem with the ending. I didn't mind the special effects or this set as climax to the film. I minded that i hoped to have a climax after the so called climax in the film. It feels like a dud. There's no such thing as a great power that the russians want. There is no great power at all! They bring the skull in this small temple, place it on the alien, the vortex starts and... they go to another dimension... How does this fit in with the idea of this great power? I didn't know why and what was happening to cate blanchett at this point. I couldn't give an explanation for this climax as it unfolded. And that's terrible. Stuff happens, beofre you know it's over, the baddie's gone and indy escaped. Pretty soft. Although that shot of indy with the giant flying saucer was a thing of beauty, but hardly anything like resembling a climax.
Now, the stuff that was great:
- Shia can act (Karen Allen cant by the way)
- indy vs nuclear bomb is fantastic image
- Jim Broadbent was nice to see
- Indy and Shia in the diner where the fight starts is a fun cool moment
- finding the skull was very nicely done
- the quicksand was a very nice scene
- the car chase in the jungle is the best action set piece of the film
- i truly love the ants (though it felt as they had to put in an ugly bug, they just had to!)
- the way to enter the temple is pretty cool (you can see this in the trailer where they go down these stairs that disappear in the walls.
- indy against the flying saucer is beautiful image
- the interplay between indy and marion is rather charming to watch, i have to admit
- cate blanchett was a lot of fun to watch
Now, little stuff that didn't work:
- why were these guys racing in the opening scene?
- the reason why they went to that cemetery, coming from the crazy house is sill unclear to me, and who were those crazy guys protecting it?
- ray winstone is lost in a simplistic character. I love Ray but i only love him in serious films, not in happy meal blockbusters like this.
- karen allen can't act
- the contless escape scenes. I swear to god, people escape captivity a dozen times in this film
- if ray winstone was gonna switch sides again, i was gonna barf
- shia swinging from the vines is a big no no
- marion's trick to get the car in the water was over the top. really
- the guards watching the temple are serious pussies
- the last scene of the film was cute for a second but then... pff
But don't worry after all i've said. I'm seeing it again this friday, it's a reall trip, a wonderful time to switch of the brain. After a stressfull day a welcome relaxation. you can compare it to casino royale in this way. So, don't wait for it, go see it -
enjoyed it for the most part, Ford/Shia worked great together, thought he was clearly one of the better things about the film. Liked the whole cast in general actually, although could have done without John Hurts character. quality wise id say it does fall a little bit behind the other sequels, mainly due to the last 15-20mins being the worst part of the entire series. Its a shame George Lucas and his 'Saucermen' rubbish were not somehow kept away from the film, its obvious from interviews that Spielberg and Ford were never comfortable with that. I guess they had to compromise and let George get it in there somewhere, otherwise the damn film never would have been made.
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Tarzan LeBeouf?Indy doing pratfalls? Looking all goofy at the wedding?Surviving a nuclear blast by hopping in a fridge, flying at least a couple hundred yards, bouncing (more like slamming) twice on the ground before rolling to a stop and not so much as a scratch? Are you goddamn kidding me? I'm all for suspension of disbelief but there's a limit.Good to see the crappy CGI monkeys from Jumanji are still getting work.I guess the scarabs from The Mummy must be working too since they had to have giant ants stand in.Skeletons merging together into a living alien? Sure, why not.How/why does Indy get re-hired and promoted at the end?Why make a big deal of Marion being part of the proceedings if she only gets two minutes' worth of lines?The entire last half hour of the movie: No, that's cool. You don't need to have Indy do anything. He can just stand around. Totally fine.A fucking flying saucer? The aliens were archaeologists, but they stuck around to teach the Mayans about machinery, paved roads and advanced construction and be worshipped as gods?And last but not least, what the fuck was the deal with the statue of Marcus? Was there even a point there?I already said this in another TB but I'll say it again-- that was *not* how I wanted to feel walking out of an Indiana Jones movie.
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Havnet seen Indy 4 yet though but thought I'd chime in.
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I just spoiled the movie for myself by reading this talkback. I hate myself.
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I am not happy about that at all.
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if the movie has a little something more than my slobbering idiot kids enjoyed while I sat there watching them pick their nose with a smile on their faces. That is not an Indiana Jones movie nor should it be billed as one. And no it is not that I've changed, it's that Lucas the Hutt should've handed some of this shit over to someone else when his cunt wife left and took whatever was left in his tank with her.
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shite. I loved the bit where indy grabs the hat ay the very end out of shia's hand, but the rest of this was crap.
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TPM. At first nobody wants to come out and say it, but give it 6 months and most everyone will be asking themselves what the fuck happened to IJ.
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Sadly, it was not very good.
There was no sense of urgency at all. I could have cared less about who had or got the crystal skull.
There were a few moments when you felt that it could all work, but ultimately a real disappointment. Harrison seemed very disinterested during the entire film. The only time I laughed was at the Marcus Brody bit that I won't spoil for anyone.
Go see it, but believe me you won't be busting to see it again. -
it's starting already. Was this as bad as I think it's going to be?
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Honestly, was it TPM bad or AOTC bad? Or more like Star Wars Holiday X-mas Special bad?
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definately boring at parts, too. The whole describing the background about the crystal skull was too forced and ... boring. Chase scenes were decent, directing good. Alien payoff was uninteresting. Love story wasn't sold very well. Father son relationship wasn't that bad, shia was fine. Ray winstone's character was stupid and had no background or connection, who cared about betrayals etc. Id say the best scene was indy getting nuked, because that's what the movie felt like when it was over.
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Just not good. The story was the bad part. I really think that Harrison could have pulled it off with a good script because he still looked like Indy. It seems that anything Lucas touches now days just turns to poop.
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May 22, 2008 1:33:36 AM CDT
Yes, it was as bad as you thought it was going to be...
by therealhenryjonesjrjr
Speaking in all honestly, and entirely from the heart as a Indy fan since I was six years old, this movie was horrible. I was really hoping it was going to be great, and that I'd have one more Indy film (that I actually saw in theaters) to enjoy, but for me, now more than ever, the series ended with that sunset ride in Last Crusade.
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seeing the beautiful cate blanchett - who was pregnant during some of the filming - playing a russian [yay!] get killed [boo!] in a awful way does that to me.
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I love how people get bent out of shape by Indy in the fridge... or the Crystal Skull/Alien Plot... but three magic rocks make perfect sense? WTF? Or how about a cup that keeps you young? Or how about a box that melts your face off? Or how about falling out of the sky on a rubber raft into India. Some people seem to forget that the first three movies all had far out plots... over the top action sequences... and exposition up the ying yang. Every Indy movie has that 5-10 min scene where the main exposition takes place. The ark. The stones. The grail. The skulls. The formula is there. KOTCS delivers BIG TIME! It's not the lightning in the bottle that RAIDERS was... but it sits very nicely on the shelf with the other two sequels. And there are actually some themes in this movie that give the movie some weight (which most people don't even bring up because they're too busy looking for what they complain about). Loosen up. This is not the Star Wars Prequels Syndrome. Lucas did not rape your childhood. Perhaps you are responsible for that and should actually own up to it for once in your life. Indy 4 is refreshing in a sea of really bad action/adventure movies that have come out since the 90's. I thank you Harrison, Steven and George for making this motion picture. Cheers!
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just stay at home and watch Raiders again. I had to watch Raiders after seeing Crystal Skull to remind myself that these guys CAN make a great film. After the mess that Lucas made of the Star Wars prequels it came as no surprize to me how bad Crystal Skull was. It was just way too silly. Ford will always be Indy, just as Connery will always be Bond. Time to pass the hat to someone else. Just not Shia. I don't mind watching him, he's alright, but he's just not a good Indy replacement. Oh yea, and keep Lucas the hell away from the script!!
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That sucks although I really felt it was going to be like this with the whole son bit. I definitely think Ford could've pulled it off with a better script. He still looks good. They should've dropped the old fart dead beat dad angle and just bought some hair dye and made an old fashioned IJ movie. Lucas is eating himself.
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Your mind is CLEARLY already made up. Are you really going to pay to see something you already hate? I hope not.
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i think the antagonist was decent, blanchett's character. The embroiling of indy as a traitor at first, the scene were he endures a nuclear bomb test. Scene with shia in the diner was fun, had a good sense of playfulness. The motorcycle chase scene was fun, exciting. Crazy john hurt was kind of amusing at certain points. Banter between indy and mutt was pretty good, before *spoiler* he found out their connection. Yeah that's really about it.
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Genius, wow. YES.
We watched Raiders, and followed it with Skull, and...wow. What a perfect pair. Mutt is genius, so much better than I thought he'd be. I'll be there for a Mutt sequel in a SECOND.
I'll admit that I was let down by the climax, I actually liked Stuart's climax (hell, I kind of like Stuart's script better in general, aside from really loving Mutt, and the opening--OH, THE OPENING!). But, really, being let down by the climax is par for the course for an Indy movie. What was Raiders? Oh, the Ark killed the Nazis, the end. Big freaking whoop. What's awesome is the rest of the film, and this was.
Awesome before Mutt showed up, awesome after Mutt showed up, awesome right up until the spoiler pops onto the spoiler and then the spoiler starts spoilering and then the spoiler gets spoiled into spoil and the huge spoiler starts spoiling out from the spoiler....
But let me repeat. Great film. -
I'm not one of those nerds who feels superior in being snooty. but if you have indy survive a nuke by getting in a fridge.. well, 15 minutes in and I told my brain to not bother caring.. obviously the roadrunner was going to appear not long after.. in fact we get a dramatic gopher who looks like she just dropped her washing. but hey, the last crusade is a good ending for me.
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At least we still have Raiders!
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The Alien shit didnt bother me at all, it was just soulless and empty as someone earlier said.. And the CGI made it not feel like an Indy flick in some parts.. I walked out of the theater thinking the old PC game Fate of Atlantis gave me more Indiana joy than this piece of big budget shit
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during part of it. And the car chase in the jungle just didn't work, it almost seemed like they were moving too slow. It's the 3rd best of the series, at least it was better then Doom, which is not hard to be.
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If you can't tell from the trailers this was going to be bad then that's your problem. I just wanted to make sure it was what I thought it was and you can bet your ass at this point I'm not paying to see it.
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the dialogue often times didn't seem to have very good pacing. it was either too slow or just didn't show a good connection between the people talking. it felt like the actors were bored, it didnt have energy. the audience didnt get a compelling reason ever to invest their attention in the exposition about the skull, when id say in the other films that existed. it tried to place the audience in the middle of the story and expect us to have these connections already, which wasnt the case. i think the idea of a crystal skull and getting 'magical powers' is just too far outside of our myth to really connect at all. And you know what, moriarity, no ford didnt have that spark back in his eyes, a lot of his acting was still pretty dull.
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While you still have Ford. He can still deliver the goods!!! KOTCS is proof of that.
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Better than Doom?? wtf
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Haven't seen it yet and I guess I have to wait for the DVD (coming out in November), because I'm unfortunately pretty much broke right now :P
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the movie was bad. It had some good moments, but overall not the best out of them all. I am pretty pissed right now, becaue I was so pysched to see this tonight.
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the vintage.
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why dont you fuck off? this is for people who saw it? i dont care about your stupid fucking reasons for not wanting to see it. go rant to yourself in a mirror you narcisstic piece of shit.
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spalko is now.. what? was she transmuted into a higher consciousness? vaporised? I couldn't make a better movie, but I could improve this script.
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Don't care what anyone says. And yes I hate the Star Wars Prequels.
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"I don't understand"........ why they made this movie.
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Think huge aerial battle between US Air Force and UFO's. Corny? Possibly. Awesome? A good chance of being. Better than the crap we got in KotCS? Oh for damn sure.
Was I the only person jumping up in their seat when Ford said 'What, saucer men from Mars?' Man, I really loved that script.... -
I would but your whore mother was already with a customer cunt. And I'm not sure if you know what narcissistic means or not you illiterate bastard but you're kind of the pot calling the kettle black you ignorant fucking cunty.
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it wasnt so much the cgi but the ineffectual plot, and the lackluster acting from ford and uh marion that i thought brought it down. no decent human connection. did anyone honestly care that they got back together at the end? i wanted to leave when i saw that cliched wedding scene ending.
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First the bad: things went way too fast; there's not a lot of decent interaction between the characters; and who knew that the producers liked "The X-Files" movie?
Now the good: INDIANA JONES IS BACK. It's thoroughly enjoyable and it's worth a watch in a movie theater. My head's still spinning, though, and that's not necessarily a good thing... -
They made the Art and Grail cool... and now Lucas and Spielberg bring up "Aliens" in Indy's world. How dare Lucas and Spielberg!! Don't they know that human beings are God's children ? Watch... how all the haters come out and are really just angry that Indy didn't find The Cross Of Jesus!!! Oh this is gonna be fun!!
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Just got back, and I really enjoyed the movie. The movie should get nominated for make up because Harrison doesn't look nearly as old as he does in real life. He returns to the role with ease. For the most part I don't have any complaints, however, Marion didn't have enough to do, the monkeys were too much, and *spoiler* I really don't think it was necessary to show an actual alien. But other than that, I was entertained throughout, and is on the same level as the other sequels.
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you're trash. get out. you want to know what narcissistic means? look at your past posting, if that doesn't define it for you, i guess you're the one who's incapable and illiterate, 'cunty'.
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well said
also what the fuck has the star wars prequels got to do with this film?? Why arnt people comparing it to Minority Report or ET? -
about 1/10th of the full theater clapped, but most people were eager to shuffle out. people weren't too thrilled either.
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I'm going with vaporised.
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I think it seemed like a very mixed bag, the UFO stuff we could have done without. More from the Janitor from Scrubs and way less CGI. If this film was done on a smaller scale, and more in keeping with RotLA, then I would be happy. Plus I hated the double/triple agent bullshit.
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Now there is an oxy"moron" if I ever heard or read of one. Can't even follow the simple guide to what this forum is even about. HAHAHAHA
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Only scene I liked was the opening with the Elvis tune. I hated LAST CRUSADE, but I think this may actually be worse.
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May 22, 2008 1:54:43 AM CDT
okay george, now that you've gotten that out of yr system..
by ironic_name
give us a lettermans versus greasers movie! lucas could make a fun movie. just don't write it.
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It was just silent at the end, I think everyone was in shock, just like me
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It was just silent at the end, I think everyone was in shock, just like me
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thats what i felt like after the credits started rolling. i so very much wanted to love this movie, wanted it to "feel" like an indy movie like everyone on this site has been talking about, and yes there are some entertaining bits in there, but it just doesnt feel like a cohesive whole. it feels like a bunch of bit part ideas lucas had and wanted in the movie all thrown together (indy gets nuked, indy falls down waterfall THREE times, mutt is tarzan, indy sees UFO). there didnt seem to be an arch in any of the characters either. as bad as people say Last Crusade was, at least you felt by the end of it that Indy had really rekindled something with his father. this time we get Indy finding out 20 years after the fact that he's a father, and all he does is make jokes about it?(you're going to finish school!!) and by the end, i didnt really see him as any more a father figure as when he first met him. karen allen was completely wasted and one dimensional, along with ray winstone. and does john hurt really have to be brought down to the level of comic relief? thats the problem, not enough depth to these characters whereas i felt even short round and willie scott had depth. there i said it, i hate to, but its the truth. damn you george lucas, id really like to see what that frank darabont script looked like.
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While many have called it "souless", I'd say it has 1/10 of a soul. Any other director and I'd completely agree. I'd characterize this movie as Ultimate Cash Grab. There really was no reason for a lot of what the movie offers to the viewers. For example, there's a reason why events happen as they do in Last Crusade. However in this installment, there's really no rhyme or reason why certain characters exist or events take place. Also, it's kind of hard to suspend your disbelief watching Indy run around like he's 25. I'd say go see it at a matinee.
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Also wtf happened to Spalko at the end?? why did ET kill her??
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yeah i guess you could say it was the biggest issue.. the nods to past films might've been permissible if the story was really engaging, and good... but they felt cornballed here. I didn't hate the movie, I don't exist on a bipolar scale when I think about movies.. just forgettable, I guess your word applies best. But the real question is, will this thing make it big first weekend and fall off the face of the planet in a few weeks afterwards?
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this movie is crap...everything george lucas touches dies. what was the plot of this movie again? why were the feds chasing indy and what happened to them after the first half hour ? bad bad movie...
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Were some of the better things about this movie. Although once ACT 3 kicked in... all of the interesting character dynamics between Ford and these two disappeared to service finishing out the plot. I wanted more Indy and Marion. Instead we got a couple of fun scenes initial scenes that started off great and then fizzled to service the Crystal Skull stuff.
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Not stellar, but I was expecting it to flat out suck. The most important thing is it didn't do anything to make the original films less great.
As someone else pointed out, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis had a better story. -
My second favorite Indy movie, ahead of Crusade and Doom. I'm not sure what the haters were expecting. Probably Raiders again. Go masterbate to the Lost Ark and leave the rest of us alone.
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you're either aren't taking enough or you are taking too much.
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Thetans!!!
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Actually, we cheered several times, but we cheered loudly at the end of the film, all of us. This film is going to make millions.
Someone earlier said this'll be like TPM: you like it at first, but then six months later, you finally admit it was crap. Well, dude, do me a favor. Go back and watch TPM with an open mind. That was a GREAT film. Which is exactly what you'll realize about Crystal Skull in a few years. -
the more i think about this movie the more my balls hurt
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It's worse than I thought.
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In soveit Russia, ET melts your face.
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I've never been balanced... so I would opt for not taking enough.
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I'll be seeing this late June.
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is this guy kidding? that movie sucked and this might be worse...better acting in indy and the aliens, but it felt like it was put together with scotch tape and filmed in georges cellar.
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thats my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Maybe again it was just the script, but I swear some of the scenes came off making the relationships between the actors seem very stilted and unnatural. And I don't mean unnatural in a good way, but like, they're reading lines.
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Highlight inviso-text to read:
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Just saw it.Those who says otherwise, just forgotten how to enjoy Indiana Jones film like they used to. And really just nitpicking.Watching it again tomorrow, and the day after. Bring on the Blu-ray!
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May 22, 2008 2:03:33 AM CDT
insy 4 is mcdonalds icecream: tasty, but really shitty, too.
by ironic_name
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Bastards, both of 'em.
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You my point man on new releases.
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I didn't leave the theater feeling that great, although I don't yet know why.
The good news is that for a majority of the film Ford was able to climb out of the coma he's been in for the last 19 years and resurrect Indy.
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A funny thing happened to me today. I had been preparing for the worst for so long that a strange serenity came upon me and I started to get a bit, how do you say, excited. but now I'm right back where i was. National Treasure and The mummy? My God, those are too franchises i couldn't find any more repugnant. Horrible cynical messes the both of them and why people like them I have no idea. Watching the Mummy 2 actually, in a small way, shaped the way I see modern genre filmmaking. After that is when i realized how badly directors had started playing to the worst sensibilities of the idiot throngs, so dropping a gauntlet like that is almost personal. You are wrong about one thing though. if the film is as you say it is, and i have no doubt, it is anything but harmless. it shows that even the most mighty of the genre filmmakers have gone down the path of unholy evil (I hope y'all are catching my hyperbole with that one....but still). It, whether we like it or not, in the back of our heads will always tarnish the ones before it. It's outright cruel, whether malice was meant or not, to deliver a product like that and call it Indiana Jones. It cheapens genre filmmaking as a whole.
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I thought Speed Racer was better. A lot better.
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May 22, 2008 2:05:18 AM CDT
insy is quatolopec for indy.. walk it through mayan to get the d
by ironic_name
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My audience cheered at the end... and even though I may be on medication... there was no way I could slip anything into the 200+ drinks that other people were drinking before the movie started.
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did anyone care cate got mindfucked by the aliens....i loved seeing belloq get his face melted...and mola rom zula rom get fed to the gators, and even when whats his face "chose poorly" at least you kinda hated those bad guys. i really didnt give a shit about any character in this movie. I got mildly excited when i realized the fbi agent was janitor from scrubs
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I saw the movie from the perspective of a kid who saw the first 3 and loved them then forgot about them for a decade or so. I was definitely a huge fan and Harrison Ford is one of my favorite actors but I just sort of lost touch with the movies like a best friend who moved to college. I came into the movie expecting to enjoy it but without a lot of detailed memories of the previous adventures.
Overall I thought it was a very good movie but it was kind of crippled by all the hype surrounding it. The revelation the Mutt was (gasp!) Indy's son was entirely ruined by the fact that we've all known since they cast Shia who he was going to play.
Maybe I was wrong (the people I saw it with agreed with me though) but it seemed like they 'discovered' that the skull came from a non-human source at least a half-dozen times. The skull itself also looked like shit. I won't back down from that gripe. I'm sure you'll be able to buy an exact replica at WalMart for twelve bucks within a few weeks (if you can't already).
The story was good but seemed to have a lot of threads that came out of nowhere and then disappeared just as suddenly. Were they native crypt guards undead or just really patient? If they were undead how could the russians slaughter them with guns? Why make such a big deal out of Mutt's bike if they just lose it and forget about it five minutes later?
I guess I've focused on a lot of negatives here. I loved the greasers vs. preps diner escape, the trip through the library, Jim Broadbent, the genuinely surprising military convoy opening sequence, and Prof. Oxley. Marion was great too. She did get put in the background a bit but I thought the character was still completely there.
My favorite moment though, and I might get some flak for this, is that Neil Flynn's cameo in the movie leaves open the possibility of the most intricate movie-tv show-real life crossover ever...with Scrubs ending, the Janitor has left Sacred Heart to continue his fruitless cinematic pursuit of Harrison Ford. -
Cheering when it comes to a mass of people and a popular franchise, means absolutely nothing. it's not proof or even indicative of any sort of greater truth, so let's not go there.
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Overdone SFX and a stupid plot is what killed it. Way to many artifical environments: gone are the days they actually shot an Indy film in a jungle or a desert. And the plot/macguffin? Dumb. Just plain dumb. SOOO happy we got the writers back off strike!
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By drinks I guess you mean, alcohol. I kind of thought about getting stoned to see this but made a good decision going sober. I would've been depressed by the end. Trust me the guys sitting behind me who, before it started, kept saying "dude im so stoned" were silent the whole movie.
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and IndustyKiller, your points are great...although I fear you'll get much flaming from those who can't admit that this was one shockingly lame excuse for a genre film.
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A decisive moment in the history of Western civilization! Watching this film one thinks not simply of the history of popular movies but the history of the last century.
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I too liked Speed Racer more. In fact, I'm going to see it again. However, I won't be seeing this installment of Indy again for a long time.
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was too excited to make an objective assessment, but wish th alien stuff was a little less prominent. . .just keep the aliens dead
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I can't believe they screwed it up so bad.
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They fucking BETTER use that in the Scrubs finale.
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did i just buy a movie about a city of gold that had a scene with a giant stone slab that moved with the characters shift of weight ?
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Sure, there were a few plot development problems(moved too quickly), and some of plot turns were not addressed , but I thought it was a lot of fun.
To those who complain about the sci-fi or over-the-top parts: shut the fuck up. Raiders=Killed a bunch of fellas with the power of God; Temple=leaped out of a plane in an inflatable raft. Crusade=eternal youth(actually, did not seem to work for Indy, strangely).
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Henry Jones, Sr. "Indiana was the DOG'S name."
Henry Jones, III: Nickname is Mutt
Connection? Yes? No? -
I agree with your point about the score. It felt like a dumb vaudeville hearing short flourishes of indy's theme when some stupid joke flashed across the screen. Like cues that we should be enjoying this scene, it felt like a sitcom at points. But some of the directing was pretty damn good, I can't say Spielberg was really lazy, but I guess he tried to deal with a stinking pile of script.
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I wanted it to be good, but no more sequels or prequels from Lucas. I can't take this bastardization of my favorite franchises. I don't care if he thought them up, he's lost touch with any creative and artistic abilities he ever had. He's a an opportunist hack. This movie bored me, I just didn't care, No character, Shia embarrassed himself, Harrison was cool but old, Cate Blanchett was ok (she looked like Diablo Cody). John Hurt did what he could. I don't believe Spielberg directed this, there is none of that artistry he usually displays. And Koepp script is just set piece after set piece, taking every second it could to reference the older films. I'd rather just watch them then be reminded how good they were, and how obviously dissapointing this one is.
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May 22, 2008 2:13:42 AM CDT
This is just way more negative than I thought it would be
by industrykiller!
interesting
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I've watched the first three on TV at least three times in the past week alone. Not only did I still enjoy them, I actually found myself liking Doom more than I used to. Crystal Skull is simply the weakest film in the series by a mile. Riding off into the sunset at the end of Last Crusade is where Indy's story should've ended.
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ya its that bad
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was limited to the temple where the Grail was located. If you recall, the knight says that the power of the Grail is limited to the great seal at the entrance of the place. . once you leave the area, you are normal again, and the Grail can not leave the area
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Tell my wife I love her very much.
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I just saw the midnight showing, holy fucking shit, the plot is from AVP, aliens fucking come to earth to teach us about building technology. FUCK you Koepp for writing that piece of shit, and fuck you Lucas for destroying your own amazing works. This film was AVP, The Mummy Returns and Pirates of the Fucking Carribean put together, a CGI shitfest. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, Lucas said "A special effect is a tool, a means to telling astory, a special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing." Take your own advice Lucas, you suck!!! Christopher Fucking Nolan is the new GOD!
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May 22, 2008 2:16:21 AM CDT
Lets see what other previously decent-mediocre movies we can say
by greentealite
From Hell was better
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2008:
1. Iron Man
2. Indy 4
3. Speed Racer
All Time (Selected):
1. Star Wars
2. Raiders
3. Spider-Man
4. LotR: FotR
5. Iron Man
6. X-Men
7. X-Men 2
8. Indy 4
9. Spider-Man
10. Batman Begins -
I just got back from a midnight showing and I'm reserving judgment on the movie until I see it again tomorrow. I have decided, however, never to go to that theater again. Why you ask? And why am I reserving judgment on the movie?
Well, imagine watching Indiana Jones 4 as a play, with the dialog coming to you across a distance and with virtually no musical score whatsoever ... except for maybe a tape deck some kid left on by accident backstage. That about sums up my movie-going experience tonight. I got to see a movie scored by John Williams without actually getting to hear the score. It was like watching a movie on your surround sound system but all channels except for the center channel have gone inexplicably dead. Hence, it seemed more like I was watching a play than a movie. I think they had the Indy theme in the movie somewhere, but I couldn't really tell. So I'm pissed. It made everything seem unreal.
I'm undecided on the alien bit, because they aren't actually space aliens but beings from another dimension, which I prefer to the idea of space aliens. The problem is that they look too much like stereotypical space aliens ... but I guess they're trying to use these being as the explanation for supposed alien autopsies.
There was some good action ... or at least I think there was. It all felt very low-key with the crap-ass center channel sound. That explosion you see in the trailer with the piece of the vehicle flying towards the truck Indy is in sounded approximately like someone knocking on a door.
Tarzan Shia was pretty retarded ... but Shia himself was actually quite good, as was the chemistry between him and Ford.
Two things that I found distracting and unlike previous films were glowy hues used by the new cinematographer and the fact that there were so many small-scale shots. The previous films had lots of wide establishing shots and just wide-shots period making it obvious that people were outside. This one had a few "outdoor" scenes that seemed like they were shot on sound stages. I'm particularly thinking of the camp scene where Marion shows up. It's like they were afraid to move the camera to far too any direction for fear of exposing the stage or something. That might be the only one that seemed obvious, but it was kind of annoying. It almost seemed like an indie film rather than Indy film in the scene ... like they were trying to save their budget and not blow it on showing a bunch of trees in the jungle or something.
Finally, Koepp wrote some pretty wooden dialog in a few places ... stuff that probably read well on paper but didn't sound right when spoken. I'm kinda surprised Ford didn't say, "this doesn't sound natural". The two things that jumped out at me were when he found the conquistador's body and said, "It's him. It's (insert name) himself" (the "himself" really sounded out of place) and his line during the finale where he says something like, "Their treasure wasn't gold, it was knowledge. Knowledge was their treasure." Thanks, I got that point when you said it the first time. I didn't need you to quickly repeat it. That line might have worked if it was reflecting personal realization of some kind personally profound notion, but I think he was just saying it to Mutt. It seemed odd.
Completely unrelated to last point is the find that it kinda sucked that he didn't see the ark.
Anyway, it might seem like I'm complaining about a lot of stuff, but like I said, I'm reserving judgment till I see it in a proper theater tomorrow. A lot of stuff is really kinda nitpicky, and I might very well have noticed the same issues with the previous films if I saw them for the first time without any musical score and what little sound there was at an underwhelming volume.
I'll give my thoughts tomorrow after I see it again. -
I mean I really enjoyed Speed Racer,but this...
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The most overlooked film. It's tight, action-packed and has one of the most colorful and entertaining opening sequences in Spielberg's canon. It's also the darkest and pulpiest of the films, and I kind of like watching it more than RAIDERS these days (just because that one I've pretty much commited to memory). Never really warmed up to CRUSADE and I expect from here on in, I'll just look at SKULL as a mind-fuck of nonsense that is never boring, but never very good either.
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Seriously, I must report this to the authorities. Oh, loved the movie, btw.
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1. Speed Racer
2. Iron Man
3. Porn I watched on youporn a few days ago
4. Indy 4 -
What I love about the geeks on these forums... and that includes people like myself and IndustryKiller... is that we have this elitist attitude about what makes a good or bad film. We raise the stakes and find the flaws in everything we see, and forget to often let a movie be "entertainment escapsim". I know you work in the industry... and so do I. And at the end of the day... it doesn't matter what the hell people like you and I think. It's the general public that matters. I liked INDY4. I enjoyed it. Just like I did TOD and TLC. I love RAIDERS. By the way... I refuse to see X3 cause I really didn't like the first two. Not that this really matters.
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My expectations have been suitably lowered.
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At least you're not paying to see it. And the trailers actually haven't shown much (a cheesy line or two from Indy, but that's to be expected, and some frustrating CGI, but that's about it), so no, I haven't judged the movie yet based on them. Frankly, there are just as many positive reviews here as negative so far, so I'm trying to hold off judgment 'till I see it tomorrow.
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No RAMBO?? I thought that was the REAL return of a great american action hero.
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Sounds like a ringing endorsement. It may not be a masterpiece but if it entertains then didn't it do its job? I think that Last Crusade was entertaining but not much else. I still love it. Crystal Skull was cheesy, over the top, stupid, ridiculous, but frankly I had a blast. Was it perfect? Good god no. The car chase through the jungle was a bit too much. I didn't buy any of the movements as the actions of human beings. But I said, what the hell. I went with it and took the ride. I just laughed and had fun. This might be the worst in the series. Maybe not. But compare it with what George Lucas did with the Star Wars prequel. Steven did a good job considering. I hope they make another one. Even if it's another step down. I just like to see the hat and the whip. Tonight, I felt like I was 6 years old again. I've seen better movies than this that couldn't do that.
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Bitchest first:
The first few minutes of the opening were great in terms of establishing a sense of time, which I found important. The set-piece in the warehouse was enjoyable, but it came too early. I would have preferred some low-impact re-acquainting with Dr. Jones and his universe prior to getting thrown right into the plot and it's (admittedly goofy) Macguffin. In point of fact, you could really just cut the first twenty minutes of the movie off and start things up at Marshall College.
Speaking of the Macguffin, it was weak--weaker than the Holy Grail. As someone said above, I didn't particularly care who had the skull or where the hell they took it. It was NOT, however, inappropriate. I do not get the whining about the alien thing, though. I thought it meshed well with the time-period--spacemen were a major trope in pop film of the '50s. It was sufficiently infused with archaeological junk to retain the Indiana Jones feel.
Ray Winstone's Mac was completely useless. "He's a traitor!" "Wait, he's not a traitior!" "HA, TRAITOR AGAIN, SUCKERS!" He fulfills the same purpose as Last Crusade's Ilsa, but with even less emotional impact.
Jim Broadbent serves as little more than a surroage for Denholm Elliot because exposition required such a surrogate. Sort of sad.
The effects were absolutely fine, in my personal opinion. The only moments when I had a problem with the SFX execution coincided with the set-pieces that took me right the hell out of the movie--the bomb test, the rocket-sled, the Mutt-as-Tarzan bit, and the final spaceship sequence most egregiously. (The cute animals were also pretty pointless.) I said earlier that I thought the spaceman trope was appropriate, but three of those four action pieces are evidence of that atomic age/retrofuturistic trope being grievously oversold.
Purely positive:
I liked the chemistry between LeBeouf and Ford. I liked the development of the relationship. I thought Karen Allen was used just fine here, and the Marion-Indy dynamic rang true, evoking some of what made Raiders such a great movie. (The wedding, however, was trite.)
I loved the bike chase. I loved the truck fight. I loved the graveyard fight.
To be honest, despite all that bitching above... I really liked this movie. For all its flaws, it has that Indiana Jones je ne sais quoi, and that's what I wanted most of all. I'm a happy man. -
You people who are incapable of enjoying anything have my sincere pity.
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I actually greatly preferred Last Crusade, so I'm hoping it's closer in tone to that. I mean, I'm not including Raiders b/c I know that ain't happening.
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Once more, they show us how little they know.
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I'm really not that elitist about movies myself, but i wanted to explain how it could be picked apart. Even with an open mind and not being too critical, i was entertained during some of it, and bored during some of it, and the end had very little payoff. That's about it in 'how i dun liked it' terms.
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How??? in box office receipts. Yup in monetary bullshit it certainly is the general public. Which is why Shrek 3 and Spider Man 3 were the biggest films of last year. The "general public" doesn't count because they will love literally anything. And it's not their fault. When you have four kids and a mortgage movies aren't the most important thing in life. But the fact remains is 90% have no fucking taste to speak of whatsoever, and therefore we are justified in seeing their point of view (generally, not individually) as irrelevant.
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They were silent while stoned behind you? LOL Maybe they were looking too long into the Crystal Skulls eyes!! "Woah... dude... it's talking to me man!!"
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These talkbacks just start to depress and tire me out now. It’s an Indiana Jones movie for god’s sake. So many of you knew you were going to hate this before you even saw it, and now you revel in your ability to publicly state how right you were. I feel bad for anyone going into a movie, especially a summer action popcorn movie, looking for something to hate. It’s as if some people are actually angry that this movie isn’t terrible.
For all of you that just can’t get over how George Lucus ruined your childhood by making silly sequels to movies that featured Walrus Man, A giant Millennium Falcon eating space slug, and the Ewoks, I say…
Indiana. Let it go.
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Ah yes, I had forgotten about the seal. Thanks for the reminder.
Everyone having doubts: It is a fun movie, bitch all you want because, at the end of the day, it is going to be enjoyed by millions while your pathetic, angry, bitter comments will be forgotten by the 12 people who read them in about, oh, 48 hours. -
I am the easiest guy to please, and not just in bed, but this movie was just so bad, I couldn't even convince myself to have fun at it, it's that bad.
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Huh.
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Not when they're the reason you or I are receiving a paycheck. Hey look... have you even seen the movie yet? Cause if you haven't - I'm not sure why you would even be here other than you already have it out for this movie. I've seen you on other boards doing much of the same.
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The CGI didn't take away from it much until the end of Cate Blanchett.
I like that the artifact is still RELIGOUS, as it should be. Religious from the psuedo-Mayans and religious by modern New Age UFO type people. -
Could you post AFTER you get the sand out of your vagina? You are a bitter old hag, too mean to have fun, too unimaginative to suspend belief. You better be careful, at this rate you will have a heart attack before Harry does.
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May 22, 2008 2:32:26 AM CDT
10 years ago, this would have been perfect. Culturally.
by stereotypical evil archer
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They will literally love anything. Do you trust a dogs opinion on food? Well, it's kinda like that. And no I haven't seen it and I haven't commented on the film here yet. Only peoples reactions thereof. And what other boards have you seen me on? I hope none that arent this site cause it's literally the only one I post on. And if your referring to Massawyrms review of What Happens in Vegas then go to hell. It's fucking insulting for someone to tell me that I can't gleam, just from personal experience, how a movie starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz in which they are forced to stay married would turn out. it was a bullshit argument fabricated by Massawyrm because he clearly had no means of defending his point.
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The opening of the film is from the original draft of Back to the Future. In the original draft of BTTF, Marty drives down to a nuclear testing site and hides in a refrigerator (the original time machine). It was awesome to finally see them film this, and to have it be in an Indiana Jones movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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is the fact that i thought you were all fans of movies, films and cinema. There are a lot of people out there who will watch any mindless drivel put in front of them and pay 10 bucks a pop to park their brain at the door of the cineplex for two hours a week for just any old flick. BUT WE ARE FILM GEEKS!!!
We should have higher standards than the cattle who herd themselves into theaters to see the next big explosion filled blockbuster or moronic comedies and never once question what they are seeing on the screen. I saw Indy tonight with a large group of friends and the consensus was a resounding SUCK! Truthfully people i am not expecting Oscar worthy material here, but WTF? I have been disappointed in Lucas for years but Spielberg and Ford both signing on for this low rent, hack CGI, preposterously plotted joke pains me as a fan.
When you expect a movie to be bad, no problem. I willing sat through both Dragon Wars and Forbidden Kingdom in the theater and they both sucked royally, but i knew they were going to suck going in so i really didn't feel any buyers remorse. But when you have high expectations built upon a film makers history only to have it torn to shreds in front of your very eyes, you cannot help but feel betrayed.
The sets were sad, the green screen work was laughable, the CGI looked like they contracted the work out the the local community college digital media dept. Some of the biggest action sequences were treated as minor inconveniences.
(spoilers!)
So apparently duck and cover doesn't work in a nuclear blast but hiding in a lead lined fridge and being tossed a mile thru the air and tumbling around like a top doesn't affect our hero? Five people in a U boat fall over a waterfall the size of Niagara only to all survive in shallow water and regroup with no injuries. Shia learns how to perfectly mimic Tarzan in a matter of seconds by watching Kampuchea monkeys swinging on vines and is able to perfectly navigate the jungle terrain to land on a moving jeep teetering on the edge of a cliff. I understand about suspension of disbelief but give me something to work with here people. Just because you are calling something fantasy or science fiction doesn't mean you have to dumb down every scene and you should still try and give some kind of semi explanation to your viewer.
I could really go on and on but i lost all faith in this franchise and the people involved. Aliens? Ok I can live with that but try and explain it a little better than a one sentence inter dimensional archeology explanation from a miraculously cured John Hurt.
There are good actors in this movie and the film really tried to have heart in some scenes, but it seriously lost its way and never recovered.
I very rarely do this, but i implore you . . . Do not waste your time on the movie, you will only be disappointed. -
Moriarty's review rings the truest. Still, Shogun master put out some mis-info. He said that the box with the Ark was opened and there were some nice lines. Nope. the box is smashed open, and the ark gets a half second cameo, but Indy never sees it.
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May 22, 2008 2:37:52 AM CDT
BauerJackBauer, that's cool if you're right.
by stereotypical evil archer
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He seems incapable of seeing hte forest from the trees in this case. From his comments it seem that all he sees Indiana Jones as is a big dumb action fun. He would be wrong in his thinking, it's much more than that. i'm tellin ya man you can't trust these fuckers.
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He's what I think: It's like hearing your favorite band's brand new song but the melody is kind of weak. You want to hum a long to the chorus but it's not very exciting maybe only a few notes. Everything else is great, the drums sound amazing, guitar solos are rippping, harmonys are increadable, just doesn't have much of a melody.I don't know if that makes much sense to anyone else. Dont get me wrong it was great to see the movie. It looked great. As a matter of fact I thought everything was pretty good except the story. It was just like a two note chorus in a pop song.All that said I would recomend it if you're a fan for sure.
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If you go in with an open mind and are disappointed, that is one thing. I remember coming out of some movies that I wanted so desperately to like, only to be disappointed. Spider-Man 3, X-men 3, heck going way back… Highlander 2, Ghostbusters 2. I remember being first in line for Batman And Robin, and I don’t really need to tell you how I felt afterward. I just don’t understand people going into a movie, especially one like this, with hate for it before they see it.
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...more than I thought I was going to. It was a fun adventure romp. I might even have liked it more than TEMPLE OF DOOM.
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Totally f'n sucked. It was exactly the movie I thought it would be. I am not sure what movie the critics saw who liked it because I wish I had seen that movie. Every cliche, the lines, the action, the chemistry (wasn't there) it all felt like a forced effort.
Sure there were moments were you say to yourself "that's Indiana Jones" but not enough of them. It's the worst out of the series and does not damage the other 3 quite the way the prequels damaged Star Wars. Still it's stinker. The 12am show was not sold out at all, plenty of seats. I'd say half full actually. The crowd barley reacted to the movie and when it ended a few applauded but most everyone else was quiet and the other 3 people I was with agreed it sucked ass.
Wish I had better news to report. Speed Racer was a better movie. Go see that instead of this ****.
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When i saw Shia le beef make friends with the monkeys and swing with them on the vines and get them to attack the Russians... I felt like crying too
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The next one won't have all the baggage of A. Lucas's mildly rediculous MacGuffin, or B. the scripts, the endless scripts.
The franchise has now been relaunched. Hire a good writer, make a good Mutt/Indy film, and let's have fun with this every couple years.
But please, keep Koepp and his patchworking away. The good parts of the film were those grabbed from better scripts, and I hope Lucas realizes this. -
how does a movie with sub par action scenes, little to no character developement, NO PLOT, marion ravenwood randomly popping out of a tent as a prisoner, and many many more horrible points get such glowing reviews from everyone here at AICN? i love this site but, this movie was pure garbage. it didn't remind me of being 8 years old and seeing indy for the first time, it reminded me of seeing national treasure and but was somehow even worse. at least that shitty movie made a little bit of sense and had a plot as crappy as it was... and wtf? ingenious way of avoiding a nuclear blast? k. right. worse than new starwars. worse than the simpsons for the last 10 years. please, can anyone just leave good enough alone? my childhood is seriously dying...
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I loved this movie. I can't believe all of the bad reviews I have read. the movie was so much fun to watch. i can't wait to see it again.
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First off... you are irrelevant. Cause you don't associate yourself with human beings . Second of all... I seem to recall this forum asking what we thought about Indy 4 after watching it. So now we know you are irrelevant and illiterate. Hurts doesn't it? Knowing everyone here now knows you are an asshole who basically associates most of us with "dogs". Wow... you truly are one arrogant SOB. When is that triple bypass scheduled for you?
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that everything is subjective! I loved it! I found it had soul! I loved the way indiana reacts to seeing his one true love again! I loved the ending, I loved the way Indy's universe evolved during that 19 year-gap... And yet, some people felt that this movie is pure shit, and will disagree with everything I have felt. Whatever people fell, this IS an Indiana Jones movie, a real, authentic, Indiana Jones movie, made by the creators of the series, acted by the actors that created the roles, and if you don't like it, TOUGH LUCK! It is what it is, and it's not what you'd like it to be!...
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May 22, 2008 2:45:31 AM CDT
cathartist, it's an INDY movie, similar to the previous.
by stereotypical evil archer
What were you expecting? High art? Like Aronofsky's THE FOUNTAIN.
Actually it resembles a B-Movie saturday serial version of THE FOUNTAIN. Similar themes told in very different styles.
With the same religious mumbo jumbo. Interesting escapist stuff. That's all INDIANA JONES ever was. And it's good stuff. -
I saw it at the Ziegfeld in New York with 1200 people. There was a grown after the line "Knowledge was the treasure." Even I rolled my eyes. But overall the response was very positive. Lots of laughs and applause. I know there were people in the theatre who must have hated it, but on the whole people seemed to enjoy themselves quite a bit.
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Schumacher's BATMAN & ROBIN, and that film was still funnier.
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May 22, 2008 2:46:29 AM CDT
"you figured that out when you were in your cell didnt you"
by _snakeplissken_
Faaarken Bullshit
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I emerged from the late show an hour ago, and, though I'm loath to say it, now have that queasy post-PHANTOM MENACE mental disconnect. I want to think I saw something really grand, but find myself forced to admit that it just wasn't very good.
The main problem is the script -- It's totally sloppy. It's haphazard, drowning in exposition, includes too many scenes featuring Looney Tunes physics, and is overstuffed with sidekicks doing nothing more than standing around. (I liked Indy and Mutt in the graveyard early on, but by the last act we're looking at Team Indy Power Rangers or somesuch.)
So, what's good? Well, most of the performances are pretty solid. Harrison Ford seemed engaged again, Cate Blanchett is a riot, and Shia and Karen Allen acquit themselves well. But Ray Winstone, John Hurt, and Jim Broadbent in particular are given thankless parts: They're plot devices more than characters.
If you turn your brain off, you may like it more than I did, I suppose. But this film is slapstickier than LAST CRUSADE (snake scene, for ex.), and the flaunting of Looney Tunes physics grew really tiresome.
Also, Tarzan Shia and the three waterfalls were dumber and more unlikely than any scene in Speed Racer...which, I hate to say it, is a film I end up respecting more than this one. I didn't hate Indy IV, but it did feel subpar and mostly forgettable. -
I'm illiterate? Really? What language have I been typing in? And how did I read your strange words? By the way the bypass is scheduled for right after Del Toros Hobbit comes out.
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About halfway through Indy I felt a sinking feeling that informed me it just wasn't working, and it got worse from there. Alien plot doesn't suit Indy, re-intro of Marion was a dud, no real sense of jeopardy or urgency ever, way too much comedy and absurdity. Some promising moments early on, and the skull discovery scene in the crypt seemed like real Indy, but after that very little happened that impressed me much. Sad. Worst Indy film by a good margin.
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It's pretty darn good. My knee jerk reaction right now is to say it's the least of the indys, but that might just be the new-ness. Because right now, in my head, I see the series as "The Indy Trilogy," and then "the fourth." But, I have a feeling that in ten years, when I'm good and used it, and have accepted the Indy series as being a, shudder to use the term, "Quadrilogy" my opinion of the film will increase.
Harrison Ford is Indy. But it still took some getting used to. Because, on the heels of certain reviews, I suppose I expected him to be the same indy, unchanged, from the earlier films. But that's not the case. He is an aged indy, and it took a moment to adjust to that. He's a little slower and more soft spoken now, but he will win you over again. It took me up until the temple sequence half way through before I accepted him again, but hey.
Mutt is the best of the Indy side kicks. The film works best when it's just the two of them and it focuses on the developing relationship between them. A couple of canny but not-too-on-the-nose references to "Last Crusade" in turn around really sell it. Mac- I hate mac, there's no reason he should be in the movie. literally-delete his character from the film and the film is just the same. He's... not as annoying as Jar Jar, but he is as NEEDLESS as Jar Jar and nearly as distracting. Marion IS in the movie, despite some reports, it's just after a certain time she just doesn't have much to do. (I don't think it's that Indy's passive in the final part of the film, it's just the quest blocks out the great stuff between either him and Mutt or Him and Marion, maybe because Ox and Mac were tagging along. and that part of the film sort of feels more like National Treasure 2.
There are aliens, but a couple of lines try to down play this, and make them more mysterious. They aren't from space, but rather another realm. Still, though, the film wisely winks at it. As the space ship fires up, Indy delivers the line, I shit you not, "I have a bad feeling about this." It's almost like, just for a second, the beards tricked Harrison into reprising Han Solo as well!
In summation, it is a sort of mixed bag, but good out weighs the bad. cut a little "this one has no nostalgia behind it" slack, and you should like. and one day, we may even all love it. -
Did anyone else notice that in the film Indy was never referred to as Indiana or Indy it was Henry, so kudos to Lucas who indeed does have the last laugh after all.
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Other than Shia's Tarzan scene I thought it was a pretty good movie. I liked the way they handled the aging issue, just enough and not too much. Shia wasn't as annoying as I thought he'd be, the bad guys were super bad and Karen Allen was just magic.
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Horrible clunky exposition that grinds the movie to a halt.
The dialogue is not witty or clever like in previous films.
The cornball stuff in this version is just slapstick.
I felt like I was watching a theme park ride movie.
The story felt like it just plucked various scenes from different scripts.
What the hell happens to Marion for half the peru car chase? She literally disappears from master shots and magically pops up in the car later. Horrible.
Fridge? Come on.
Tarzan? I was embarassed to be sitting in the movie.
Whats the point of a Marcus brody painting, picture on his desk, and statue? Ugh.
Why is Indy all of a sudden in the good graces of the University and Government at the end? Think about it. All they would know is that he disappeared after a ransack chase across the university nearly killing several people.
Admit it, this is embarassingly bad. I was ready to leave half way through.
It may as well have been power rangers.
Karen Allen was really bad. I cringed. The delivery was almost Anakin bad.
You never once felt Indy was in any real danger. This felt like a cheap knock off.
Save your money.
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He makes friends with the monkeys and has them attack the Russians? You're shitting us right? It's that bad?
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That's your opinion, I was just telling my own opinion.
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but alas I'm not.. -
May 22, 2008 2:57:28 AM CDT
Raiders had more mystery, Skull is more like Doom & Crusade.
by stereotypical evil archer
Just sort of a along for the ride instead of a higher "mission."
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The script reflects the second guessing that must have gone on to please the rabid fans. Don't listen Berg, just do your thing, or else we will get Venom in Indy 5. Fucking internet!
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When are you stubborn fucks gonna admit it
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to admit the dream is over, however unfortunate it may be. Lucas is a heartbreaking bitch some people can't get enough of.
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Thought overall it was ok, had some vintage Indy moments, but wow you can really tell where lucas got his way with things, too much cgi, tarzan and the apes, alien ending. If these three things were worked out, and the script were better overall, the movie would have been much better, but oh well. The first half of the movie is a lot better than the latter. There were a few short glimpses of Indy from his glory days, and speilberg did fine directing, but I think Lucas had too much of a say and kind of ruined it.
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I think if there is one thing that disappointed me most about this film it was the filmmaking technique. I don't know that the story wasn't necessarily good enough, but the way they went about making it just didn't feel right.
I just watched the old trilogy over the last 3 days and the whole thing is pretty tight....cinematography, direction, choreography.....etc. They feel of the same mold.
Spielberg used to storyboard everything but as he got more confident in his abilities he tossed that aside. So now in this Indy its the new Spielberg...the one who shows up on set with no plan and figures things out as he goes. Because of that nothing feels classic...or crisp...or as good as it should be. Its just...ehhh..
And Kaminskis cinematography is plain disappointing. I thought he was going to make an effort to match Slocome...even slightly, but I guess not. Lots of diffused, highlight-laced shiz that doesnt match the old trilogy at all. Most of the sets in this are lit so poorly its more obviously studio than the old films...and that was the 80's. -
Pure fun. Better than Crusade (but Crusade is my least fav). Ford is in great shape. Shia is good (I was worried about the "family tone" of the movie but I finaly had no problem). The best thing in this movie could also be what makes it "just another Indy" and not a major movie: I really feel this movie like a (good) mix between the first 3. So, in a way it's exactely what I wanted, but in the end it's really just another great sequel and not the best movie ever made on earth (as Raiders is to a lot of people!). And ok, the end is a little over the top but I had no problem with that. (Spoiler: I Only wished we didn't see so well the Alien.). With Ford's great shape and mood as we've seen him at Cannes fest (and he lost some weight after the shooty of Indy4), I feel the man ready to shot back to back Indy 5 and 6! go on!
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did the film have a blurry glow to it, kind of pissed me off, it was too clean looking, i guess thats what we get when everything is cgi these days
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It's the strangest feeling right now. I loved the 50's vibe and all the big action set pieces (movies just aren't made like this anymore). I kinda wished they would have just dropped ALL the attempts at sentiment and gone for a straight pulpy-Temple of Doom vibe (still my fav of the series). Shia was a good sidekick but Marion just seemed along for the ride. There were plenty of funny lines and the performances were all good--it just felt like something was missing. I'd give it 3/5 stars.
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Ya, this sucked in the same way: too much CGI, not enough character and story and Indy is now a super hero. After the third waterfall I gave up.
Shia was cool and so was the sword fighting, the motorcycle chase and the first 15 minutes, but a nuke? fuck that my friends, fuck that.
And you know people are grasping for straws when they keep talking about William's score. No one doubted that shit would be good but it should not be better than the movie. It's not better than Lost Ark or Temple of Doom.
This movie entertained and has moments and greatness, but it's not shot like an Indy movie, does not look (physically look) like an Indy movie, and did not end as an Indy movie. They could have done better.
I'm blame Lucas and his trigger happy CGI gun. -
Where are the Christians bitching? Is it the ones who live in your head? I was with a group from my church tonight, and we liked it just fine. So STFU.
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will it be right? will it look right? will you buy it? will it BELONG? ... in my heart... sweet yearnings of aaaaalllll toooniiiight...
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the trailer had. At least I didn't feel it that way in the theater.
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What a surprise.
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May 22, 2008 3:21:54 AM CDT
It's not a bad movie. It's just that it's not an old movie.
by orionsangels
About 99% of new movies suck according to talkbackers and any new movie sequel 10 or 20 plus years after the original is trying to recapture the magic in those classic movies, like they're trying too hard. They're forcing it. It's obvious. This is just an example of the mindset for some moviegoers going into the new Indiana Jones movie. First of all. It's never ever ever ever gonna be as good as the originals. Second, most new movies suck these days, even ones by great directors. Everyones older and outta touch with the audience. Even if they won't admit it. It's a different business now. Now check all this shit at the door when you go see the movie and you'll be happier and more accepting of this brand spankin new movie of your beloved franchise. Featuring older directors and older actors. Giving us what we think we want. In other words. Get over it. Get over that movie you imagined in your head. Because it isn't happening!
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This movie is definately the Indy movie I was hoping to see. There are definate plot weaknesses as many people on this talkback have already described. But the film as a whole is epic, thrilling, and original. It was great fun just to sit and watch, and let myself be taken by this adventure. I could pick the movie apart and not enjoy it if I chose, but this isn't the type of movie your supposed to do that with. Indy 4 rocks, no question about it. Wether you love it or not, this will be the last time of our lives an new INDY film will be in our movie theaters. Go out and enjoy it for what it is, for what Spielberg, Lucas, and Williams created for us.
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See for yourselves!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCnYx6-xxQw
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCnYx6-xxQw
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Only if Spielberg kicks Lucas and Koepp to the curb and they keep in mind we're paying to see Indiana Jones, not Mutt the 3rd. And yeah, count me in on not being a fan of the diffused lighting going on. There were scenes where everyone had a damn halo around them, like someone went overboard with the Blur tool in Photoshop.
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movies that went through my head during this movie: All 3 Indiana Jones movies. Moments of awesome nostalgia and greatness. Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind. All 3 Star Wars prequels. Moments of absolute awfulness, poor dialogue and CGI, and underdeveloped characters. The Mummy movies, for Ray Winstone and the cyclone clusterfuck at the end. We got half a great Indie movie, there in the middle between Nevada and the arrival at the temple. I'd really rather forget about the rest. Oh and the monkeys. Reeeeally wanna forget about the monkeys.
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A working URL: http://tinyurl.com/6l2z9x
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I'd like to adapt the song analogy someone used above.
My favorite band is The Tragically Hip (if you're not Canadian it's likely you've never heard of them), but I rarely if ever like one of their new songs the first time I hear it. They are my FAVORITE band, I never like their new stuff the first time.
I think the same dynamic might be at work here for a lot of people. I think after each new Indy movie was released there was a bit of adjustment needed to accept it as a valid part of the canon.
For most, Raiders started the canon, and everything the came after got compared to it as to whether or not something felt like Indy. If it didn't really feel like Raiders, it didn't feel like Indy.
I saw ToD first. So when I saw Raiders, some of it didn't seem quite like Indy to me. I thought it was OK, but I didn't find it as enjoyable as ToD. But after I watched it several more times it began to form part of what defined Indy rather than being something that I compared to what I already thought of Indy, which had been drawn exclusively from ToD. I've now literally seen Raiders over 100 times and love it.
The same process kinda happened with Last Crusade. I liked it when I first saw it, but nowhere near as much as I like it now. I've now seen all of the movies more than 100 times each easily.
I expect to enjoy the new one more tomorrow when I see it again because I'll actually be seeing it in a good theater with actual sound and I'll actually hear the music. But even though I expect to think it's OK, or even like it, I expect that I won't like it half as much as I will 5 years from now when I've seen it a few dozen times and it has become part of what defines Indy for me rather than something that I'm just comparing to previous Indy canon. -
my ranking now:
1.Temple of Doom
>br?
2.Raiders of the Lost Ark
3.Last Crusade
4.Kingdom of the Looney Tunes Skull -
Seriously crappy. My dad and my brother casually enjoyed it. My expectations were low but were not even met. The performances are phoned-in, the look of the film is all wrong (I'm talking to you Kaminski), the story is an absolute fucking mess, and worst of all... it's boring. Crappy CGI, continuity errors, the list goes on and on. All of you at AICN must have been smoking loads of grass to write all those positive reviews. Maybe because you were so excited to be seeing it early. Packed house tonight and no one reacted during the whole film. There was some polite applause at the end. Where's the clever sense of humor? Where's the thrilling action? Nowhere in sight. Grrrrr. This is on par with National Treasure 2, and National Treasure 2 fucking sucked.
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if you want to believe in the fantasy world that was created in Raiders, and continued in Last Crusade, then the christian God is real. (the ark and the holy grail are both considered real, and obviously have power.) aliens can exist in a universe created by the the one and only christian god, but other gods (like shiva and kali) cant. and im not christian, just pointing out that temple of doom doesnt fit the continuity as much as people think. and i thought the movie was okay, not great, not bad.. I liked the alien subplot though.
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Four fucking sidekicks. Not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4. You know your story is shit when you have to throw in that many extra characters just to give Indy people to explain everything to. This is the Phantom Menace of the 00's. No doubt in my mind. People will turn on this film in mere months.
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theme park ride. Don't spend it all in one place Spielberg.
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far fetched stuff in it.
There is a point you reach with a movie that stretches your believability. ie the dingy landing in the water after falling off the cliff in Temple of Doom.
Now I can stretch it as far as the Ark itself exisiting or the Holy Grail.
But in Indy 4 they've taken things too far...a bit too silly.
Now I can kinda go with the aliens thing but the f**king Tarzan swinging scene. TOO MUCH.
The falling from the 3 waterfalls and just getting wet and staying in the boat. TOO MUCH.
SHia's sword fight between two cars in the jungle with Cate Blanchett. TOO MUCH.
Now these are just three things but they did affect my overall feel for the film.
There was also way too much back screen stuff such as the Tarzan bit....the action sequence through the amazon etc etc
I did love Harrison in it. Brilliant as ever but I wish they concentrated more on him in the second half of the movie instead of half all these secondary characters with him. I loved the other movies cus he only had one sidekick. In this he has a number with him.
I thought Shia was great but please George, don't make another Indy film with him as the lead.
Harrison carries these films and without him they'd suck.
I wwould love one more film with Indy and Harrison but they'd really need to make it straight away. -
what I think right now. I saw the movie here in Brasil at a 7:30pm showing (one of the few movies I get to see first...since I am just visiting and used to seeing movies on US time) and I just dont know how I feel. I guess that can be good or bad. Bad b/c it was Indiana Jones and if you didnt come out knowing you loved it then you wont later...but good b/c maybe with repeat viewing the good parts will outshine the bad. Maybe it is just that the last time I saw an Indy movie on the big screen I was 10 and an Indy film could do no wrong...maybe it is for that reason Last Crusade was my favorite up until I was like 21 and could watch them all again and saw why most adults preferred Raiders..but heck I think I get the biggest kick and most fun out of Temple everytime though I can see it is not the best plot-wise of the group. Maybe that is what happened to me with Kingdom (I guess that's how we abbrievate this one right?). I gotta say plot-wise it was lacking....and yeah I am on the side of the "I want my Indy looking only for religous artifacts" but other than the Maguffin it was lacking...something....BUT hell if I didnt enjoy myself a TON watching it! It gave me a kick! It was strange...during the movie I was hooping and hollering and oohing and aahing and laughing and ...well hooping when Indy was punching out Russkies, hollering when the exploded forest crusher came hurling parts at them, oohing when Indy was trapped at ground zero of a nuclear test site with 10 seconds and counting, aahing when he came up with a great last second solution to survive said nuclear blast (and it was believeable what happened, those old fridges were steel (one thing that doesnt disintegrate or melt in nuclear blast and sealed enough that it could take the bouncing about without hurting the one inside plus protecting from radiation....ahhhh lead they just dont make enough out of it these days), laughing at the wonderful part where only a snake can save Indy from the quicksand pit and Harrison's insanely terrified reaction. The whole chase scene...both motorcycle and jungle....were better than Raiders....the fight with the near indestructible Russian colonel was not as good but a terrific homage to the mechanic fight from Raiders. Chemistry between Ford and Allen as though this film was made back to back with Raiders. Shia (who I have found a great actor in every movie he's in....Greatest Game Ever Played anyone? Dunno where this hate comes from) was great as Mutt...not overplayed at all and though I dont want him take over INdy movies...I welcome him as a son/sidekick anytime. Blanchett's villain was a little too cerebral for me....and the way she bought it felt kinda like....even if Indy didntdo anything and just let the Russians follow their plan they would have died anyway...taken out by the aliens. But then I realized that is exactly how Raiders was. Indy started on an adventure to find something..but ended up just wanting to rescue Marion...and he lost to the bad guys and the bad guys got what they wanted...and God killed them with the Ark. So that exact same thing happened here. Cant complain there...Indy even alluded to it..perhaps remembering back on the Ark incident when he says to Strenko " Be careful. You just might get what you want." Very mixed bag for me....gotta definitely see it again now that I know and accept the plot a la Temple....and see if with repeat viewings the plot overshadows the good or like with Temple the laughs, fun, rollicking action, character moments (love the exchange between INdy and his boss about Marcus and his dad's passing) overshadow the plot's shortcomings.....
Tomorrow I'll see hahaha Bottom line though...whether Kingdom ends up 4th behind Temple or 3rd ahead of Temple for me ALL 4 of the Indy films (and hopefully 5) FAR OUTSHINE any other action/adventure films Hollywood has given us in the last 10 years or more....and yes...INDY is back. Moreover, Harrison Ford is back! God, PLEASE let him carry this inspiration to choose better roles that he can actually not phone it in anymore. -
I was built to love Indiana Jones since before I was born. My dad would hum the theme to my moms pregnant belly. I have been hopeing for this movie since my dad showed Raiders to me when I was 5 (I am now 22). I have been actively waiting for this movie since talk started (or at least, when I became aware of the talk), about 8 years ago. I was terrified when filming actually started. I wanted the movie to be great, and if it wouldnt be great, or it wouldn't do the other films justice, I wanted things to be left well enough alone.
And tonight, those fears were singularly obliterated. People are going to bash this film until the cows come home, and I don't care. I am not blind to the fact there are flaws (of which there are a handful) BUT it FELT like an Indy movie. I always wanted to know what it was like to sit in a theatre and watch an Indy movie for the first time with a bunch of fans. And now I know. It rocks, and I loved it. -
fucking aliens? really?!
What the hell was the point of Ray Winstone in the movie; the character just complicated a script that already had too many loose ends. Beside he felt like a character I had seen in any other IJ flick; sidekick/helper flawed by greed.
Cate Blanchett in probably the first movie I didn't like her in. Awful villain.
In an effort to keep with the brilliantly serial story style of Douglas Slocombe, Janusz Kaminski makes Indiana Jones look like fucking Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow.
The movie starts out by having as much Indiana Jones nostalgia as Spielberg can get shoved down the audience throats, then proceeds on what feels like one downhill race towards the end of the movie; kind of like Terminator 3. Oh yeah, except the scenes of dialog in IJATKOFCS drag worse than Speed Racer. -
It's better than 3, but not as good as 2. I put 2 first but 1 second and the 4th one 3rd and blah blah blah CGI sucked blah blah phoned in blah blah blah shia sucks blah blah blah lucas sucks blah blah blah aliens can't be in an indy movie blah blah blah.
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Sorry, I don't mean to come across as angry. I'm not upset about the movie, really. I was never a huge Indy fan. I'm more upset that fans have been jerked around for so long, that the hype was so insane, and that this is the final product they the loyal fans are rewarded with. Spielberg is pretty much dead to me, which makes me sad. War of the Worlds was horrendous, Munich was a step in the right direction, but then this... I can only hope this was mostly Lucas' doing (since he put up most of the money), but I'm sure both had a major role in the failure that is this film. But some will enjoy it, many will hate it, and none will love it. Harry's reaction to this movie is cause for concern. Seems like most of the weight he's lost is in his brain.
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Not liking a movie is one think, but some talkbackers seem to carry all this resentment. This baggage full of anger. Usually it's directed towards Lucas or any other big director. You act like they owe you something. It's like Clark in the Vacation movie. "We see his movie, we buy his toys! He owes us!" haha
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I've noticed there's some fellow geeks from the UK on this talkback...................soI'dliketoaddthat'Spaced'isoverrrated.Cheers!
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This was one film too many. Just amazingly mediocre from start to finish. And did anyone think that the cinematography wasn't even remotely up to scratch compared to Grand Master Douglas Slocombe!
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Throughout.
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but apart from a precious few minutes of magic, i left feeling quite disappointed...50's and Indy dont mix...and when did he become political? hopefully a second viewing will fix it a little bit
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May 22, 2008 4:18:15 AM CDT
Not perfect.But its an Indy movie,which is all I asked for.So I'
by xmanse
Ah, the geeky smile of youth.
Watched it with some guys aged about 19-22. They mostly hated it.
I'm 29 and felt giddy as a school boy after his first kiss.
One guy said, "But it was so ridiculous and far fetched! At least the others had a sense of realism."
To which I replied, "What? Nazi's finding the Ark and getting their faces melted?"
This guy also states Alien as his favourite sci-fi film, which, as we all know, was based on a true story. Idiot. -
LOL! With every Indy film his sidekick volume increases.
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May 22, 2008 4:23:09 AM CDT
I wonder how the originals would have faired if TB existed then.
by kirttrik
I mean, there's an elderly knight that speaks English and is from mid-eval France in the 3rd. The 2nd has Indians using a voodoo doll, come on people, figure it out, it's just a fun film, if you don't like ice cream go eat something else.
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No, I see the problems with the movie -there are quite a few, but I see more problems in your trivial bursts of irrelevant anger. You seem to not be able to tune out for two hours, too focused on every asinine detail while forgetting that we are seeing updated versions of what we love. I think that there were tons of problems with this movie, but it is one worth seeing.
I know a bad movie when I see one -Dude, Where's My Car, Vantage Point, Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man, Batman Forever, etc -and this is not one of them. This movie is only unwatchable to nitpicking pussies like yourself. -
Will this be the first movie to go over 200 mil soley because of people seeing it to see if it's as mediocre as everyone's saying it is?
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May 22, 2008 4:28:32 AM CDT
"but by the last act we're looking at Team Indy Power Rangers or
by prossor
that's a winning line mostholy
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I wish I didn't know the name going in and was blissfully unaware of what lies ahead but that luxury these days with sequels, prequels and re-makes is sadly gone so I'm praying if it doesn't exactly triumph in originality it more than makes up for with propper good ol' fashioned fun, action and adventure!plus my kid is gonna have a blast!
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This was a bland version of the character I love. It also had George Lucas written all over it... I'm bummed.
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Spoilers!!!Saw it at the midnight showing at the Castro theater in San Francisco...best theater in the country. Or at least the coolest. Anyways, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe its because it was at midnight. I have yet to see a movie at midnight I liked a lot, maybe because I am tired at 2:30 when I walk out, and maybe I will like it more tomorrow. But my biggest problem with the movie is that the action scenes were rediculous. They were in no way realistic, either that or Stephen did not do a good enough job suspending my belief. I had no problem with the final scenes, and those were pretty cool. But the script was pretty bad. John Hurt was wasted. Imagine telling an actor that ALL OF YOUR LINES WILL MAKE NO SENSE TO ANYONE. So muich of this movie was unbelievable. Why did Indy allow Ray Winstone to tag along through the latter half of the journey?-spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!-He got Indy captured twice and double crossed him big time, and yet Indy was happy with him tagging along into the big Mayan temple. Bullshit. That was just a dumbass thing to have him do. Indy is not a moron.Why did Indy have Oxley go get "help" while they were in the sand pit. Just who did Indy think he would go get? Who else was there to get but the fucking russians? So then why did Indy act surprised when they showed up?The car chase was pretty silly. Its as though there was a cosmic requirement that the cars go at the same speed, just to have a fight atop the cars. No one ever used their brakes. Irina had the skull many times and yet still kept going int he cars. Why? Stop the fucking car! You have guns and tons of russians. There's no hurry! Am I missing something?Three fucking waterfalls? Sorry, completely unbelievable. Maybe he can live through one but four people going over three bigass waterfalls with nary a scratch as if they went for a dip in the pool...puhleeze! There were lots of cool things though...the whole scene at the beginniong with the nukes, the end scene...I dug all of that stuff. Coolest saucer I ever did see!Anyways, I give it a 5 of 10. Maybe I will like it better on a second viewing.
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Massively disappointed!!!!!
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Certainly THE PHANTOM MENACE would hold that distinction over this -- and that certainly went way over 200 mil. Everyone already had their tickets in hand, and yet no one wanted to believe the mediocre lukewarm reviews that flooded out. Who could believe after waiting THAT LONG that Lucas would totally drop the ball?Hmm...wait a minute...this could be a trend. Maybe George decided he wanted to protect his own record and now go 2-0 on letting franchise fans down after a gigantic wait. Man, I'm going tomorrow, but I figured I'd take a peek at the Talkback. And I am NOT feeling my enthusiasm working itself up now seeing SO MANY "meh" reviews and comments...
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Do I buy into the Ark melting Nazi faces more than an alien melting Cate Blanchett's brain? Do I accept Hindu gods and the Holy Grail before I accept a UFO? The answer is, when it comes to Indiana Jones? Yes. Yes I do.
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My main complaint is that they reduced Marion to an invalid. Half the movie, she just stares into space with the fucking smile of a person unaware.
The entire movie is shot on a stage. What happened to the locations of the past? The entire movie is CG. What a disappointment.
I really, REALLY wanted to enjoy it. -
It was bad. REAL bad. I'm sorry, but I'll take Phantom Menace ANY FUCKING DAY over this. I had high hopes yet low expectations...but I couldn't imagine so pitiful and stupid. It will be a while before I recover from this excrement.
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Like other reviews I have read, I too agree that at the core, this feels like an Indiana Jones film, from the opening segment to the, pacing, editing and music
all still hold the core of the series close to it's heart.
The stunts are great, seeing Indy get out of those pesky situations is still fun and are delivered in the same way we love, the kind that makes you cheer for our hero every time.
I for one enjoy seeing Spielberg
get back to doing something fun again, but with the quality that made him the director I still love all these years later (War of the Worlds is a personal low point for me) While the story is for the most part great, there are some problems with the execution of the film. Although I do think George Lucas should not be allowed to pen another script ever. Come up with
the ideas George, but for god sakes don't write them down. His ideas are officially out of touch with what fans want. Tarzan, and UFO's does not belong in this movie.
Shia LeBeouf, gets a lot of criticism, especially on this board. His angle is to be the sarcastic man-child that thinks he knows everything. Is there a teenager that doesn't like
seeing a kid make an adult look stupid? Shia fit his role perfectly. My issue with him falls on Lucas and writer David Koepp for scripting an action scene that
is so off the map silly that that it's just plain awful, but that alone will not sour my thoughts on the film. The other issue I had was with the ending. It was so overblown and effects laden that I
begin to question it being an Indy film, Lucas and his ILM buddies just don't understand how to tone down the effects. I also think that for hard-core die hard fans of the trilogy, the ending is going to put them over the edge (in a bad way). It was a little too much for
my taste, but again I do not live and die for the series. So it was what it was, because the journey to
get there is classic Indy, the Indy that I know and love and grew up with.
Harrison Ford is still awesome,
he's the same charismatic cinema legend that we all wanted to be growing up. You can tell he loved doing the character again. Ray Winstone does a fine job as
Indy's pal, and it's great to see Cate Blanchett in a movie that will actually make some money and maybe
introduce her to the biggest audience of her career
(thinking that the Elizabeth crowd and the Indy crowd are two different types of moviegoers). The scenes that are amazing were the opening scene to set the tone, the motorcycle chase through the school, the scene at the graveyard and the final set before the aliens take over. That set with the columns and the Mayan Temples is great. There was a lot more that felt like Indiana Jones. than there was stuff for me to get pissed at.
Much of the humor in the story is well timed and done perfectly,
some not so much. Karen Allen is a nice touch, but in certain close-ups you can tell there was work done (i.e Plastic Surgery) but what the heck, it's been almost 30 years. Spielberg pays a nice homage to the history of the saga, characters are mentioned (or shown).
All in all I was very pleased with the movie, I am not going to let a few things ruin the entire film for me because that simply is not the case. If this is indeed the last Indiana Jones movie I will
ever see, then I for one am happy with the product. -
I stopped about a dozen times during the movie and asked "what the hell" Not a good sign.
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I just got back from a midnight showing... and let me say this...
I have NEVER seen a lazier, sloppy, worthless, BORING film in all my life! I use the word "film" loosely, because nearly EVERYTHING down to simple props and a fucking TORCH FLAME was GODDAMN CGI!!!!! There is not one single good thing to say about this fucking EPIC FUCKING FAIL of "film"...
"For the fans" my fucking ass Mr. Spielberg and Mr. Lucas. From the bottom of my heart, FUCK YOU!!!! FUCK YOU BOTH IN THE FUCKING MOUTH!!!! I expect this from from Lucas... but Spielberg... what the FUCK HAPPENED?!?! Three... THREE SHOTS OF CG FUCKING PRAIRIE DOGS?! REALLY? The worst clunky falls dead on the floor the minute its spoken dialogue I've ever heard in my life... and that includes student films, sir.... CG in place of practical effects and locations in an Indiana Jones movie is fucking DISGUSTING! Never... not ONCE did I ever believe anyone was in danger. ILM has officially given up on trying to make ANYTHING look real and instead has chosen just to make things shiny looking... even the fucking people!!! And that vine scene... that FUCKING VINE SCENE... I hope that scene alone should kill the careers of EVERYONE involved in it, right down to the guy that projected it onto the screen I saw it on tonight... Be ashamed Spielberg and Lucas... you have made the worst film of all time. Once more, Fuck You both. I could write for hours about every frame and why it was a waste and why I hated it.
Fuck this movie... As far as I'm concerned, Indiana Jones still ends with The Last Crusade... just like Die Hard went out with a vengeance and Terminator stopped at Judgment Day... The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull never happened., and I'll insist on that FACT till the day I die. -
Jesus Christ.
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Went in with low expectations and was glad the movie was better than I had thought it would be. Too bad it wasn't as good as it should have been. Thought it was better than Last Crusade, but I think just about everything not involving Ben Stiller or Will Ferrel is better than Last Crusade...
I don't know, it's kind of funny that I felt positive about the movie, even though the alien bullshit is totally lame. Maybe I'm just giving it extra points thanks to no Sean Connery. Don't know that I've really seen Shia in anything, but he wasn't bad. Liked the character enough, even if the twist with him being Indy's son was more predictable than a Hulk Hogan legdrop.
I don't know, I guess it's the third coolest thing I've seen this week, behind Iron Man and that five minute clip of Rambo. Think I might've liked it better if it was more about Indy doing things, and less about Indy talking about doing things...and if I didn't have Mummy flashbacks, and didn't have to watch Shia as Tarzan... -
what was these HORRIBLE STAGES?! Would it break these assholes' bank to go someplace other than fucking Hawaii to shoot a movie? That graveyard scene was Uwe Boll. Jesus Christ. Fucking cheap ASSHOLES. I wasn't even mad over Lucas for Star Wars. But this one REALLY fucking pisses me off.
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I'm heartbroken. The blame falls on all three players, George, Steven and Harrison--an anyone else who approved this script (Paramount, etc). One of them should have recongized how stupid it was. Sad.
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Jesus.
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May 22, 2008 5:05:05 AM CDT
Oh yeah, you know what would've been a better ending?
by pops freshemeyer
If the alien artifact garbage all turned out to be bullshit. Would've been badass if they had undergone all this action to get to the ruins and find out that the crystal skulls are fakes. You know, kind of like how they are in real life...
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Damn You Michael Bay
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Oh my God. Indy 4 is so bad, I don't even want to spend the energy to explain it. What a total, utter and complete disappointment. The first hour or so is pretty good but when it reaches a certain point (Mutt Williams and the monkeys) it all comes crashing down and never recovers. I really can't believe how bad it is. I am not a Lucas-hating interweb loudmouth either - I'll defend the Star Wars prequels all day long - even TPM. That's right, I am saying that The Phantom Menace is a better film than The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - ten times better. This film is total crap. I'm going to have to see KOTCS again several more times because of my job, so I hope I am just in a grumpy mood and will like it better on later viewings, but I really doubt it. The more I think about it the worse it gets.
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1. Bad and jumbled storyline; crappy resolutions
2. Boooooooooring MacGuffin
3. Way over the top action that I was embarrassed to be watching in an Indy Jones film
4. Too much CGI/blue-screen
5. Lazy soundscore by John Williams
6. Slapstick just thrown in to be slapsticky for no reason
7. Licensed music
I had the lowest of expectations and I wasn't impressed. I booed at the end of the film, most people in the theater seemed to like it though.
My friend just kept calling the movie a joke. Several times I said out loud during the jungle sequences so people around me could hear, "ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME?!?!?"
This movie was pretty much a waste of time with SOME cool moments (but not many). -
I should've listened to when Lucas said "People will hate this movie."
No fucking shit. -
I had no complaints about Ford's physical ability. I still think the dude looks good and is obviously in great shape.
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I can't say it enough.
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This is totally weird - I hated the movie but I want to go back and see it again. I don't know why...maybe to give it another chance? To maybe shake off this feeling of "maybe I'm wrong"? Maybe it's a feeling that "this can't be happening, they can't have screwed Indy 4 up!" and I have to prove to myself that they did?
Anyone else got a weird yearning to see this a second time who hated it? -
Maybe it's because I hated the movie so much I want to go back and re-affirm my hatred. See if there's anything I missed the first time around that I could hate more or something. Find more things to hate about the movie...or like? I wanted to like this movie so much and was so disappointed. I think I want to find things to hate and love about it.
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"The General Public"? You talk as if the "General Public" is some mindless monolithic entity that you are above and entirely seperate from; how fucking arrogant? How are you seperate from these people? Do you not pay to see films?
Believe it or not, the majority of people don't come to the internet and immerse themselves in - and research - all aspects of a film from development to release; they still get their info from TV Spots, Press, and pre-film trailers in cinemas; people don't have your elitist "I'm in the Business Sixth Sense" mind powers of pre-judgement or snobbish attitude. Lots of people out there still decide on whether or not to watch a film based on opinion of trailers and word of mouth; to suggest people are like dogs who will 'eat anything' put before them shows immense arrogance.
Most people will see this film based on their OWN opinion of the first 3 films without being told what to think by jaded snobs such as yourself.
Oh, and remember if you really DO "work in the industry" (operating a projector or serving popcorn in a cinema don't count), then "The General Public" pay your wages. -
May 22, 2008 5:28:10 AM CDT
I am confident Lucas is responsible for the shitty parts of Indy
by blackjackbauer
the groundhogs popping up all the time in the beginning, the UFO plot, the over done CGI at the end, KILLING OFF HENRY JONES SR, that crappy wedding with old people cheering him on that WE DONT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT....it all felt like LUCAS. all the things that worked about this movie were clearly ford and spielburg. the set pieces, the fun chases witih the interesting shit going on felt very Indy. They just need to make it a HARRISON FORD movie, not a 4 person adventure. I dont want to see 4 people running around, I want solo Indy, or Indy with one other person exploring shit. While it was VERY different to see Indy in the 50s....it worked. i couldnt hate on it. it was a solid installment, much better than anything we have seen out of the star wars camp. its better than any other action movie thats out nowadays, better than national treasures and mummys and lara crofts etc. at 60 something, Indy still has it. make another one, only make it ALL ABOUT INDY.
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Not tears of joy,Harry. Not by a long shot. After Phantom Menace,I didnt think a film could break my heart this bad. Just a bad,bad movie and it felt like pissing on a legend. Goddamn I'm a sad little fanboy. Theres not a minute of this I enjoyed and I went in with zero expectations. "Let it go Indiana"
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all 3 Indy films previous to this start the movie with Indy in ANOTHER adventure, then he gets wrapped up in a NEW one. its been very key to the series and has worked out well. In this one however, they completely went away from that. the entire movie was start to finish was the main story, and that in itself was very very wrong.
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Apparently John Williams scored more or less the entire film when the running length was 140 minutes long. The current run time is 120 minutes. Maybe the reason the music was so subpar was because someone didn't use the new stuff he wrote?
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because i can take the ark and the pissed off hebrews killing nazis. its really the same shit. what i didnt need was an extended view of the alien like i was watching mulder and scullys new movie
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Saw it tonight at a midnight show in reno, Im one of those people who can say they saw every indy film in the theater as first runs, only have a few minor complaints, the pacing is off at times, the villain is weak, but other then that it felt like an indy film, even weak plotted it still was fun to watch, good action sequences at times, and i enjoyed watching harrison ford try again. On a side note, there should be another film, but not a passing of the torch, just one more where possibly indy either dies at the end or retires, either way, and i loved the closure to the marian story line. Goodnight.
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I didn't see it yet, but i just wanted to chime in.
And for the record: AVP wasn't all bad. I did like the queen running through that whale skeleton at the end. Yah.... -
Guys,
So I haven't seen the movie yet. But reading all your posts about how it's turned out... I just want to tell you how sorry I am. Every single one of you deserves better. You walked into the theatre because you were promised Indiana Jones, and what you got was something else entirely. As a film fanatic, and a huge Indy fan myself, I'm so, so sorry. People will tell you to not have the standards you have. They'll tell you it's just a movie. ...Ignore them. This stuff is important. Genre film-making is going down the tubes, and the day it takes Indiana Jones and Spielberg down with it is a tragedy for world culture. It breaks my heart to read your disillusioned posts.
But I want to say this: I PROMISE you, things will get better. There's a new generation of filmmakers in the sidelines. We were raised by the films of the late seventies and eighties, and now we're about to get to work. We have early Spielberg and Lucas to teach us what to do right, and current Spielberg and Lucas to warn us where we might go wrong. I know I'll get mocked for saying this stuff, but for those of you who need to hear it, I'm making a promise. Your interests are represented in Hollywood. The Spielbergs and Lucases and Camerons and Zemeckises of the next gen are on your side. It's gonna be hard... the studios have come to expect CGI and Michael Bay editing, but we're gonna fight them to make great pop art like our heroes used to. Genre film-making will be reclaimed by those who still know how to care for it. And that's what everyone of us deserves... because after a while, film stops giving to you... and starts taking things away. And not a one of us should accept that. -
but it took 10 plus years or whatever such nonsense for that script! my God! what they must've turned down?
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That movie was painfully over the top, with Lucas' trademark inability to control himself with ILM... the stunts were gag worthy and there were too many odd parts that had no business in the Indiana Jones universe. Poorly handled in so many aspects but not without some (few) redeeming factors.
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it served no other purpose but to have indy have to grab a snake. we didnt need that scene at all, and it probably should have been cut. and his whip was at his side, so obviously he couldnt reach into the sand and get it.
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What bugs me most is how shockingly unimaginative it is. The Indy trilogy has always been about good ideas; about the great little touches that makes you admire the filmmakers for their creativity. Remember how Indy used the flagpole to joust the Nazi during the motorcycle chase in "Crusade"? Remember the "strangled by the vent" scene or the bridge showdown in "Doom"? Or how the Nazi in "Raiders" entered that tent with a nunchuck… and it turned out to be a coat-hanger? Well - NOTHING in "Crystal Skull" comes even close. I mean, seriously: They had 19 years to plan a sequel, and Tarzan Mutt and 3 waterfalls was the best they could come up with? Why did the characters have to run through the jungle all the time; wasn't the "travel" aspect one of the fun things about Indy? Instead of some snow scenes or underwater archeology, the movie merely ruminates locations from earlier installments. They tried nothing new. Sad.
Also, I was really disturbed by how shamelessly the movie cited the original films, or other films of the genre. Mac, the traitor, is basically Elsa from "Crusade"; Marion as the kidnapped family member is Henry Sr.; Oxley is the kid that escaped from the "Temple" and his letter is the grail diary. The collection of archeological treasures in the temple was lifted right from "National Treasure"; Mac stuffing his pockets with riches and getting punished for it is from "The Mummy", the whole alien angle (which DID turn out to be a stupid idea) stems from "The X-Files". The motorcycle chase is from "Crusade" (just less original), the jungle chase is very similar to the jeep chase in "Raiders". Oh, and that's about it: There are no "inventive" chases here like the horse vs. tank, boat or plane chases in "Crusade" or the unforgettable mine chase in "Doom".
Apart from that… the movie wasn't funny, witty or sexy in any way. No memorable lines like "the sword is mightier than the pen" or "you should read the books instead of burning them" or "it's the mileage". Cate Blanchett is kind of kinky in her Russian domina mode, but be honest, you'd rather bonk the gorgeous blonde from "Crusade" instead.
And what's with all those leaps in logic? I wonder why no one in this talkback has mentioned them yet: Why in the world are there crazed, masked kids guarding the graveyard, jumping around like freaks?! Why do the Indians in the temple climb OUT OF THE WALLS? Do they live there like cockroaches? And taking into consideration that the room where the alien skeletons are stored is REALLY well guarded and REALLY hard to reach… how the hell DID THE CRYSTAL SKULL GET OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE?
It is sad how pieced-together the script felt. You can really feel how Koepp was forced by Lucas to incorporate all those favorite scenes from previous drafts (just because he had PAID for them, the greedy s.o.b.), without them ever having the chance to work together as a whole. The nuclear explosion bit? Not a bad scene per se, but totally out of place; has nothing to do with the actual story, it was outright confusing and threw the audience out of the movie. The confession scene in the quicksand? One of the very few good scenes in the film – smart, endearing and funny – but it didn't feel like it belonged here, it was clearly lifted from a different screenplay.
I've been a life-long fan, but this movie is a mess, really, and put the final nail into the franchise's coffin. Not just that, I think it gives Hollywood blockbusters a bad name as a whole. Their golden age is definetely over, and "Crystal Skull" is the proof that even the greatest genre filmmakers cannot be trusted anymore. Had the film come out ten years earlier – before all the Mummies and Tomb Raiders and National Treasures changed our viewing habits – it might have worked a little better. But in 2008, all I can say is: TOO LATE. -
May 22, 2008 5:57:00 AM CDT
the nuclear bit is stolen from back to the future draft
by blackjackbauer
anyone who knows the BTTF draft knows that Marty was supposed to stumble on a nuclear site or something and get into a fridge in exactly the same way that indy did. the frige was suppposed to be the time machine, and they scrapped the idea because they didnt want kids hopping into fridges. no im not making this up, go research it. so it seems like speilburg found a spot to stick this in, as he was a part of the BTTF Trilogy as a producer.
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Reading the above reviews reminded me what I saw this evening, because I complained for about ten minutes, and then the film's sequences evaporated from memory. I really wanted to like this, I needed to see this, I have to say that if it weren't for Raiders, I wouldn't have been a filmmaker.
This was just...bad. Real bad, embarrassingly bad, especially from two filmakers, and seasoned actors that I know for a fact, KNOW BETTER. No one can be this delusional (Lucas/Speilberg). It seemed Harrison was trying to do his best with the awful mess the script was, and Shia just seemed happy to be a part of the franchise. Karen Allen acted as if she was on a vacation from her life outside the movie buisness enjoying herself on a t.v show making a guest appearence. The action sequences had no impact, and something no Indy movie action sequence should not have is BALLS! The CGI was fine until the jungle chase, and then it went overboard to Looney Tunes territory. I won't even get into the dialogue, and the script, I'll be here all morning.
I gave it to the middle of the movie, i tried, i really tried, and it just kept falling apart, embarrassingly. This is exactly what the movie played like. An old couple going to see a sunday matinee with their grandchildren, to see something fun, and that's it ! This is a souless, Mc Donalds product that is called Indiana Jones, that Lucas is trying to run as a business, and not a film that we want to see our beloved characters over, and over again in.
It makes me sick, and sad, because this film is a shining example of what is ruining cinema, and how the independent, and creative mind turns to greed.
This film is going to tank, and George's hopes to continue
this franchise will go up in flames in front of him, and that's exactly what he deserves. I really can't believe it was this bad. -
The time machine went through several variations during production of the first film, Back to the Future. In the first draft of the screenplay, the time machine was a laser device that was housed in a room (like the time machine featured in Deja Vu). At the end of the first draft the device was attached to a refrigerator and taken to an atomic bomb test site. Director Robert Zemeckis said in an interview that the idea was scrapped because he did not want children to start climbing into refrigerators and getting trapped inside. In the third draft of the film the time machine was a car, as Zemeckis reasoned that if you were going to make a time machine, you would want it to be mobile.
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*MASSIVE SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!*
Okay, did it bother anybody that there were two parallel roads in the jungle? It just seemed like so many scenes relied on convenience and happenings. The film lacked some focus, moving from one scene to the next, without giving much attention to any of them. However, this was not my biggest problem with the film.
That script was awful. At first I wondered why Indy sounded so unnatural. At first i thought Ford had lost his edge, but then the lame dialogue kept dropping. The film's biggest fault, easily. In the end when they finally reach the alien temple and are observing the pictographs on the walls, I couldn't believe how much exposition they put in. Hey guys, a picture is worth a thousand words, and it's right fucking behind you. We get the story before they even explain it but they just keep on going.
Ford and Shia are the two best characters in the film, and their father son bond is worked on really well. However, all of the other characters seem to appear as plot devices. Most of Indy's other allies seem unnecessary and frivolous. They never really do anything special or memorable. Indy's friend from the opening just keeps switching the sides the whole time, without it ever having any consequence, as Indy gets caught, then escapes, over and over again.
This is definitely the most ridiculous film of the series. Indy surviving a FUCKING ATOMIC BOMB by hiding in a refrigerator was funny, but totally unbelievable. Even if the blast couldn't burn him I'm sure he would have broken his neck from the fall and all the tumbling. But that wasn't the worst part.
There was once a boy lost in a sea of vines. He didn't knew what to do...until he met a monkey. A monkey with a secret to tell. How to swing on vines. That part was so fucking dumb I was totally pulled out of the film. And then when the monkeys went all ewok on those commies and started consciously attacking them to help Shia, it wasn't really helping.
The final act of the film also suffers a lot from what I like to call "theme park syndrome" where it seemingly glides from one "amazing" set piece to the next. There is no real sense of danger or consequence, and they just happen to scoot by and survive everything. Like when everybody just climbed back onto the boat after every waterfall, totally unfazed, but slightly soggy.
The action lacks the tremendous focus on gegraphy and choreography of the older films. In the old movies, you really get a sense of what is happening and Indy's humanity and ability to conquer certain obstacles work to great effect. In this one, it's more chaotic, with the camera whizzing all over, and CG characters running rampant. There are slight elements of the old fights, little details thrown in that help some, but they lack the meticulous planning of the old action. Still, the action does prove to captivate and excite, if only to a certain degree.
Still, Indy was Indy. His scenes where he and Marion meet again and where he tells her about the other girls' problem, it was extremely sweet, and the chemistry was still there.
It may sound like I just hated it for all its ridiculous elements, but all the Indy films lack a certain amount of realism. In this case, the liberal use of CGI (I never once felt like it was real actors in a tangible action scene) only elevated my suspension of disbelief, and also detracted from any feeling of danger.
While I basically complained this whole time, I am being extremely nitpicky, and it's not a bad film by any means. It entertains tremendously and the two male leads are excellent in their respective roles. A suitable end to a legendary series.
I give it a 7 out of 10. Subtract one if you have no patience for ridiculous cinema (i.e. you didn't get Speed Racer), and add 1 if you are a die hard Indy fan. -
It was fun as hell, and a great time at the movies, but prepared to just go with the flow and leave your brain at the door...maybe I hsould have just posted this instead of that crazy review
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that was some lucas shit. "hehehe hey guys lets have some animal help out our lead and beat up the bad guys!! YEA GUYS CMON!" george, no we cant do that it would be corny - " NO STEVEN U LISTEN TO ME I MADE THIS CHARACTER WE ARE GONNA DO IT!"
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I am COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY MYSTIFIED that so many fans of the first three films are giving this thing not only passes but RAVES. Holy crap, it has a few moments, but this movie almost completely loses sight of everything that made the first three great. This is right up there with Alien 3 as one of the most traumatizing viewing experiences of my life. It made me sick to my stomach like Spielberg's other extreme brick, The Lost World. I simply don't get it at all.
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that was some lucas shit. "hehehe hey guys lets have some animal help out our lead and beat up the bad guys!! YEA GUYS CMON!" george, no we cant do that it would be corny - " NO STEVEN U LISTEN TO ME I MADE THIS CHARACTER WE ARE GONNA DO IT!"
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with just Mutt and Indy and the two KGB agents was the best scene in the whole movie.
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makes the first movie almost seem like it was worthless.
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I don't remember a single piece of music from the movie!!! I was so pumped waiting in line for the midnight showing to hear a fabulous John Williams score, but I can't recall any of with the exception of when he puts on his hat and we see Indy for the first time.
I wanted to love this so badly, I really wanted another great Indy film, but this is more of a Transformers (thanks a bunch ILM for your shit ton of work done on this movie) with Indiana Jones thrown in. -
that the movie wouldnt stand on its own...that they had a self fulfilling prophecy by adding some much shit to it that it dragged it down. i just wish lucas would die or something so good people could go on making these movies without him.
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Good lord, the world HAS GONE CRAZY!!!
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People may enjoy this on a 'nostalgic level'; but this film simply doesn't get it gone - it feels like a lazy effort that came off half-baked. Sure, some of it is fun...but it doesn't even live up to Last Crusade - and that was my least favorite of the original 3 (until now...this movie feels more like National Treasure or The Mummy in terms of crappy CGI and lazy quality - it's beneath the Indy franchise).
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I saw it on Tues. night at a preview screening, and I have to say the movie is just ok. The tips of the hat to the fans are cool, and you can tell Harrison is really having a good time, but the story is just weak. I thought it was really good until they get to the treasure chamber at the bottom of the temple. The ending is weak/rushed and just not satisfying.
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he was like you want this power, here take it bitch! man, Indy didnt even need to GO on that adventure,he could have said fuck it and let them all die. the only thing he got out of it was marian and that old fart, but the russians would have all died anyway getting no new power. and LOL@ her trying to read Indys mind in the beginning what the fuck was that about? bitch talkin bout brain powers and then she coudlnt use that shit herself. koo koo ass bitch!
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reading minds of people and being able to control them without them even knowing it. it was probably a nod to the movie controlling us taking all our money and some subliminal messages thrown in there to make us buy war bonds or something
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I waited 20 years for THIS? The part where SHia was swinging through the trees with the CGI monkeys REALLY REALLY pissed me off. The atomic bomb scene REALLY REALLY pissed me off. This did NOT feel like Indy. Whoever said that must be 15 years old. Seriously. I have seen all of the movies in the theater during their first run and this DID NOT feel like an Indy picture. It was so terrible. It felt like THE MUMMY.
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but it doesn't make it stellar anyways. Good adventure movie with a heart, and some really fun moments.
I for one loved the shot of the flying saucer, and the Area 51 bit. But the second act dragged so much that it really annoyed me. Ray Winstone and John Hurt are totally useless in that flick, either too shallow or just annoying and unfunny.
Harrison was great. Karen Allen was great. Shia was ok. So was Cate B. The Beard's direction was ok. BUT the script was an unfocused mess and took way too many unnecessary twists and turns. Felt like a loose George Lucas cut, not Spielby's usual tight editing. But overall it was ok, not on par with Raiders, Temple or even Crusade... but a fun ride nonetheless. And the ending was moving. Bring on a fifth one with Indy Jr, pops Indy in a supporting part and a tighter script. -
Too bad nobody saw it. Can't wait till it hits dvd/blu ray and everybody realizes that they missed one of the most insane, psychedelic, pop-art explosions ever put to film. I'm glad to say I saw it twice in IMAX. Oh yeah, and theres an Indy movie, 20 years later, and you were disappointed? Say it ain't so. The 80s are over. Get used to it.
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Raiders is my favorite film and I as much as I wanted to like this film, it's just awful. If you really like the character of Indiana Jones, don't see this movie. I felt sick leaving the theater. One of the worse movie going experiences I've ever had. I'm still in shock on how bad it was. Even the action scenes were unimaginative and not fitting for a Indy Movie. This film ruins the character of Indiana Jones and the franchise.
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Dude, give me a hit of what you're smoking. "Speed Racer was great"? Again, let me hit that shit. Iron Man single-handedly raised the bar for both comic book adaptations and modern blockbusters. As for Speed Racer, that was awful and redundant and just plain bad. It was like an ADD patient's bad LSD trip.
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ford is great though. Made me realise how much I had missed him on screen but the film is terrible. very depressed. Great first hour and then it turns into a cartoon.
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I dunno. It was great seeing Indy back in action, BUT as a movie it was very unsatisfying for me. The ending wasn't all that, and I think Indy didn't do all that much this time around. Specially near the end of the movie.
And... back to the Shia hate... I really don't hate Shia. I liked every single one of his parts in all his movies so far, EXCEPT in this one. Sorry, but I don't buy the tough guy thing from Shia.
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Someone had to say it.
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That was what I was thining when Shia was slinging through the rain forest.
Maybe a subtle wink in Avi Arads direction, hmm?
I could picture Shia as a Spider-man. -
I just came out of the Cinema with glee painted all over my face!
Thank you Steven and George.... going to the movies as it should be!!!
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You guys sure are bitter.
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Love to post from MAKO.... gods children... how i laughed!!!
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go see Speed Racer first?
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When will Hollywood wake up and realise that it is CGI that is ruining cinema? Audiences WILL NOT suspend disbelief for it if they are even remotely aware that it is there. Even if it LOOKS photorealistic, if the action is physically impossible, the human brain sees it as totally fake, and then stops caring.
In the long-lost golden days of cinema (i.e. pre-computer graphics), there was always a palpable sense of threat to the heroes, which is now utterly gone, because people know they are watching CGI. You might as well just make an Indiana Jones feature cartoon.
Heavy use of CGI was probably the largest part of what was wrong with the Star Wars Prequels too (Yoda, Gungans etc etc), and audiences just simply stopped caring. -
...only seven hours left until Jones time.... uuurrrgghh.... so... difficult... must.... see it... now...
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...it actually shows people may not be enojing it as much as I hoped
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I mean it has an 80% tomatometer and most of the reviews have been positive, except for this talk back. Is it any sillier than the dining scene in Temple of Doom or when Short Round is beating up people five times his size after he saves Indy. All the films have their silly moments.
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Just saw it now in Sydney, and had an absolute ball. Damn those aliens looked cool.
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Other than this site?
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say what you want, but no way was that a good movie. Just dressing Harrison Ford up with a fedora and whip doesn't mean it's a good movie. And it wasn't. Monkies. Contrivance after contrivance. UFO. A shoe-horned wedding. And at no point was there ever a sense of danger or excitement; it was like a day at an amusement park for the characters involved; there was never a sense of threat or... ah, fuck it. That was stupid. NOT a 'horrible' movie, just pretty lame as a whole. Somebody hit Lucas over the head with something heavy.
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go to Rottentomatoes. They have a ton of them. In fact eight out of every ten are positive.
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We had a big crowd for the midnight show and the movie rocked. I've seen all four films in the theater and it definitely took me back to my younger days. My nephew hadn't seen one complete film yet and he had a great time! Going back Thursday night for some more! Peace!
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--seems pretty correct to me: " The original Indiana Jones venture was inspired by Mr. Lucas and Mr. Spielberg’s love for 1930s serials, but you’d be hard pressed to find much inspiration in their latest collaboration. There’s plenty of perspiration, of course, what with the wall-to-wall chases — many tricked out with obvious computer-generated effects — that careen one into another like colliding big rigs. As expected, the high leaps and long jumps look impressive, even if it’s something of a bummer when one of the best directors working today (Mr. Spielberg) doesn’t seem to be working as hard as the stunt crew. Initially, I thought he was bored with the material (he wouldn’t be alone), but now I think he’s just grown out of this kind of sticky kids’ stuff.
Creative ennui certainly might explain why he spends so much time riffing both on his own greatest hits — Indy and company have an encounter of a close, insipid kind — and on other movies. Some of these allusions amuse (a sea of red ants parting à la “The Ten Commandments”) while others are just painful (Mr. LaBeouf done up to resemble Marlon Brando in “The Wild One”). " -
Of course, I liked Temple of Doom (even if it's the lesser of the bunch) so perhaps I'll enjoy this one as well.
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Ok, it's not Raiders. But it's way much better than Crusade. Ask yourself, do you prefer CG prairie dogs or plastic Giraffe and wooden rino? Come on it's a good things to point the flaws, but all those one Neurone haters starts to make me laugh.
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too bad. Because thinking a movie LOOKS like crap and actually seeing the entire thing are two completely different things.
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Thanks Indy IV cast & crew-- great story, great Indy adventure!!!!
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...And I should have prepared more.
From the moment this movie opened with a cartoon gopher... I knew we were in trouble. I had read reviews that went both ways, so I was trying to keep a level head about it... having grown up a fan of IJ, but also, having grown up - period - and knowing not to get too hyped about it to where it could never deliver.
That said... this movie was horrible -- and trust me, I'm not looking for a reason to hate one of my favorite film franchises, thank you. Sadly... this movie still gives me more than enough reasons to start doing just that.
I mean, seriously. Wow. I'm really baffled by the positive reviews... specifically since most of them are prefaced with "As long as you suspend reality completely, ignore the plot(s) and leave before the final act, you'll love it!" I just don't understand why there isn't a massive, unified outpouring of outrage right now... and there definitely should be... at least, in a sane world there would be! The beards should know that it takes more than furry cgi animals, funny accents and Shia Labeouf to make a movie... not to mention an Indiana Jones movie.
Yes, there were fantastical elements to the other movies in the series, but there was a line that they didn't cross. One fantastic device/artifact/centerpiece per movie, and everything else is pretty much grounded. That line was OBLITERATED here. Let's see, was it riding a fridge through the heart of an A-bomb -- that was somehow detonated even though the closest military base had just been hijacked by Russians... or was it Jungle Mutt and his Russian-hating cgi monkey troop catching up with two speeding vehicles a mile away by swinging through the trees? Maybe it was the two tons of sidekick Indy was hauling around the whole time, all of them stealing any screen-time that could have been given to Indy so he could salvage this piece of trash(I mean, it IS his name in the title still, right?)... or the directionless, hack wedding at the end? Hell, the hive aliens were probably the most sane part of the whole frickin' film! Even so, wouldn't you think there would be some alien contingency plan, seeing how vaguely all-powerful their heads are in comparison to their embarrassingly tiny, brittle necks? These aliens clearly did not take into account the cunning five-finger discount technique that is, apparently, a human-only trait. Clever us! Actually, I should add that I'm glad the aliens just... left, without doing, well, anything(or at least, anything they wouldn't have done to the Russians if Indy and crew had never shown up anyway!). If they HAD stayed around, it probably would have been to explain to Indie his midi-chlorian count.
Jesus, this film gave me a headache. Sorry. I tried to be fair and understanding... but this movie just makes my blood boil. And... I have to go now, for blood pressure reasons. Heh. -
That bar was set a long time ago. Iron Man was Swingers in metal tights. Iron Man proved that if you just cast an awesome actor in the role and let him direct himself and don't fuck up the CGI (although CGI for mechanical things is much easier than CGI for organic things like Hulk), than you can just slapdash a script together because hardly ANYONE will notice.
Speed Racer is the only big summer 2008 movie released so far that could even qualify as a masterpiece right now. Indy 4 just gives me bad vibes. I'll be seeing it tonight, and let you know if it really does suck or doesn't. -
Guess I don't have to worry about inadvertently dropping spoilers in this TB, so here goes...
I saw Indy at a midnight show in the Cleveland area. And I can tell you that it was a lot of fun and that I enjoyed it. But I can also say that it's quite possibly my least favorite in the series, or that it ties for last place. The earlier reviews that bemoaned how much the first half seems like an old Indy movie, but then falls apart for the second act, were pretty much dead on. The opening exploits at "Hangar 51" (I thought it was supposed to be Hangar 18 or Area 51) and the "noo-cue-lar" test site are the stuff of Indy legend. Spielberg reintroduces our hero by dropping him right into the middle of the action--he's already been kidnapped by Ruskies who want Jones' help finding an artifact with secret powers. Within ten minutes or so, Jones is cracking his whip and punching bad guys, and literally racing both a timer and an oral countdown to avert certain death. I felt my heart quicken watching him race across the warehouse rafters, dodging bullets, and swinging through control room windows. Just great fun. Even the prairie dogs didn't bother me. And you get a glimpse of a familiar macguffin from the first Indy movie.
But then the movie seems to commit the same mortal sin Spidey 3 was guilty of. Spielberg starts giving us too many characters, and one too many ponderous sit-downs so they can discuss conquistadors and lost cities. I was okay with this, I love a good yarn--but these segments aren't gonna hold up on repeated viewings. Some of it is inventive, like when Indy and Mutt start up a classic 50s brawl in a diner between greasers and "soches." The ensuing motorcycle chase through the Marshall College campus was terrific.
But as Indy and new tagalong Mutt venture to Peru to search for Oxley, conquistador graves, and crystal skulls, things start to unravel--and not in a good way. I could go along with the "hypnosis" scene where Spalka forces Indy to glimpse at the skull so it can "speak" to him. We've seen stuff like this before in the other movies, like when Mola Ram made him drink the "blood of Kali." But Oxley's shenanigans got to be too much for me. And I was hoping for some booby traps in those grave-caves. We get scorpions, but they're benign. Some "living dead" indian protectors are introduced, but not much is made of them save for a cool reverse-blowdart moment from Indy.
The jungle truck chase was a LOT of fun, but Mutt's Tarzan impersonation drew loud guffaws from my theater audience. One guy behind me loudly moaned "Oh no" seeing Shia and the monkeys inexplicably swing their way to Indy's rescue. I was able to suspend my disbelief thus far, but that's when my "vine" snapped, so to speak, and I plummetted. Same for the Mutt-straddles-jeeps-for-swordfight sequence. It's funny at first, but goes on a bit too long. Kinda like when Short Round was stretched between two mine cars. The waterfall stuff was fun, some verbal interplay between Indy and lost love Marion was good, and very charming.
But the last act did so much to ruin everything else that came before. Here, we're presented with Akatar, a Teothichlan-esque (sp?) temple that transforms like a Michael Bay robot after Indy and Co. return the missing skull. The alien skeletons seem to reanimate, or at least one of 'em does, and a bit of extraterrestrial, or at least inter-dimensional, mayhem ensues. I guess the real problem is, you're not quite sure what the fuck is going on. Oxley suggests that the aliens have opened a portal to another dimension, but have done so as some kind of "gift" in thanks for returning the skull. Indy clearly doesn't care, and doesn't trust what's going on. He isn't given anything to say to express his trepidation; he simply motions for Mutt and Marion to get the hell out of there, and they do, as Mr. Alien Guy zaps Spalka full of knowledge, which seems to burn her up from the inside out. Again, you're not really sure.
That whole finale just seemed so otherwordly to me, even after a movie series that featured 700 year old knights, stones that glow when you bring 'em together, and an ark that zaps bad guys. I mean, here you have a temple that transforms an entire valley into some kind of giant, uh...mothership-meets-giant clock...and the thing ascends into the heavens, and not a single bit of debris strikes our heroes in the maelstrom. Indy simply takes it all in from the corner of the screen, having little else to do. SPOILER Mac dies, but you never really seem him die. And I found the double / triple agent thing annoying--Mac was an unlikeable guy the second they yanked him out of the truck. That's why it was fun to see Indy punch him two or three times during the jeep chase. Asshole had it coming.
The key to the earlier movies is, what happens at the end depends a lot on how Indy either interprets, or believes, in what is transpiring. Here, it doesn't seem to matter. It all could have happened with Oxley alone, or anyone else, meaning, indy didn't NEED to be there for much of it. Which is only driven home by the fact that he IS there, yet is given precious little to do. No darts spitting from the walls, no rolling boulders. You get some more "living dead" Indians with bolos, who chase Indy and the gang from one temple to another. These indians literally appear from the nooks and crannies of the temple walls, like Aliens. No explanation of how they cocooned themselves in there, or how long they'd been there, or what. No matter, cuz the bad guys show up and mow 'em down with machine guns, so you can chalk up a couple dozen more fatalities in that category headed "Number of Enthic / Non-White / Inconsequential Native People Deaths."
I liked the wedding at the end. Very cute and touching. Although I did feel like Marion's reintroduction was abrupt, and that she and indy reconnected a little too quickly. I mean, it's been twenty years since they were together, yet Indy takes up calling her "hon" again right away and treating her like, well, like Mrs. Indiana Jones. Marion is less a character here than a plot device used to tie Indy to Mutt. She is hardly the fiesty hellcat she was in the first movie. But I'm glad they brought her back.
I'm rambling now, but I think I said what I needed to. This was a fun, FUN movie, but not great cinema like Raiders, which I know is a near-impossible bar to surpass. Out of five stars, I give it 2.5. Or like, 60-65% out of 100. Because for the aforementioned reasons, Indy 4 really is the Spidey 3 of the saga. The Attack of the Clones of the Indy world. And that's not good! -
but I went anyway because I was intrigued by the very unorthodox style, and I had a great time at the movies.
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This movie misses any kind of magic contained in the original trilogy, I dont know if i can put my finger on the one sole reason but it's a combination of the film lacking a good storyline, the action being boring and lacklustre, the over use of cgi, or the terrible supporting characters. The MacGuffin in this movie is terrible. Im sorry but the whole Aliens thing doesnt wash with me. And the Mutt character was just terrible, not even likable or well developed. What i did like about it? Harrison was great, he made do with what he had. Williams was great as always. Just so disappointed, this was a movie i was so excited for and it was such a letdown.
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I'm just saying, I was wary of it too and I was pleasantly surprised after seeing it. So far, it's the best film of the summer IMO
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I walked out expecting to see plenty of hate on here
We're all of course entitled to our own opinions. I'm not sure how good I thought it was, but I know this much - it was VERY ENJOYABLE.
I'm going back tonight to see what happens when you know what's coming.
It's very easy to be critical of something that's not the way you imagined it. It definitely wasn't remotely bad. -
some of the technical aspects of the movie, the "look" of it. It does not "look" like an Indy movie. You don't get that gritty lens, constant dust-kicking that the other films had. Granted, most of the action is in a jungle, not a desert, but so much of it is so obviously computer-rendered that you simply don't "feel" like you're there, or that the characters are there. I mean, the quicksand scene was clearly just some stage-set up, which is fine IF you don't make it look like a stage set. And the finale is ALL CGI, like Jurassic Park meets Indpendence Day meets Twister, with aliens and whirling windstorms and rivers gushing in to make a lake where ancient temples once stood. It's odd when you start hoping someone gets injured or shot, anything, to suggest they're still human, and in peril. I didn't get that impression here. Even the ant sequence (which, to be fair, was the most credible CGI in the movie I thought) doesn't seem to jeopardize our heroes, because the Crystal Skull keeps them away from Indy like shark repellant. He's immune to the danger, and it's never really explained WHY the skull's powers work like that in some situations, but not others. Or why some objects are "magnetized" but not others. Or why a lead-lined refrigerator can protect our hero from instant vaporization from an atomic blast at near ground zero. Sure, it'll blocksome radiation, but you're still gonna blow up. Plus, Indy's fridge seemed to be the only one that survives out of a neighborhood of at least a dozen homes that surely had their own little fridges. Where were they? Oh yeah--vaporized.
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A lot of fun Indiana Jones stuff in here and when Ford, Spielberg and Joh n Williams are letting loose you can help but grin from ear to ear.However, Koepp's Screenplay is flat and lifeless, heavy on turgid exposition, light on common sense. The CGI sticks out like a sore thumb and it's not good cgi. The Tarzan/monkey bit (Fuck Off Lucas, seriously). The Fridge bit (Even fantasy has to have some reality to work)and a meh ending. Fun, but uninspired.
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May 22, 2008 7:52:29 AM CDT
I'm not seeing this until i read the Neill Cumpston review..
by charlie dontsurf
Where are you Neill????
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Calimar !!! Calimar !!!
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...but there's no way in hell it could be worse than Blues Brothers 2000. That is all.
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If I hear short round scream "indy" or "Dr Jones" one more time I will punch a baby. And Kate Capshaw sucks.
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for another Indy talkback. Haven't seen it yet, if I do see it in the theaters, it won't be until the week after next. So I don't want to hear any spoilers from y'all, mmmkay?
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By far the worst in the series. It's almost as if Spielberg and Lucas just forgot the 1st 3 movies and decided to go down a completely different road. Harrison Ford was struggling throughout the entire movie to get in character and never quite succeeded. Biggest disappointment in my life for a movie. I just can't believe Spielberg could screw something up this bad....oh wait....George Lucas is there too. Now it makes sense.
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I have to wait another month to see it. Iron Man hasn't even arrived yet!
I'm trying not to have my Indy moment tainted by all the blood-letting here, but I have to read....and I REALLY don't want to. -
It's the government MAAAAAANNNN!!!
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The Mummy meets National Treasure thing is pretty spot on. It feels like an attempt to make an Indiana Jones-esque movie without really appreciating what made the orginals so good.
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...and WTF with the Caddyshack Gopher!!!
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Peed Racer!!!Man that kid came up with the cutest term. I can't wait to be a father!!!Anyway, from the sheer point of the look and professionalism, the new Indy has to be better than the Wachowskis horrible interpretation of Speed Racer!!! Enough with terrible phony looking CGI!!!By the way...all of the Raiders films have suck except for the original, Raiders Of The Lost Ark!!! I haven't seen the new one so I can't judge it, but Temple of Doom was a Temple of Trash!!!
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Sillier than an inflatable raft/parachute? Sillier than a motorboat slowly getting chopped up by the propeller blades of a tanker? Sillier than a mine cart track jump? Sillier than shooting the tail of your own plane with a machine gun?
Not even close.
Oh, and the movie was a blast. 2 hours of awesome old school Indy-licious fun. Fuck all you dumb schmucks that don't agree. Good day. -
People don't realize how silly the Indy movies are. I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing. Granted, Raiders took itself a little more seriously, but only by degrees, and if you're looking for another Raiders you might as well shoot yourself because nothing is going to beat that film.
As I mentioned earlier, I don't think anything can be more silly than Short Round kicking guys five times his size and Willie coming across all of those animals at once in the Indian jungle and then mistaking a snake for an elephant. It's pulp storytelling. It has a license to be silly. -
When were about seven years old, we saw a film that changed our lives forever. It took two shy, agaraphobic little boys who were afraid of just about everything, including leaving the house, and transported them on an exciting trip around the globe, bringing them into the heart of an adventure that was beyond imagination, and because of it, movies, and their power to take us places and make us experience great wonders, would forever become an obssession. That film, of course, was Raiders of The Lost Ark.
Our entusiasm was such that we saw Raiders well over then times at the old Villa Theatre, which became sacred ground to us. That enthusiasm continued through Temple of Doom and especially Last Crusade, which almost surpassed the original. And it even extended to watching every single episode of "The Young Idiana Jones Chronicles" (now available on DVD, and if you haven't had a chance to check these out, you are missing something). As such, our level of anticipation for The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was through the roof. We have been living for this movie. We were setting ourselves up for a crushing disappointment.
The thing, is we weren't disappointed. At all. It didn't reinvent the adventure film like Raiders did (how could it? Every adventure movie from the last 27 years is riding on the coattails of Raiders). The plot is not as fleshed out as Last Crusade (we'll even admit the story is a little weak in spots). But the warmth and humor very much echoes the third film (Last Crusade is the entry we would most compare this to in tone). And we haven't found ourselves so excited by a series of action set-pieces since Jurassic Park.
The story begins in Nevada in 1957, with the requisite dissolve of the Paramount logo into something else--in a wry bit of humor, Lucas and Spielberg literally turn a mountain into a molehill. A group of Russian Communists are breaking in to a top secret military base, and they have brought along two kidnapped men who have been there before and can help them find what they seek. The first is George "Mac" McHale (Ray Winstone, who may not look as good as he did in "Beowulf," but can still command the screen). The second is a grizzled, cantakerous old man in a brown fedora. We also meet Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), one of Stalin's own. Irina is a very stereotypical Russain baddie, but with a twist--she believes herself to possess Extra Sensory Perception, and is obessessed with the notion of physchic warfare.
After an unforgettable opening action sequence that is worth the price of admission in and of itself, Indy returns to his other job, teaching at Marshall College. There, he is approached by his friend and colleague Charles Stanforth (Academy Award Winner Jim Broadbent), who essentially has taken the role of the late great Denholm Elliot, who's character, Marcus Brody, is honored with a portrait and a statue. Stantforth informs Indy that the government has their eye on him, and that he is being put on an indefinite leave from the college - in short, he's being blacklisted.
But Indy has other troubles. He is soon approached by a young man named Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), who informs Indy that a mutual friend, Dr. Harold Oxley, has been kidnapped, along with Mutt's mother, who told her son that Professor Henry Jones, Jr. was the man to go to for help. Indy doesn't know this kid, but nevertheless agrees to help him out.
We're not saying anything beyond that, plot wise. Just sit back and prepare for a thrill ride that will make you feel like a kid again. The venerable old star, whom we have made something of a running gag out of referring to as "the late Harrison Ford" on this site, proves defininitely that it's better late than never. He doesn't miss a beat, and never for a second will you feel that he is too old for this. Indy wears the years and the mileage as comfortably as his beloved hat, and Ford appears to be having so much fun that it is postively infectious. In addition, Blanchett, who has been itching to work with Spielberg for years (having had to drop out of Minority Report to do The Lord of The Rings) throws herself into her role with great relish, clearly having the time of her life as one of Indy's toughest adversaries.
As for Indy's young tagalong, LaBeof keeps up in Indy's footsteps nicely, deftly handling the action and the deeper character moments. This kid showed us way back when he did Holes that he has great promise, and he more than lives up to it here. But make no mistake, this movie belongs to Ford, and more importantly, to Lucas and especially to Spielberg, who is at the top of his game in a glorious return to his "old school" blockbuster style.
Janusz Kaminski, who has shot every one of Spielberg's films since Schindler's List, is faced with the daunting task of filling in for Douglas Slocombe, the great British Cinematographer who shot the previous three Indy films, but he does it so seemlessly that if the old man were still working today he couldn't have pulled it off better himself. And of course, the great duo that has made every Indy film, and most all of Spielberg's films, so perfectly polished, Editor Michael Kahn and composer John Williams, are in perfect form. Every time we heard the "Raiders March" or other recognizable themes, we felt like we had died and gone to heaven.
The screenplay, by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds) is smart and funny, moving at a brisk pace, and includes some nice references to previous entires in the series without ever getting bogged down in them. In particular, we were overjoyed at a very deliberate nod to the very first Episode of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," which felt like a reward that George Lucas had included for those of us who followed the series.
To sum up, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of The Crystall Skull is a MOVIE movie. It's everything we love about the medium. It's an adventure for the ages, and one journey we will take again and again.
p.s. It's even better on a second viewing. Can;t wait to see it twice more today.
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I love this website. I've never been compelled to loggin and post until today, though I've been on this site for 8 years or so. I saw Indy 4 last night at Alamo Drafthouse. It was playing at midnight on 5 different screens. Midway through the movie, myself, my friends, and another 1000+ moviegoers were deflated, angry, and probably all contemplating walking out of the theatre. I saw Raiders when I was 7 and have loved all the Indy movies- even the one with Kate Capshaw screaming for 2 hours. Based on Harry and company, this movie was supposedly on par with Last Crusade and Temple of Doom. What a joke! I don't know what Harry's agenda is for endorsing this piece of crap but apparently he and the rest of them aren't concerned with integrity- because there is no way a movie buff watches that shit and honestly has anything good to say about it!
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I am a life long indy fan and I was so let down. Everything was just off (fans will know what I mean). Maybe I was expecting too much... The acting was bad the action was bad... The only thing I was really impressed with is shia. He was awesome in this and saves the movie... Indy and marion both suck in this...tottally un needed. This could have been the new indy with shia. Any way... I give this 1.5 out of 4
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I knew fanboys would nitpick it (again, Spielberg DOES open the film by making a mountain out of a molehill--something I see going on in this TB over and over).
Is it silly? Yes. Corny? Sure. Does it have flaws? Yup. But what Indy film--besides "Raiders"--has no flaws? Temple of Doom has the shrillest, most annoying love interest and is way too dark--also, does anything get sillier than dropping via raft from a plane down a mountain into a river? But it's Indy, it works. Likewise, "Last Crusade" tramples on the beloved character of Marcus Brody by making him an idiot. It turns nearly slapstick at times. But the action's fun, there's a genuine emotional core with Indy and his dad. It's Indy, it works.
Now we have KOTCS. It's flaws are more on the structural side--we have a Macguffin that is really vague and complicated and the script slows down for too much needless exposition. Script problems like that plague nearly every summer blockbuster. But what works are essentially the things that people are looking for in an Indy movie. Indy's back. He's got the smirk and the smartass attitude. There's a genuine joy to the action and it's great seeing him back with Marion. The action scenes are ludicrious but they're balanced with enough humor and sight gags to make them enjoyable and fit comfortably in the canon (action scenes in Indy movies have always been balanced with humor). The movie has a better tonal balance than "Doom" or "Last Crusade". And it gives us what we want--Indy fighting bad guys, saving the world and falling in love with the woman we know he should be with.
Is it a great movie? No. But it's fun. And it is a good Indiana Jones movie, which is all I wanted.
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About ten years ago, I read a script that with this title that had several elements that were in this film. Rumor had it that Frank Darabont had written it, but there was no cover page. After hearing about the refrigerator bit from "Back to the Future" and some other references, it seems that King George likes to pay "homage" a lot.
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Did someone above disparage Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man? I haven't watched it in over 10 years but I remember loving that low budget cheesefest."Before my daddy left this shitty world." That's classic stuff.The UFO stuff worries me. For those who have seen it, should I slam back some brews before the movie?
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I gotta say, I think you're right on all points. I didn't enjoy it, and as more time passes, I'm actually starting to loathe it. Yeah, it's funny that all the positive reviews preface their essays by saying things like "If you can still find it in you to be a child once again (i.e., to suspend logic, aesthetics, and value judgments)..." Indiana Jones was always supposed to be ADULT entertainment. It was never made for 7 year olds. And this, the more I think about it, would insult the modern 7 year olds... Bleh.
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I'm convinced that George Lucas actually directed this fiasco. Every line that Ford delivered was followed by a wink and then a bow. And, Karen Allen was brutal! That dialogue between her, Indy, and Mutt when they all met each other was some of the most half-hearted, contrived crap I've ever seen on screen.
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Saw it at midnight, slept on it. Felt like a fever dream. There's a whole lot that worked and there's a whole lot that doesn't but that's neither here nor there. All of these IJ enterprises are just glorified "B" movies anyway so you come off as foolish by complaining that this one is "too cartoonish." (Though, of course, RAIDERS is probably one of the most perfect movies ever assembled, a since unmatched meshing of ART and ENTERTAINMENT). The film looked great, captured the essence of the serials (including the glaring lapses of logic... see any number of the old Republic serials for same), and everyone involved handled themselves nicely. For me, it was fun to see Spielberg cut loose with some pulpy nonsense for a change... he really does do this stuff well. Best of all was hearing those Ben Burtt-created explosive fist SMASH sound effects coming off of Indy's skull. For those of you suffering from "childhood rape" by the hands of Lucas, I don't know what to say. This film will not cure what ails ya'.
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All 4 of their reviews were spot on. This movie blows. Such a disappointment.
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Man, Did anybody felt like the movie moved slow scene through scene like old Indy? I thought it was allright but mainly because there's a new Indiana Jones movie out and yes, nostalgia can be a bitch... but unfortunately, I think there was too much CGI with the sword fight and then the Tarzan scene...just threw me off
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it did not look like an indy movie first off. it was too crisp, and fake looking. the original were authentic looking... everything had weight and looked used... this a problem with some new movies.
Also i do not like how they traded in indy's cockiness and brashness for a more fatherly type role with shia... i wanted to see a bad ass indy movie... and he was not bad ass... plus the movies villain was dumb. i amean come on... she was a non entity in the film.
the acting was really forced also... except for shia...he carried this movie...i never thought i would say that. he is a really good actor.
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Saw this last night, leicester square with a full on, up for it crowd. It started really well, and the INDY/mushroom cloud shot was awe inspiring, that one image should have set the direction and the tone, it would have made for an amazing poster, unfortunately as the movie goes on, it just gets more and more convoluted, the pacing fails, there are some very weird edits, lots of indiana jones being kept alive for no particular reason when he's already proven himself a threat, tooooo many sidekicks, no sense that they were really AT any of the locations and an ending which just seemed rushed. It proved that an Indiana Jones movie set in the 50's dealing with 50's themes could work, and then it proceeded to show us how NOT to do it. At the end, the audience was kind of muted, my goodwill, and childlike sense of wonder was drained, and i found myself cursing George Lucas for the 3rd time in 10 years. (i quite like revenge of the sith)
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If this film had been made ten years earlier, then it might have worked, but ultimately the plot is "Indiana Jones is now his dad and he meets aliens."
Oh, and what the hell was up with that tacked-on wedding scene at the end? Marion keeps Indy from knowing about his son for twenty years and after a few goofy grins at one another, it's suddenly time to get hitched after 58 years of being a bachelor? I'd be pretty fucking pissed if I missed out on the first two decades of my son's life just because Marion couldn't be bothered to call or send a letter.
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All the interviews he's done, his arrogance about it all makes me wanna take a baseball bat to his head. But he doesn't care, he never has cuz he knows all the sheep will buy his shit no matter what. Just because of Indy's age doesn't mean he shoulda been made into a pussy..WEAK!!!
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direct this?
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But just looking at your post headlines...this does not appear to bode well.I'm hurtin' here fellas. I'm really hurtin'.
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Well it's been happening in preaty much every one of his films since the mid-'80s. They either go on forever, or you get just some stupid random crap (like T-Rex saving the day at the end of JP).
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its like being 65 and out of shape and trying to play NBA level basketball again
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Hopefully it's better than The Road to Shanghai!
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What happened to going to a movie and enjoying the movie for what it is. Did it stand up to the previous movies? In my opinion, no. Was it an enjoyable experience? Hell, yes! Oh, and everyone complaining about the UFO stuff just quit it. Every Indiana Jones movie had an element of fantasy. The Ark of the Covenent, The holy grail, and don't get me started on the Temple of Doom rituals as well as the magic stones. Movies are supposed to take you to another place and I, for one, am glad I was taken there by this movie. Instead of ripping Spielberg and Lucas, we should be thanking them.
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Indiana Jones is still the same, as your virginity.
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The film has some pacing problems. Though I was pleasantly surprised at the chemistry between Shia and Ford, WAY too much exposition. As has been said Karen Allen way underused. Overall, it ranks easily with the other two. I think the camparisons to Last Crusade are fair...the action set pieces, while great, didn't have that grand frenetic feel as the other films, but the jungle chase was pure awesomeness.
Ultimately, the thing that really kicks my ass is that people are talking about how outrageous the concept is. Though it seems out of place with INDY, what's more likely? That aliens have visited Earth or that there is some imaginary Deity endowing a box with his power to kill when opened, that voodoo dolls work, that there's a magic cup that will let you live forever when you drink from it, and that there are magic rocks?
Given all those propositions, I would say that Crystal Skull is the LEAST outrageous proposition of all the films. RAIDERS will always be one of the best films of all time...it can't be topped.
EBERT'S review really had a good take on it, basically, if you eat 4 pounds of sausage, which pound was the best? The first pound will always be the most satisfying.
As fanboys, I don't think it would have been possible to see this film unjaded. Had this been a standalone flick rather than the fourth in a series with instant expectations, we would be seeing it differently. As a film fan, it's almost impossible to go into a film like this unbiased and be able to enjoy it for what it is. It sits in my esteem with the other three and does honor to the series. -
just want attention. Having seen the Indy 4 film last night, I can honestly say it wasn't a masterpiece by any means, but neither was it "terrible," "awful," or "crappy" as some have asserted. It had plenty of nostalgic Indy-like action, thrills and chills and decent acting by the star character. That said, I think it's probably my least favorite of the Indy series. Parts of it felt too shiny and sterilized for my taste. It lacked the dark grittiness of its predecessors. I also think me being older has a lot to do with it. In the eyes of an imaginative child, Indiana Jones can seem larger than life. Now that I'm an old fart, it played out just like another film in the Mummy franchise. Overall, I give it 3.5/5 stars. It's a fun thrill ride of a movie, but it lacks the magic of the originals.
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http://www.superheroflix.com/news/15/28415.php
While it doesn't totally excuse Lucas and company for some of their shoddy creative choices, it does explain quite a bit. As someone who has viewed many "cold-war, red-scare" classics from that era of filmmaking, I totally see what this Crystal Skull enterprise was going for... -
You know how National Treasure and The Mummy were like cheap knock-offs of Indy? Well this flick feels more akin to those movies than the Indiana Jones films, comlete with scenes stolen straight out of both movies.
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May 22, 2008 9:16:09 AM CDT
Whip on Periscope. Nope, he left it behind.
by hansolos_carbonitefrozenpenis
You know what the fuck is with that scene... They show an officer in the sub who is Harrison ford dressed up in nazi sub garb, then they show him on top of the sub.
And for some reason i always thought he actually went in the sub and beat that guy up, but i think that was from one of the video games -
all the fanboys bitch about how Lucas raped their CHILDHOODS but then accuse "Crystal Skull" of being too NOSTALGIC. what gives?
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Indy whipped the periscope, and held on the whole way to that sub base. There's actual movie stills of this scene floating around on-line. Also, that old guy in Cairo (from the bad dates scene) told him of a warning inscibed on the amulet that those who look at the ark once it is opened will be destroyed (which is why Indy knew not to look at it later).
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Pod People
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did read that, thanks for the link, i think the problem here is in the execution. I really think it could have worked brilliantly, (and for a while, i think it does) it seems the desire to make indiana jones four at all has outweighed the need to make indiana jones four consistently good.
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I want this to be good but I know I'm not gonna like. I love Star Wars but Lucas really knows how to fuck some shit up! Spielberg should've told Georgy boy to piss off and done this on his own.
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Dude, when we were watching the film, throughout the entire filming there were people laughing annoyingly at unfunny parts VERY LOUDLY, a guy next to me who kept talking making exclamations throughout it ("oh no!" "HAHAHA" "yes!" "OOOOOOOOOOO" "OH NO HE DIDN'T!....HE DID!") and some woman right down from me shrieking her head off with laughter.
So me saying during a loud action sequence 2 or 3 times "Are you fucking shitting me?" didn't annoy anyone, at least to the point I'm sure everyone else did. The theater was full of annoying people.
Get over yourself. -
Lucas (aka Mr. Out-of-touch) has repeatedly emphasized that while the first 3 took place in the 30's and 40's and therefore were modeled on the serials of that time, this one is in the 50's and so it is modeled after the films of that time - the UFO's, commie scare, etc...
The problem is INDIANA JONES is NOT a character from those films - he is a Saturday Morning Serial character! That's like taking Flash Gordon and putting him in a western. THAT is why it didn't "feel" like an Indiana Jones movie... it wasn't. -
We NEVER SAW INDY FIRE HIS GUN! Bring back the gunfight in Marion's bar! WTF!
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goddamn it get a mind of your own.
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May 22, 2008 9:37:33 AM CDT
Indiana Jones and the Reasonably Enjoyable Gibberish
by franklin t marmoset
Just saw it. Not great, but not bad. The film lived up to my hope that it be on a par with The Last Crusade, and I think it did that. There are a few too many goofy 'wink wink' moments, the story doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and there's a slightly artificial feel to the film (lots of sets and green screens); but otherwise I enjoyed it.One note: Whoever thought Shia swinging through the trees with a troop of monkeys was a good idea needs a solid punch in the balls. Talking to a person like that will not do the trick. Only a solid punch in the balls will suffice.In short, if you're an Indy fan and you have a forgiving nature, you'll get a kick out of the film. Angry nerds, line up here, because this one will give you plenty to nitpick and whatnot.
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pretty amazing though. people never cease to amaze me in how boring they must be. am i the most positive film geek there is?
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So far, "IRON MAN" is the summer flick to beat. Good luck, Dark Knight/BATMAN.
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It didn't fit with the other movies, but as a 50's pulp film it rocked! This is more for fans of stuff like Doc Savage and Flash Gordon. I thought the genre switch was fun.
All of the movies have pretty diffrent tones.
Raiders- Gritty saturday morning serial
Temple- Horror movie
Last Crusade- Buddy comedy flick
Crystal Skull- Sci-fi pulp.
Sci-fi pulp is my favorite genre out of that list, so I really dug it. -
I don't get reviews by people where they admit to being excited and thrilled and how they whooped and hollered and... then give a negative review. YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL CRITIC! You are not then supposed to sit back and dissect the movie for all of its lacking artistic elements. Too many people are taking film history in college and convincing themselves they are Roger Fuckin' Ebert.
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I'll give you Spalko is weak. I'll give you the aliens are a tad out of place in Indy's world. But for God's sake....it was a FUN movie. For me, easily up there with the rest...Mutt is awesome, Harrison was great, giant ants were great, jungle chase was great. It was an Indy film...stop whining about the aliens.
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Overly precious fans will be pissed off that there are no Nazis and whatnot, but I liked seeing Indy in a slightly different setting. The story takes place in the fifties, the Nazis were pretty much out of business, and so Spielberg and Co went with a theme more fitting to the era. Do people really just want to see the exact same thing again? I admit I would have preferred a few less cliches, but that's a different argument.
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You should read some Lovecraft.
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Kinda' recalls the Goldblum line from Jurassic Park, and I'm paraphrasing here... Lucas and company merely asked COULD we do this, not SHOULD we do this...
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Mutt is 19-20.
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It wasn't the change in VILLAIN (nazi vs commie), it was the complete change in the TYPE of movie it was, as Lucas himself has confessed.
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I read the article. The film still doesn't work for me.I think the main problem is you can base your film on movies from the 50s, however your audience is in 2008 and are a MUCH smarter and demanding breed.
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There's Indy following clues and looking for relics, he's digging around in tombs, he's getting in fights with soldiers, he's squabbling with his sidekick.I don't get it. Other than the superficial change from a supernatural maguffin to an alien/interdimensional one, what's the big difference?
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Why not have him meet Han Solo and Chewbacca?
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Yeah I hear ya', can't argue with that, and I'm in no way defending Lucasberg Inc. for their opus (though I think I liked it more than most here). Perhaps, as in a William Castle flick or MATINEE, they should have rigged the theater seats with buzzers to zap our asses during the giant ant sequence.
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did it seem like Indy just sort of halfassedly fell into the adventures in this one? It seems like he did very little work in this one to locate the temples and burial grounds and whatnot. No one (well, mostly no one) had been to these sites in hundreds of thousands of years and here Indy just stumbled into them one right after another with only a minimal amount of work. Also, I loved how the waterfall completely destroyed the steel boat but all of the people were okay. What bullshit.
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Thanks again, George, Steven, Harrison and John. Mission accomplished. Stayed until the end of the credits. Loved the refrigerator scene. Cheers.
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Calm down and stop over-reacting, buddy. You are giving us internet geeks a bad name.Also, go and clean up your room.
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SO YOU PAID TO SEE THE FILM LAST NIGHT EH???
IF NOT THEN WHY GO AND SEE IT AGAIN, BECAUSE ALL YOU POSTED THAT DAY WAS..."FUKING FLYING SAUCERS SHOULD NOT BE IN INDY" AND ITS TOTAL "SHIT"
I THINK YOU HAD AN AGENDA HERE FROM THE GET GO
Oh...
Learn to type without using capitals, but then your education must have been alcking since you reckon 27 years passed between 1936 and 1957, fucking complete Mongo of a man.
I am ashamed you are Scottish
yer Maws got Baws and yer Da is a poof. -
docs on the original three, and a resounding point made in regards to Raiders is the script by Lawrence Kasden. Spielberg, Lucas, Kennedy, everyone stated how important Kasden's touch in the original was.NOW, after reading a bunch of positive and negative reviews, the common complaint is the script. What a mess it is, and it seems to be random scenes patched together. Granted I'll be watching this this weekend ( adding to the record opening I'm sure ), I'll just expect major goodness from Spielberg & Co. not major greatness.
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Maybe you should try it. Let us know how it turns out.
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No insult intended as I agree with what you're saying, but WHY DO YOU WRITE EVERYTHING IN ALL CAPS?
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May 22, 2008 10:06:17 AM CDT
George Lucas is proof Crazy People shouldn't be Rich
by furyofthefilmfan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hahTj7K4S3E
my review -
Did anyone else think the licensed music (Hound Dog, etc.) was totally out of place and took you from the world of Indiana Jones?
That and the opening of the movie was nothing like an Indy film either.
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May 22, 2008 10:07:55 AM CDT
How much did I Hate it? Where the fuck do I begin...
by hitchcock'n'balz
Saw the Midnight screening here in the ATL....enjoyed the first 15 minutes or so ...then the retardation began...I can forgive a 65 year old man crushing the cab and windshield of a moving army truck and not breaking his hip, or being hurt in any long term sort of way (suspension of disbelief) and frankly, I can let slide the one liner the passenger and driver give him time to say....but I lost all hope when he found himself inside a fridge in a Nuke test range....Was this really directed by Steven Spielberg? Really? Out of all the re-writes, and years of waiting for the right script this is the one they decided on? George Lucas really has lost his fucking mind...that or he enjoys fucking with people's love for things. I think once you have the ability to buy your own country because of the revenue of your creativity, your creativity takes a back burner to keeping the cash cow alive...but back to the "film"....It was sad..if anyone here thinks that either Shia or Karen Allen saved this film...you are wrong...there was no way to save this movie...they collected paychecks just like every other asshat in it...GEORGE LUCAS WILL NEVER TAKE ANOTHER DIME OUT OF MY POCKET.
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I know many of you are anxiously awaiting my review. Be patient my followers. It will presented early this evening.
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Just ask my ex-wife.What a strange insult, scotsman75. "FRANKLIN FUCK UP U LITTLE BITCH" It doesn't even make any sense. Your anger has made you moronic. Or more moronic, maybe. All that rage is not good for your heart. At the very least, you're going to hurt your little fingers bashing away at the keyboard like that.
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While not my personal favorite of the four, I may come to like it more than Last Crusade over time.
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Those threw me off too. Right from the start it didn't stick to the formula.
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The rest of my message read, (but got cut)
You said last week that you had seen a copy of this at home and were complaining about the FUCKING UFO, and how shit the movie was.
But you went to see it last night and paid for it?
You were talking pish weren't you?
You obviously had an agenda before you saw the fucking film
OH
And if you cant learn to write without caps lock off, this is probably why you dont know that there is not 27 years between 1936 and 1957, stupid cunt.
I am ashamed you are Scottish
I have not see it yet (Saturday, and I may also hate it, I dont know, but you clearly wnated to hate this from the spoilers, you are a lying fuck nut.
p.s. Yer maws goat baws and yer da's a poof -
Instead of trying to survive in a fridge in an atomic explosion (yes, I know it would tough to find such an explosion) how about just climbing into a fridge. See how long you can stay in there and survive.
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You have clearly embraced the AICN way, even making use of the word cunt. I'm a little bit choked up over here.
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3rd place if I we're to rank all 4 films now. Definitely, starts out with the spirit of Indiana Jones films. But, there are some issues. To be honest, I love all the Indy films but I had some concerns about this 4th go around. It was better than I'd expected. For sure worth seeing for Indy fans. Hardcore fans (like me perhaps) can nit pick away on the details. My biggest problem is the idea of Mutt turning into the next Indiana Jones. Though, he was more than tolerable in this film. Another major gripe was Marion. She's supposed to be this tough cookie and here in Skull, she comes off with few lines and kind of light weight. Not her fault, it was nice to see here though. Eh, all in all a decent film. Had some nice familiar Indy touches -just not the ULTIMATE Indy film that some have been dreaming about perhaps. The aliens thing was ok. Didn't need the big saucer ship ending -just flashes of light and everything tumbling down would have been fine for me. Also, the wedding at the end?! Didn't really neeed that either... Doh, I'm nit picking now! A decent film -see it! A solid 'B' for sure.
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What is wrong with you, go away and die you moronic fucking mongo of a man.
Get those caps to fuck as well, you total Ned
You are probably drinking you afternoon half bottle of bucky while you sit at your PC in a council estate and shout at yer Maw for no mkaing your dinner at the normal time.
Oxygen thief -
Thanks man, you are a good coach
Uou saw an unfinished version, seem to remmeber you refuting that claim from others last week, so in essence you were still lying out your arse eh? -
A nice one. One of those fancy SMEG bastards, with a juice dispenser and whatnot.Please do us all a favour and get in it.
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after coach was for the Scottish drunk, sorry FTM.
Badly spelt, but I was angry, he gets the point, he is a lyer, end of... -
Have you seen it yet?
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I am one of the biggest indiana Jones fans and watched it at midnight last night with a packed crowd of fans as well. I have to say, there was no suspense at all, no plot twists, the alien at the end was incredibly stupid and made no sense of what it actually did at the end. Too many scenes where so far fetched unbelievable that it made Bruce Willis jumping onto and off of a harrier seem like child's play..Raiders was believable as well as Temple (yes including the jump from the airplane) The three drop waterfall was incredibly stupid and not done well..THe ending was cheesy.. The whole movie could have and should have been done a whole lot better... I cringe thinking about the car chase scene where Shia is being hit on the crotch.. I knew from the very beggining when we started seeing animated animals smiling and laughing at the start after an atomic bomb at Indy getting out of a fridge that this was going to be stupid at best.
Now I compare this to the Mummy Returns because of the ending.. All special effects glitter with a pyramid being destroyed and plot that was not worthy of being in the same list as the first three..
As for Harrison being too old, he looked great to me and still could have done the first three movie's as is and give the same performance. If a fifth one is made with Shia Lebouf as the lead and Ford taking a back seat, it is going to be as stupid as the new Knight rider TV show.... -
and if this is the screenplay Lucas has waited so long for! How fucking bad were the others?
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It's okay. If you're forgiving and an Indy fan, the film is pretty enjoyable. That said, it has flaws up the wazoo, so nitpicker types can have a field day with it.People comparing it to the prequels, however, are over-reacting wildy. It is far better than any of those.
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Like i said before i got no problem with the alien shit, but the movie is a fucking mess and the ending hurts my head -
Another great addition to the Indiana Jones series. Some nice age jokes about Indy thrown in. It feels like we never left Indy all those years ago. Shia turns in yet another amazing performance as Mutt Williams, and Karen Allen is back as Marion. I very much liked the story line that involved aliens, I thought it was handled quite while and was very believable. My favorite scene in the whole film was probably the over the top Jeep Sword fight, simply stated it was awesome. I will definitely be seeing this film a few more times in theaters! Great Job to Harrison, Spielberg, and Lucas.
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I am no geek, but you are just a nonsensical idiot for the things you are posting, honestly, I dont even watch that many movies anymore, only the big ones usually at cinema, or catch them on the Movie Channels
" SURVIVING A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION IN A FRIDGE"
"LUCAS SHOULD BE KILLED" ETC ETC
Then you say it was not that bad, what gives, I dont mind if people hate it, thats their honest opinions, no movie will ever come out that everyone loves and no one hates, I myself will wait to see it at 2pm on Saturday, oh and if you live anywhere near Hamilton, be at the cinema at that time and I will kick your teeth in for you no hassles.
You just annoy people, thats a gift man, it really is, you are a scab off the end of a rats dick, thats the level of life form you are -
Real talkbackers don't use Darth as a prefix anymore. You should have gone with a Kurt Russell or Bruce Campbell reference. You'll never get consistent work as a plant with a Darth name, buddy...
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the opening shot a CG prairie dog? Really?! The move had its moments of really fun action and comedy but fuck am I having a hard time saying I enjoyed it. Why the Tarzan scene? Why aliens? There should never have been a shot of Indiana Jones standing next to a UFO as it rises. Easily the worst of the three, but I mean its still worth seeing for the action and I coulda help but get chills everythme the theme roared as Indy kicked some ass.
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I explain clearly that I don;t expect people to place the same level of importance on film as you or I, but the fact remains that the general moviegoing publics taste is not terribly rich nor is it terrible discerning. The box office numbers prove this. Just like I wouldn't expect anyone to take my advice on raising children, I'm not going to take most peoples on cinema. that doesn't make me better, just that my interests are stronger in that category than the average moviegoer. Call it arrogance all you want, but it's also a fact and all the yelling and screaming in the world on your part doesn't change that. I dare you to refute it.
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May 22, 2008 10:40:42 AM CDT
you know whats terrifying? mummy 3 in hindsight looks like more
by ironic_name
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Thta sounds good enough for me, even the originals were an aquired taste and I loved all 3, they just work for me, even when others think they are a bit stupid.
So I will probably like it ok
I didnt think the prequels were all that bad, just bits were crap and direction was awful, but I forgove it because its GL's own thing, its the same story he had in mind when he wrote the originals, but if he had got soemone else to write the dilaogue and direct I reckon they would have been classics, as it stands I still enjoy Sith quite a lot, I can forgive TPM in places and I fucking hate Clones, other than when Obi Wan is on screen.
Oh and Plissken, please no Haggis jokes, I am also Scottish, I am allowed to slag him off, but Scots rarely ever eat haggis, its exactly ike England but with more country side in places, same TV, same shops, same everything and Englans is very much like the States.
Thanks -
People have mentioned prairie dogs and groundhogs, but I had assumed the beastie was a gopher, much like Bill Murray's little buddy in Caddyshack.I am no expert, though, and I did not stay through the credits to see if there was a listing for gopher/prairie dog/groundhog animator and/or wrangler.
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got fried by the rocket sled. That was your PG-13 shot. I liked the movie. The only part I had a problem with was they took the double-crosser with them into the temple, Indy should of sent him down the river. Other than that it was all good. I went with 2 other fans and we 3 all liked it but hey , we are old folks too lol.
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Don't read this if you haven't seen it (or easily offended). I won't give any spoilers but I will state my honest opinion.
I'm a fan of Spielberg and early Lucas but Indy 4 is a let down. I had absolutely NO expectations and went into the theatre open-minded and ready to be entertained.
The story was weak, dialogue was a joke, the characters were pretty flat, and even some of the effects were bad. I'll give ILM credit for their crystal head moment near the end but c'mon...could those monkeys and groundhogs be any faker? Did their interns work that day?
I'm so happy that Karen Allen was back...I never liked the other love interests in the other two films but why did they make Marion act like she was always high?
Shia was on cue. As he did in Tranformers, he saves this film. Maybe he was the only one trying because as much as I like Harrison Ford, he made a lot of weak acting choices. But Shia's deliveries were great. I wish him luck in the future because he's definitely a talented young actor.
I could go on but enough's enough...all-in-all the entire film felt half-ass. No one was on top of their game. Shia is the only draw to the film unless you love Indy so much that you can't be unbiased.
Don't get me wrong, it has it's moments but when asked if I would seen it again I quickly said no. I'm not even sure I'd buy the DVD. I feel cheated as a moviegoer because this lacked in quality.
As I said, I had no expectations going in but I feel let down by the team of filmmakers. They have so much more potential than this. I can't forgive the poorness of this film just because of their previous work.
But this is just one man's opinion. Make up your own mind and view it as an unbiased moviegoer. Does this film really meet the quality of good filmmaking or is it just an attempt to make an action film that everyone will see based on its predecessors? -
May 22, 2008 10:43:26 AM CDT
To those bitching about those bitching about aliens and UFOs...
by spyguy
The Lost Ark of the Covenant, the Stones of Shankara and the Holy Grail all involved supernatural elements using ancient religious artifacts.
Aliens and UFOs, while paranormal, are based in science-fiction, not supernatural mysticism, and thematically should have been out of bounds for an Indiana Jones story. Otherwise, why not have films like THE EXORCIST VS. PREDATOR or THE OMEN VS. ALIEN?
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Stealing a 1950s Indy 500 auto and swiping the Borg Warner trophy. "It IS the mileage!"
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You are in fact sir...Lower than the scab on the end of a rats dick.
What more can I say, I just dont get you at all, and my posts keep cutting off half way through for no reason, so you ahve luckily missed out on half the abuse I have sent your way
Where are you anyway, I think I did offer to meet up with you in Scotland somewhere to discuss this in an Indy Jones fashion, my fist your teeth.
Fanny -
Groundhog is bigger than both. Caddyshack's Gopher was big because a hand had to fit in its ass.
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...hope you enjoyed your Power Rangers and He_Man and Full House and Saved by the Bell, as you identified with a Goonie and it dates your "wittle ages" -- GUFFAW!!!
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Awful, awful films, and mostly because of the writing, I reckon. Lord knows why Lucas took so much of it on by himself - every young screenwriter in Hollywood would have done it for free and thrown in a blow job for good measure.But don't worry, this new Indy adventure isn't that bad. It's implausible and messy in places (kind of like the Pirates films) but still worth a watch. Ford is back on form, Shia does pretty well, and it was nice to see Karen Allen back. It could definitely have been better, but it could have been soooooooo much worse.
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Ta ta
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this is my first time ever posting, and I never ever planned to post on this site cause I feel like there's never really a need to. Who on here is really gonna give a crap about what I have to say anyway. But having seen the film last night, I can't stop thinking about it and just want to vent. I agree with Yackbacker so much about the over use of CGI and The Mummy and National Treasure references...I said that to my brother when the movie ended and he totally agreed. All I really wanted was a good Indy movie and they gave me 2/3's of a good Indy movie and 1/3 of a good Mummy movie. I'll be honest, I enjoyed the first Mummy, but to me that and National Treasure were B Rated, CGIed Indy flicks that couldn't come close to comparing with the real Dr. Jones. Turns out thats exactly what this felt like, a fake Indiana Jones movie, that was entertaining, that had me in moments of complete joy, but all the CGI took me right out of the movie.
One last thing, was one of the TBers mentioned Christians not liking this movie, that made me laugh. Cause I am a Christian, and everyone I went to see it with yesterday are Christians too, but my problem with the movie has nothing to do with the alien story line, it's the way it was handled, the Special Effects extravaganza it turned into, and the lameness of the ending...it didn't have to go that far. However, I know exactly what you're saying, I know so many Christian who loved the first and third Indy movies but hated the second cause it was "weird" and didn't deal with a Christian theme. Oh well. After all this though, I'm still excited to see it again this weekend, cause I think I'll enjoy it more the second time around...knowing what to expect and just getting to enjoy Indy for the iconic character he is and try to block the rest out. -
...everywhere I read all I can see is negative news about the movie.
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The mystery of the gopher-like animal is solved!
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In the Stone flick. Heh. Hilarious.
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the ufo was cool looking. the movie was shite. too those who say "you don't know how to enjoy a movie" iron man. fun. now get fucked.
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I don't expect the Beards to care what I think, but here goes anyway. The problem, for me, is all the damn sets. The only time the film seemed to be set in reality is during the Marshall College scenes...outdoors stuff. You can't fake sunlight, which is why Douglas Slocombe didn't try to. If the scene takes place outdoors, FILM IT OUTDOORS! Studio lighting always looks just like that, and not once was I convinced that anything I was looking at wasn't either a green screen or a constructed set. In Raiders, despite the pulp story and situations, the films looks and feels REAL. So you suspend disbelief and you convince yourself that your hero is in real danger. Crystal Skull just felt like Indy was constantly playing an elaborate (though poorly plotted) computer game.
Other issues: John Hurt, why? What a waste of a great actor. "Henry Jones Junior", really? Do me a favour? I don't who is responsible for all that (I assume Koepp?) but WTF?
Love Jim Broadbent, should've been more of him.
Shia, didn't hate hime but again that is faint praise. He's no Jar Jar but he's just unneccessary, a character (literally) from another film. Beards 1 & 2, I DON'T want a spin off franchise with Mutt, and I imagine neither do many talkbackers here. He just seemed to exist to take time away from Indy, and I paid to f*cking see Indy!
Karen Allen's lovely but did they have to, I can say spoilers here can't I?, did they have to do that at the end? Harry's right, she has got a great smile, but he's also wrong, not EVERY Indy fan wanted to see him settle down with Marion. I wanted him (IF he HAD to settle down, which I don't think he did), to go with Willie. Kate Capshaw has ALWAYS been the loveliest Indy lady, and I'll fight for her honour any day of the week!
Here's a biggie, where is Sallah??? I guess because this is the leasy globe-trotting Indy movie (seriously, did he have to spend the entire time in the Americas?) it didn't make much sense to have an Egyptian digger turn up, but a phone call or anything would have worked. Christ, there were enough perfunctory characters stealing screen time, why not shoehorn in one we at least care about?
I did love some of it. The nuclear bomb, the Marcus references, the Paramount logo, rocket sled, grave-robbing, "don't call it a snake!, even the UFO. Loads of good stuff. Unfortunately just not enough of it. And far too much CGI, seriously Steven, don't tell us there's as little as possible CGI and then, I mean, Tarzan? Shia's 6 foot legs, the 3 drops (nice riddle, if you're a retard!).
Harrison has definitely still got it and I'm convinced he could do a fifth. But more care and attention please. Give Tom Stppard another crack at the dialogue. Bring Douglas Slocombe out of retirement. Give Ben Burtt more to do. Retire John Williams, I'm sorry I love him but he's had it now, terrible score. Bring back John Rhys-Davies. Go somewhere other than your own backyard and film OUTSIDE and put some real SUNSHINE in it.
6 out of 10, which is more than I'd give any Star Wars prequel but with just a little care and attention could have been SO much better. -
This is Cpt Wiggin for whatever it’s worth. Two words for Indy 4: Unspeakably horrific.
First sign I knew we were in trouble was the prairie dog Kangaroo Jack nonsense. So all the sudden we digress from a solid action adventure series and into a kiddie campy Disney movie for ages 12 and below?
And I like how the Russians kill maybe four guards at the beginning and all the sudden take control Area 51 like its nothing. Then a less than impressive totally beyond over the top action sequence commences leaving Indy in the middle of a nuclear bombing test site. But fear not! Once the bomb hits he gets conveniently blasted miles to safety in a frikin refrigerator! Oh but I keep forgetting! That’s “fun!” Fun for the whole frikin family! Joy!
The love interest which between Indy and Marion (you would think would be emphasized on) was so anorexic-ally thin I wanted to throw up. I have sooooo much more to rant about but I’m gonna stop right there before I really blow my lid.
I mean c’mon guys. Swashbuckling sword fighting on a military jeep chase through a jungle full of man eating ants and giddy comical chimpanzees? Alien artifacts? Psychic villains? In an INDY movie? Are you guys kidding me?
This was worse than Die Hard 4. Same issue with previous actors attempting to play their trademark roles without success. Only worse on a greater magnitude of scale.
Anyone who says this is a dream for fans...I fear for your soul.
Peace/East G’s
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Not the 30's! Makes sense with all those flying saucers and atomic age movies from the 50's
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Did anyone see The Lost World? Remember the gymnastics daughter kicking the Raptor, or how everything looked like it was shot on a Universal soundstage?
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They were all specially trained by the same guy who trained the squirrels for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Every single one of them! That's why it took so long to get this new Indy film off the ground. They had to wait for him to finish training the damn ants!The monkeys were CGI, though. Unfunny CGI.
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how a Scotish Brother and Sister want to get married. Oh my!
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Just like the crabs between your legs.
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I would like to thank everyone at the Alamo Draft House for just being a great crowd. For ONCE I had no problem in the theater, no talking, no texting, no cell phones, no one translating the movie to spanish. It was so refreshing to have that movie experianceAs for the movie, I think the bottom line is the script was bad, end of story. everything else, except for a few stupid gags were great, and I blame those little problems on the script. I don't even have a problem with the aliens, it's just how they used the aliens. I could go for just about anything in an Indiana Jones movie if it were done right.
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Fellow English Indy viewers may also have seen the new Orange ad/skit starring Rob Lowe. Even though I am a straight man, I have to say that is one handsome fella.
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I didn't know there were rules to follow in Indy movies. Some of you morons really thought it was gonna be exactly like the three original Indy movies huh? Those are connected and have a biblic theme. This new Indy movie starts a new bridge. Featuring Scifi elements, which have always been associated with ancient civilizations. For example, some think aliens built the pyramids. That sorta thing. That's what Lucas and Spielberg were going for in this film. I mean come on it's 19 years later. It wouldn't be the same.
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But my legs are CGI!
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Was it really that believable when Indy was dragged behind that truck in Raiders and when he got up his clothes weren't ripped to tattered shreds and he wasn't bleeding profusely from the several open wounds that would have come from such a stunt? Let's not forget that he caught up to this speeding caravan via horseback.
Was it really that believable when Indy, Shortround, and Willie jumped from the plane in the inflatable raft and the thing didn't tip over in the air from the obvious weight distribution? Or the mine cart chase scene, c'mon!
Was it believable when the origin of every one of Indy's signature traits happened in one rather epic afternoon or that there was a 700 year old man guarding a wooden cup in a cave in the desert? Or that Indy's dad just happens to be Scottish and just happens to be Sean Connery?
No, it's not believable and this series is steeped in suspension of disbelief. Indy is supposed to be this alpha-hero that would live on from adventure to adventure, like James Bond (which is one of the basis for the character). He's like Superman with a PhD, nigh indestructible. We find out now that as a teenager he fought alongside Poncho Villa, he was a WWI hero, he was a brash adventurer and rogue, he kicked serious Nazi ass every time/all the time, he was a double agent for the CIA during the beginning of the Cold War.....all really believable stuff but for that to be under one man's fedora? Women want him, men want to be him and all of that. He's a throwback character that was already a throwback character when he was conceived in the 70's.
A lot of us were children when we first saw the original three films and I think many of us are being seriously hypocritical in what we find at fault with this film that we find so endearing with the first three. Have you people even gone back and re-watched the films again in anticipation?
There's a complaint about Indy falling into everything in this film. Well, let's think back to the first three films. The FBI comes to him in Raiders with a load of info about what the Nazi's are up to and where they are, essentially giving Indy everything he needs to get going. Not much work was needed to figure out everything because it was essentially done for him he just needed the legs and the brains (which Indy has in spades) to decipher a few riddles left behind. He didn't do much work there. In Temple the village elder gives him all the info he needs to get going and it's a matter of stumbling onto the opening of the cavern in a bedroom. Again, he really didn't do much and it just escalated from there. In Crusade, his dad did pretty much all of the work way ahead of time and Indy just needed to follow his exceptional diary to find the Grail, something that daddy was in the process of doing himself. Also, young Indy straight up steals a prize that was found by men (albeit shady men) that probably worked really hard to get it. Not much work at all. In fact, the only real treasure we ever see him going for that he worked for was the golden idol at the beginning of Raiders. I'm sure he has found several priceless artifacts on his own but when it comes to the big dance(s) Indy has always been the guy that finishes the puzzle while his friends have done nearly all of the groundwork for him. There are the only treasures the general populace witnesses him go after, not all of the people that see Indy films think much deeper than what is on screen. So to the novice Indy fan he comes off as kind of a shitty archaeologist when you think about it. -
Shia Lebeouf in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, does that mean Downey will play Mutt in Indy 5?
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did not bother me at all. The CGI was fine. Here is what a real prairie dog looks like- http://tinyurl.com/666but -. I'm pretty sure this is what they looked like in the movie I saw last night. I'll give you that the CGI ant goo looked overdone. Marine World is near ILM and they have a prairie dog city so Lucas could of filmed real PDs and matted them into the footage. The first RAIDERS movie had goofs like the cobra reflected in glass or the rod holding the rolling ball. How the fuck does sticking your hand in a beam of light make a trap spring? Did you bitch back then or just enjoy the BS. I enjoyed the BS last night warts and all. It's INDY.
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May 22, 2008 11:12:40 AM CDT
Accept it as a new chapter in Indy's adventures & move on!
by orionsangels
You fuckin nerds!
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Sorry about not putting in paragraph breaks, people. I hope it doesn't deter anyone from reading that.
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You know it, scotsman75. That is nothing to be ashamed of. He's dreamy, I tell you.
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I won't post the review...I'll just say that I gave it an 8 out of 10...why? Because it's a damn fun movie. Yes there are a couple of silly things, but Indy movies have always been adventure stories with humour, action, suspense, mystery, romance and a few thrills along the way, and that goes right back to Raiders. Indy IV is no different...it's a fun movie.
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Watch the jeep go over the cliff in Raiders. It's a matt painting of a cliffside and a jeep with black lines around it. It looks cartoony. When the nazi commander and his tank fall over the cliff in Crusade. Fake! Gimmie a break you CGI whiners! I mean sorry the movie makers didn't revert back to 1980's technology for this Indy movie.
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Saw the midnight show last night, and I walked out of the theatre with a big ol' grin on my face. I'm a pretty big Indy fan, so was another person I went with, and the 3rd member of the group hadn't seen the other Indy films at all. We all enjoyed it. It wasn't until we saw Indy at Area 51 that the enormity of this film's task occurred to me. It had to respect the nostalgia of fans without wallowing in nostalgia. It had to give us a plausible Indiana Jones at age 60. It had to present a familiar Indiana Jones universe that isn't set in the 1930s. However, after Indy gets questioned by the CIA guys at the testing facility, I had the thought that was my personal key to enjoying the film: the realization that Indiana Jones didn't stop having adventures just because we stopped seeing movies about him. It makes perfect sense that he served in WWII and won of ton of medals; he's Indiana Jones! The tributes to Brody and Henry Jones Sr. were touching and well done. The trademark Indy humour is here, particularly the snake/quicksand scene, and although it seemed a bit light on the action, the amazon car chase is a set piece worthy of the films predecessors. As for Shia, one guy in the theatre yelled "lame" when his lineage was revealed, and I had a similar thought myself. Fortunately Shia won me over with his very natural charisma and relationship with Ford. In Last Crusade, Indy's father was along for the ride; 20 years later, it makes perfect sense that his wife and son would be along for the ride. I agree that the ending bit with the aliens was a bit strange, but I don't mind the fact that there was no real "prize" at the end of the quest. One of the themes of the movie is that knowledge is a prize unto itself. I sincerely hope, as I suspect most fans will, that this is the last Indy adventure. Any future adventures would have to include Mutt and Marion, at which point it would become the Family Jones series. A wedding is the quintessential happy ending. As fans, we've seen Indy reach a conclusion as a character. He's gone from charming rogue to family man, which, frankly, is a transition that many of us make in life, and to see it happen to Indy enriches the character enormously. If you're a fan, don't nitpick this film and just enjoy seeing Indy back on a big screen, older, wearier, but still plucky, defiant, and able to beat anyone. Many fans who critcize this film are basically criticizing it for not being in the '80s, but if you're willing to appreciate a story about an Indy who's at a different place in his life than he was when we last saw him, then this is the cinematic treat you've been waiting for.
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Very flat and uninvolving all round. The mid section was slow beyond belief and the film just never picked up enough after that. They didn't give the supporting characters anything to work with, especailly Mutt (way to set up the next franchise). But how much could we really expect from David Koepp (T Rex steers itself to shore) and Jeff Nathanson? (the seamless internal logic of Rush Hour 3). One redeeming moment: the image of Indy staring at the A Bomb blast.
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THIS MOVIE SUCKED SHIT!
OK, LET'S JUST TAKE FRANK DARABONT'S GOOD SCRIPT AND BUTCHER IT TO PIECES. THAT'S WHAT GEORGE LUCAS DID HERE AND BOTH HE AND STEVEN SPIELBERG SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!
THIS MOVIE FELL APART FASTER THAN A HOUSE OF CARDS.
BETWEEN SHIA SWINGING THROUGH THE FOREST LIKE TARZAN AND HARRISON FORD ACTING LIKE A TIRED OLD MAN, THIS MOVIE DEFINITELY DID NOT DELIVER.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT STUPID ASS WATERFALL SCENE ALL ABOUT? COME ON PEOPLE, CAN'T YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN A HALF-ASS UNBELIEVABLY BAD TRIPLE WATERFALL SCENE? YOU GUYS ALREADY DID THAT IN TEMPLE OF DOOM! SHIT GUYS, GET ON THE BALL!!!
WHAT ABOUT USING THE SAME OVERSTERTCHED ALIENS AGAIN FROM A.I., AND CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.
BOTTOM LINE... BAD DIALOGUE, POOR STORY, AND FORCED ACTING FROM THE MAIN CAST. (AND WHY BRING KAREN ALLEN BACK IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GIVE HER A FEW LINES AND A WATERED DOWN PLOT?) WHAT HORSE SHIT THIS WAS!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK FROM THESE SNAKE OIL SALESMEN!
SHAME ON BOTH OF YOU FOR RELEASING THIS ABORTION OF A MOVIE. NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING AS GOOD AS THE FIRST THREE.
REST IN PEACE INDY!
PLEASE PEOPLE, SEND A MESSAGE THAT YOU WANT QUALITY ONCE AGAIN FROM HOLLYWOOD, AND WAIT FOR CABLE TO SEE THIS ONE.
INSTEAD, GO SEE IRONMAN AGAIN. -
THIS MOVIE SUCKED SHIT!
OK, LET'S JUST TAKE FRANK DARABONT'S GOOD SCRIPT AND BUTCHER IT TO PIECES. THAT'S WHAT GEORGE LUCAS DID HERE AND BOTH HE AND STEVEN SPIELBERG SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!
THIS MOVIE FELL APART FASTER THAN A HOUSE OF CARDS.
BETWEEN SHIA SWINGING THROUGH THE FOREST LIKE TARZAN AND HARRISON FORD ACTING LIKE A TIRED OLD MAN, THIS MOVIE DEFINITELY DID NOT DELIVER.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT STUPID ASS WATERFALL SCENE ALL ABOUT? COME ON PEOPLE, CAN'T YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN A HALF-ASS UNBELIEVABLY BAD TRIPLE WATERFALL SCENE? YOU GUYS ALREADY DID THAT IN TEMPLE OF DOOM! SHIT GUYS, GET ON THE BALL!!!
WHAT ABOUT USING THE SAME OVERSTERTCHED ALIENS AGAIN FROM A.I., AND CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.
BOTTOM LINE... BAD DIALOGUE, POOR STORY, AND FORCED ACTING FROM THE MAIN CAST. (AND WHY BRING KAREN ALLEN BACK IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GIVE HER A FEW LINES AND A WATERED DOWN PLOT?) WHAT HORSE SHIT THIS WAS!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK FROM THESE SNAKE OIL SALESMEN!
SHAME ON BOTH OF YOU FOR RELEASING THIS ABORTION OF A MOVIE. NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING AS GOOD AS THE FIRST THREE.
REST IN PEACE INDY!
PLEASE PEOPLE, SEND A MESSAGE THAT YOU WANT QUALITY ONCE AGAIN FROM HOLLYWOOD, AND WAIT FOR CABLE TO SEE THIS ONE.
INSTEAD, GO SEE IRONMAN AGAIN. -
I'm starting to like you.Is there any chance you look like Rob Lowe?
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Overall... stellar ride... fun and enjoyable. I could nitpick, complain and have a shitty attitude towards it, but I chose the high road (or what I think to be the high road) and just took it for what it was. Fun. I remember watching Crusade in the theatre when it came out in 89' and I truly felt the same excitement last night, 19 years later. It is nice to have the same feelings towards an iconic figure when you're 11 and 30. Pretty cool.
Worst thing about it: Shia swinging from the vines.
Best thing: the whole alien story line and seeing the alien at the end zap Cate to smithereens. I love how Steve does aliens. I wish it would hey talked, but hey, I'll take what I can get. I also loved all the chase scenes... just cool, fun loving Indiana adventuring. Like I said, 11 or 30, the same reaction, that is a good sign.
So overall... 8 and 1/2 out of 10. Could use some script polishing and less cheesiness, but damn, it was fun. -
Honestly, I enjoyed Iron Man, but I was just as entertained if not more, by Indy 4. There isn't one action scene in Iron Man that holds a candle to some of the pieces in Indy. At least I can tell what's going on when Spielberg directs action. And BOTH films had pretty flimsy plots.
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There are some incredibly bad and dated FX shots in the first three films. CGI may not be perfect but for some of the larger shots, it gets the job done much, much better.
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Man, I don't even have the energy to list all the flaws but, suffice it to say, I found the first half hour or so to be actually fairly entertaining but everything after Marshall College was pretty much a shambles. ______ Too many characters jostling for screen time with Indy. Too much droning esoteric exposition. A lack of clarity in regard to the Skull's power. (Couldn't Splako have used it to amplify her mind control abilities? Actually demonstrate what the Commies would do had they the power of the Temple at their disposal?) Worst of all, an overall lack of tension and suspense. In the other films Jones makes a point to AVOID deadly perils like the whirring propeller, rock crusher or encroaching cliff edge. A massive waterfall ought to prove just as dangerous but no attempt is made to wring tension out of characters trying to avoid almost certain death under a thousand tonnes of crashing water. There's not even a moment of uncertainty in the aftermath that any of the heroes survived the plunge - nope, they just pull themselves up like they've been dunked in a kiddie pool. The Alien aspect of the plot could have worked if any screenwriter worth a damn were allowed to massage the idea into something even halfway coherent. _________ Sure, there were minor pleasures here and there - cute character moments, occasionally good action beats - but way too many missed opportunities for this film to be considered anything other than a genuine blight on the series.______ I expect this lackadaisical bullshit from Lucas but I've always thought better of Spielberg. Sadly, not anymore. Most powerful director in Hollywood couldn't find ONE decent writer to pull this mess together? What a shoddy, embarrassing spectacle. And I thought I'd only be saying good bye to one hero tonight.
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A lot of you will hate the last 20 minutes. That will divide people more than anything. But for me, it was fun...more fun than Iron man, which I really enjoyed. They are supposed to be fun movie serial adventures...and that's exactly what they are and what Indy IV is.
It's also nice not to have to deal with constant quick cuts and shaky cam in action scenes. -
They could have done a by-the-numbers Indy flick but the Beards went to a different place with an older Indy and his patchwork family. There is still plenty of Indy moments present but they certainly set this up to be his last outing, as evidenced by his promotion to Assistant Dean at the end of the film. The guy's finally getting married and settling down and I can imagine him at his desk with the Fedora and Bullwhip hanging in the background. It was a solid end to a truly great franchise. I look forward to seeing it again.
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No, I didn't think it was GREAT cinema. It doesn't hold a candle to Raiders. The story is choppy and farfetched. But it IS a lot of fun, and brings Indy full circle in terms of family and career. Yes, I had problems with it (see my review above) similar to the ones already expressed here so many times. But this was a FUN popcorn flick, and I don't think people should be so ready to piss all over it, because for me the faults (even if there is a grocery list of 'em) weren't enough to ruin the joyride. People SHOULD go see this at the theater. You'll be sorry if you don't, because all the good things about it won't seem as fun on your TV. I'm going again tonight with my daughter.
Last time I checked, it had a fresh rating of 80 on RT. While I wouldn't give it quite that high a rating, I am not among those who flat-out say it SUCKED, because that's not true either. Yackbacker summed up a lot of thoughts in his earlier post. -
Anyone who goes into this movie expecting to see Raiders is a complete and total idiot!! Raiders is one of the best movies ever made. Period. No sequel can ever top it. Period.
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I want another trilogy...seriously...and not a Mutt trilogy...he can be in them, in fact Shia was good in Indy IV, but I want more Indy movies.
It got me thinking actually...about Han Solo....I'd love to see Ford do a movie about Han...NOT a sequel trilogy with Luke and the gang, just a once off, with Han, Lando and Chewie, going off to help an old friend or something.
Maybe have a cameo from Carrie Fisher at the start. But have the focus of the movie be on an older Han...an older Han Solo spin off. And Chewie still alive dammit.
Indy IV has convinced me that it could work Granted it would never happen, and if it did, Lucas would have to step back and let someone else write and direct...but it could be awesome -
There are aliens and flying saucers in the movie because it's set in the goddamn 1950s. You know....the decade when all of those cheeseball scifi films came out. Spielberg intentionally included them because of this you dilweeds!!! And, the non-practical special effects in the original 3 movies were horrible. Absolute crap. Go and watch them again. Lots of obvious matte paintings, cutouts, and poorly composited blue screen garbage (the Nazi falling off the cliff in a tank is a classic example).
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This is farfetched, yet Raiders wasn't? They're all farfetched and they're supposed to be. That's the entire fucking goddamn point. And, someone said this is a great end to a great franchise. It ain't over yet. Indy 5 is on the way.
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It was a good, sometimes very good but not great film.
I'll start with the positives.
Harrison Ford is Indy, when he's in his Indy gear he looks almost as good as in Last Crusade! (he looks a little old in his professor gear though). He is also in a quite brutal fist fight with a big old Russian and its amazing the way he can still fight like he does, its a realy good (but short) fight scene.
The look of the film also has that same picture quality as the other films, even some of the cgi has a grainy look to it and it does help it fit in with the other films.
Shia.......i have to admit is pretty good in this, he has some good action scenes and fight scenes (probably more than Indy ) and his banter with Ford is good and fun. He acts tough but also vulnerable at times but he backs up his tough image quite a few times in the film, all in all i though he was a welcome addition to the film.
I have seen a lot of reviewers say that its a shame about the amount of shooting on sets but i liked the fact that they actually built proper temples and ruins rather than have all green screen crap and it made the film a lot more atmospheric.
As for the action, well there is quite a lot in this, the opening warehouse scene is probably the best of the film and has Indy performing some good stunts (d**n the way he climbs those crates at his age!) all while the Indy theme is playing.
The Shia/Ford bike chase is quite exciting as it has a lot of close, swooping shots and it did get the adrenaline pumping a bit, it was also quite funny in places.
The jungle chase is good in parts but it lasts probably a little too long.
And the ant attack is very well done imo, the ants look suprisingly real and in the middle of the ant scene is that big fight between Indy and the Russian which like i said is very brutal but is arguably the best fightin the series (for how its shot and looks) but is a bit short.
And now the negatives.
Apart from some of the dialogue between Mutt and Indy, most of it is quite bad, the arguments between Indy and Marion (scenes that a lot of reviewers said were good) were so forced it was actually cringe worthy at times, Indy also acts a little bit goofy in these scenes and the way Indy acts when he first sees Marion is laughably bad imo. There isn't as many one liners in the script as well and some of the dialogue just seemed like 'painting by numbers' if you know what i mean.
The film has some great effects (the mushroom cloud, the ufo, waterfalls etc) but the jungle chase looks realy bad in places, the sword fight between Shia and Blanchett looks god awful and honestly takes you out of the scene (i'm pretty sure though that it will look a lot better on the small screen).
The ending in the main temple didn't realy make sense, you never know why whats happening is happening and if you don't agree with the Sci-Fi element of this film, you probably won't enjoy it as much as the others because there are a lot of alien related scenes through the whole movie (it doesn't realy bother me though) and i was under the impression that it was mostly all at the end.
Indy as great as he is in some scenes, takes a back seat in a lot of the big action, he jumps on a jeap and kicks some Russain arse (jungle scene) but then just drives the jeap for the rest of the scene while Mutt does most of the action, that also happens in some of the other action scenes as well.
The atomic bomb/fridge scene is bad!, the fridge gets thrown about a mile in the air then crashes down and bounces vilantly many times, Indy just crawls out and shakes his head in front of the prarie dogs (obviously Lucas inspired!), most of the whole scene is great but that ending caused a few laughs in the cinema.
The Mutt swinging through the trees with hundreds of monkeys wasn't actually that bad, he's stuck up a tree with vines all around him, hell i would try and swing through if i was him!, the problem with the scene is how fake it looks and i just don't see what the point of the monkeys were (apart from attacking Blanchett and her goons).
Like i said about some of the dialogue, a lot of the action and scenes just feel very forced and a bit sterile, the fun is still there and some of the action is thrilling but for every good scene, there is a bad scene or another Lucas moment. I don't hate Lucas like some but a lot of the dumb scenes don't realy belong in a Indiana Jones film.
The music is also average, there is not many of those sweeping, epic sounding pieces of music like the other films and i honestly only remember the Indy theme TWICE in the whole movie (warehouse and part of the jungle chase) and its a shame as Indy being Indy while the theme is blaring out always got my blood racing!.
And the last problem i had (off the top of my head) was one that i have not seen mentioned in any of the reviews or by anyone who has seen the film suprisingly and thats the fact that NEVER once in the film does Indy use or even HAVE a gun , i know he only used it at the start of DOOM but thats because Willie dropped it out of the car, its used a few times in Raiders and Crusade but he doesn't even have the gun holder on him in this, it just didn't feel right without Indy at least using it a couple of times (even if he only used it once in a scene similar to Raiders with the swordsman) and it dissapointed me.
So overall i liked the film better than Crusade (i'm one of those fans who prefer Doom to Crusade) and it certainly is worthy of the series and its def a fun filled ride that hits a lot of the 'spots' that is required for a Indy/summer film.
7.5 out of 10
I rate the films in order as
1. Raiders.
2. Doom.
3. Crystal Skull.
4. Crusade.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that apart from the big Russian who gets killed by the ants, i don't remember ANYONE actually getting killed in this film, certainly not by Indy, i could be wrong as its been a few hours since i have seen it but the film certainly isn't like the others in the death counts!.
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Sorry for the whole paragraph look of my review but i 'cut and pasted' my review from another site i posted it on but it hasn't come out the same on here!.
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But you know, looking at the talk backs, it's hard. I see all the complaints, and I find myself saying, "Yeah, that's true. that's very true. God how true." The only thing I can say is that the fridge scene didn't bother me and the Shia monkeys didn't bother me as much as it did most of you. But yeah, it really is kinda slow and boring and really talky. I like that some one said the Alien was an asshole who mind raped cate...
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Fuck them anyway, they got my couple of bucks. But DAMN, this website is a WAY too forgiving.
Maybe when 2008 comes to a close, and they have some distance, some of the better reviewers here will admit that this movie did NOT deliver. -
I don't get how no one could just enjoy it, enjoy a movie like they were when they were kids. I hate film geeks. It's as fun as the other movies. You guys forget why you watched movies as a kid in the first place? To pass time, enjoy something. Fucking hell.
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May 22, 2008 11:50:54 AM CDT
I'm the biggest Indy fan of all. And my disappointment was HUGE
by starwarrior
I've seen al three originals at least 50 times each. What I saw was NOT Indiana Jones. It felt like a lesser director took over the franchise (a la Die Hard 4, Terminator 3, etc...). Since Schindler's List, Spielbertg has been incapable of coming even close to his fun blockbusters from the 70's to the early 90's (up t Jurassic Park). He's now better with (and obviously much more interested in) darker stuff and his blockbusters are better dark (Minority Report).
Leave the fun stuff to his successors Peter Jackson, Gore Verbinski and Michael Bay... -
Each cut on the way down the tank looks different. Crusade was a low point for ILM in my book. I remember ripping on that one at the time. I've worked on stuff and now know that sometimes you get stuck with FXs that go out because its show-time. Sure we could wait another year while ILM renders more detail into the monkey fur and some guy writes a program so the shadows from the leaves pass over the monkeys fur in a more photo-realistic way. All of the CGI animal footage is only a few minutes in a 2 hour movie, not enough to ruin the movie. Even Shia swinging from the vines didn't do it because they held back and didn't use the TARZAN yell . They used it in STAR WARS so I was surprised they didn't go there this time during the swinging ( I wonder if there was a fight to add the yell? ) The Crystal skull could of been controlling the monkeys and Mutt as it was controlling the ants in the movie so again that scene was not that crazy.
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I'd say that most people would be in agreement that...this flick needed a touch more of a "RAIDERS" tone. To capture (on screen) a more desperate tone/motivation for these characters, pushing them along and causing a ripple effect in the action (with lives feeling "more convincingly" at stake), making every scene feel more driven and a little more real, would have done wonders (overall). I'm (also) surprised that Spielberg and Lucas allowed an Indiana Jones story that would "demand" the extensive use of CGI and blue/green screen, because (I'm in agreement that) this series should have continued the practical techniques of the previous Indiana Jones movies, though the story (itself) also demanded CGI. (To me, that convincing look is part of capturing that Indian Jones vibe.) It really is all too easy to sit here and judge this, in hindsight. But for future (digital) filmmakers, this must be a healthy thing to do (assuming you don't get swept up in all the hate). And sure, it would (seem to) be all too easy to re-write this same story (yes, with aliens) into something you would much rather see. Sure, it would be fun to see Mutt as a reflection of young Indy (in a different time). Sure, it would be fun to witness Mutt trying to fight and getting his ass kicked while Indiana is trying to better Mutt's technique (or un-technique). And who wouldn't wanna see Marion eyeball a frying pan and recreate that magic DING, as she cracks some unlucky soul over the head (maybe even Indy)? My point is, yes, this could have been a GREAT movie. It could have been bursting with laughs and exciting action, perhaps (near impossibly) eclipsing the best of what the series has offered. What we got, instead, was simply a chance to relax, revisit, and remember characters we have such fond memories of,...while being introduced to a new character, potentially continuing the series in a new direction. In any case, if you keep your expectations low, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised...just enough.
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Anyone else notice how similar the music was to Basic Instinct? And yes, when i'm spending my time in the theatre thinking about the score, you know it's a boring movie. Phantom Menace-level exposition. Terrible dialogue, flatly delivered ("I never should have doubted you, my old friend") An impenetrable plot. Action scenes that are just too stupid (Think Die Another Day-level stupid). So sad to see a freaking Indiana Jones movie rip off plot points from Alien vs. Predator (the aliens taught the mayans farming?), Broken Arrow (let me tie my shoe so the guy behind me can shoot you) and The XFiles movie (ancient ruins house spaceship that lifts off). Just terrible. If you would have told me 10 years ago that Rocky 6 or Rambo 4 would be better than Indy 4 or Die Hard 4, i'd have shat in your face. But goddamn if it isn't true.
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take that film geek.
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May 22, 2008 11:57:58 AM CDT
If it wasn't called "Iniana Jones" you defenders would HATE it!
by shiftyeyeddog2
If you took the exact same script, same effects, same direction, same EVERYTHING, but it was not an "Indiana Jones" film, but rather a new or different franchise, no one would be nearly as forgiving or accepting of it.
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I walked out of the cinema barely an hour ago, and walked up three hills to get home. All the while I was thinking of how I'm going to review this. A lot of the reviews I've seen have started with the reviewer stating which is their favourite of the previous three films. Most tend to say Raiders and then it's a toss up between Temple and Crusade for second place, depending on the reviewers preference for lighter or darker films.
I'm not going to do that. Instead I will say that the previous three Indy films are old school adventure movies. They have humour, suspense, drama, romance, action, mystery, a few scares and overall, are just fun movies. Kind of like Star Wars actually. And Indy 4 is no different. I have to say though, I both love and hate temple of Doom...that movie gave me nightmares as a kid. But it's freaky awesome.
But enough about the previous films, you want to know how bad Shia sucked and what scenes Lucas ruined, right?
Well there are two downright silly scenes in the movie, one involving an explosion and the other involving monkeys. Trust me, you'll know them when you see them. But you can't blame Lucas for that, sorry. He came up with the idea for the film, but it was Koepp who wrote the script and Spielberg who directed. But don't blame anyone, just watch, have a laugh and move on to the next scene.
As for Shia...sorry to disappoint you, but he was good in this movie. My problem with Shia is that he always tends to play the hyperactive teenager who is constantly making jokes and acting jittery. He is the live action Jar Jar.
But in this film, he is great...and I mean that. The guy can act, he's funny without being over the top and he's a great addition to the "mythology" along with Short Round, Marion and of course, Henry Sr.
Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood has some great lines with Ford and she still has that smile that would make you fall in love with her while knowing if you cross her, she'll punch you in the face. My only problem was that there wasn't more of Marion at her spunky best.
The rest of the cast fill their roles well, Blanchett is a little weird but that's ok. This is a film set during the Cold War, at the height of paranoia...her character fits well into that idea. Winstone's character was wasted a little, I felt more could be done with him, and Hurt does a good job with his role even if he is out of it for most of the movie.
and then there's Ford....Harrison "you can type this s*** but you can't say it" Ford. He's older, and Indy is older and when you watch the movie, you know he's had a life in the last 20 years. He's had ups and downs, he's fought in wars, he's loved and lost and loved again. We might not have seen Indy for a while, but he's been around. And frankly, when you see Ford for the first time, he is Indiana Jones. Perhaps it would have been good to go into a little more depth with Indy's advancing years, but this isn't Rocky Balboa. It's not a swan song. It's not Indy saying goodbye. It's Indy doing what he's always done. Getting into trouble and getting out of it again.
He probably doesn't get hurt as much as he used to, which is a shame...even if he is an old man But a crack of the whip is all you need to be transported back...the an can still do it when he cares enough.
In fact, it would never happen, but I'd love to see him as an older Han Solo...not a Star Wars sequel trilogy, just a once off movie about Han.
Indy 4 is a throwback to the B movies of the 50s and you certainly feel that more towards the end. There are certain things that had me geeking out as a fan of certain subject covered in the film. Which reminds me...there's a lot of archeology talk in this one. Moreso than even Last Crusade. It's not a bad thing, but it might annoy the Church Of Bay...the ones who don't follow plots as they find them boring and take up valuable time that could be used for needless action.
The movie is also a throwback to the 80's, and specifically, Spielberg's early career. There's a Close Encounters feel to some of it, a Jaws feel in some parts, Duel in others and of course, an Indy movie feel to it. It's nice to see actions shots that are more than half a second long and don't involve close up shaky cam.
Spielberg shows you the action, he lets you soak it in and thank God for that, because there is some great action in this film. The likes of Bay and Greengrass need to watch this film...this is how you shoot action. Not with camera tricks, shaky cam and quick cuts ever half second...you just set the camera up and shoot. It's simple, it works and it's great.
The climax of the film will go over the heads of those who weren't paying attention and the subject matter may divide fans...but it's no less plausible than the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant (look out for that by the way). But I love that kind of stuff...so there :P
As I said at the beginning, Indy movies are fun adventure stories. People have said that Crystal Skull is similar in tone to Last Crusade...it certainly has a lot of humour, but there are elements of Temple of Doom and Raiders there as well.
It looks like an Indy movie...it acts like an Indy movie...it feels like an Indy movie...and dammit it is an Indy movie. And a damn good one
It's not perfect. there are two outrageous scenes and a lot of people won't like the last 20 minutes, although I did. There were a couple of loose ends left over, probably scenes that were cut for pace. I also think it's a movie you will have to see twice. There are things you will miss the first time around.
As a sidenote, it's nice to have some references and continuity with the Young Indy series...you may not register them, but they are there.
Now I suppose I have to give this movie a score...this is going to be a problem. I gave Iron Man an 8 out of 10....on second viewing I think it's a 7...and to be honest, I liked Indy IV more.
You'll notice that I haven't talked about the plot throughout the review...that's because I don't need to. And you don't need to know what it is. all you need to know is that it's Indiana Jones...now go have fun. Oh and the score from Williams is great as always.
In fact, I want another Indy movie...I want another trilogy in fact. More Indiana Jones adventures.
8/10
Not perfect...but it's a great FUN movie. -
......Harrison Ford saying 'I have a baaad feeling about this' one last time.
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were written with real heart and intent. They both had something to say.
Indy 4 was a total money grab. -
May 22, 2008 12:00:50 PM CDT
Take 2: If it wasn't called INDIANA JONES you defenders would ha
by shiftyeyeddog2
When will this archaic site add an "edit post" option? AICN is still stuck in the 90's.If you took the exact same script, same effects, same direction, same EVERYTHING, but it was not an "Indiana Jones" film, but rather a new or different franchise, no one would be nearly as forgiving or accepting of it.
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What the hell, people?!
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Did anyone detect an old-school Lucasarts game vibe in this? KOTCS felt kind of like one of those adventure games to me (which is a compliment since they are/were some of the most creative and interesting games I've ever played). I mean that duel between Mutt and Spalko was straight out of "Monkey Island" (not too mention all the monkeys!).
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My question going into the film would be if it felt like I was watching an Indiana Jones film or not. If that answer was a yes, then I would say the movie was right up there with the rest of them. And with the opening sequence to the ancient ruins in Peru, the movie felt very much like an Indiana Jones film. I felt the same way I did in 1989 watching "The Last Crusade". To me, and since Hollywood has gotten nostalgic on us, these kickstarted franchises from the 70's and 80's really need to have the feel of what made them so successful. "Rocky Balboa" and "Rambo" both felt like you were actually watching the previous installments."Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" succeeded as well. It's foolish to expect it to be as good as "Raiders", just like it was foolish to expect Star Wars I and II to be as good as IV,V,VI. Episode III finally recaptured that feeling you had when watching Star Wars and it stands as one of the best. Am I in favor of a 5th Indy? Probably not. Just the fact that this movie captured the feeling Indiana Jones brings with the nonstop suspense and action was good enough for me. By the way, if there is a 5th, myself, and millions of others will undoubtedly go see it. Franchises with that drawing power do not make "bad" movies.
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believe Stallone's spin all you want, but that thread-bare plot was nothing but an excuse to string together as many of the bloodiest, goriest kills as they could fit into the movie. Over-the-top to a LAUGHABLE point. It was fun bloody action, but don't go acting like it was deep and poignant. It most certainly was not.
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Hey guys, just wanted to vent a little here. I'm a HUGE fan of ALL the originals; I like them all almost equally and I went intolast night's late-night screening with me expectations pretty low per some of the bad reviews I had read. It was so bad Spielberg should be ashamed of himself. Did he even direct this??? I'm still in shock a little bit...from Indy walking around amongst manequins, to the clunky, forced dialogue, this was not an indiana jones movie --- plain and simple. The *ONLY* time I smiled was during some parts of the chase through the school --- specifically, when jones was climbing in and out of the backseat of that other vehicle, back in the cycle -- that part was probably the only real worthy moment for me. Other than that...this movie seemed like Spielberg directed it at gunpoint by lucas. I thought the star wars prequels were better than this -- and I HATED those.
Sorry this sounds so negative, but I just can't believe the movie I saw last night. In a few months, I think most of us will agree, if it even takes that long. Do you really want to go see that again over and over like you did withthe originals? Bleh. -
What lazy storytelling. Your only defense is that George made you write that. I know that a dozen writers had a crack at the script but It was your name I saw on the opening credits.
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I consider you arrogant because you are guilty of seeing 'the public' as a monolithic entity. People want to go to the cinema to be entertained, on the whole - there are plenty of quality 'popcorn films' out there that don't require the viewer to search for hidden meaning or subtext. Hardly ANY film stands up to seriously determined nitpicking, and most 'popcorn films' require a level of suspension of disbelief.
Look at all the poorly-rated films that have raked in disproportionate amounts at the box-office; are you seriously telling us to believe that this is because 'the public' has no taste? Or is it more likely that people went to see something on the strength of a trailer and thought, "That looks good - I'll go and see that with my girlfriend", or someone else told them it was really good and they should see it? How about kids persuading their parents to take them to see ultimately shit films? How about the casual moviegoer who just decides to catch a film on a whim? To suggest that people are one monolithic brainwashed mass who will just go any watch any old shite IS arrogance.
Let me put it like this; if I order something from a menu on a whim, based solely on a picture of the dish and I don't like the meal, does this mean I lack 'taste'? The restaurant still gets my money - does this make me worthy of scorn? Because I took a gamble and tried something new, or didn't research the Restaurant thouroughly for six months prior to going?
Argument refuted. -
May 22, 2008 12:16:36 PM CDT
RE:NEVER once in the film does Indy use or even HAVE a gun
by mace tofu
mastes360, He had a gun in the warehouse but he was doubled crossed before he could use it to kill Cate. He shot a RPG at a truck so that is like a BIG gun. He shot a dart and killed a native.
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The fact is that this is a truly terrible film and I GUARANTEE that it will not withstand the test of time. I give it a month --- if that. I thought National Treasure was FAR better than this piece of crap on film. I'm sorry I'm writing this...but I cannot BELIEVE that I actually thought about walking out of an indiana jones movie. I've only actually walked out of one movie in my life.
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May 22, 2008 12:19:11 PM CDT
sweven1978, in a few months, people will like it even more
by thelastcleric
Once you get past the initial shock that they aren't trying to make a carbon copy of Raiders and accept that the film is telling a different kind of story in a different period of Indy's long and exciting life, the movie really begins to grow on you. If all you want is Raiders 2008, just watch the original. This was an older Indy in an entirely different era and I think most of it worked pretty well.
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this was a tottally half assed movie...on all fronts. the quicksand snake scene? ughhh horrible. most everything was wrong... except for a ^few^ parts.
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"The worst movie I've ever seen"?? Seriously? Bay better than Spielberg doing this? "Unspeakably horrific"? Sweet fuckin' Christ I feel like Charlton Heston in the Planet of the Apes. It's a MAAAD HOUSE! A MAAAAD HOUSE!
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TheLastCleric, I'm not a RAIDER's purest at all. All I wanted was something inline with the originals. This was just plain horrible.
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May 22, 2008 12:24:22 PM CDT
This is why fanboys/this site are growing to be so easily ignore
by arteska
I'm completely convinced that this site has helped us "fans" get some of the kind of movies we want to see made and even made how we want them to be. That said, every time I come here and see this type of premeditated wailing I just shake my head and get depressed over the fact that what little input users have had conjured here is that much more easily discounted by Hollywood every day.
I feel sorry for Harry and the crew over the state of the typical talkback anymore. There might have been a time when the talkbacks were the life of the site but they are its biggest detriment now.
As for IndyIV - if you accept that they took the pulp roots that formed the approach to the character and his setting and bring that sensibility to the same kind of material made/evocative of 19 years later it's very easy to enjoy this movie. People bagging on this movie so harshly and for the reasons they do miss its intent for existing in the first place to a staggering degree.
You dummies need to stop breaking down trailers like the Zapruder film and going into movies with your knife drawn - waiting to be betrayed. Most people that haven't been obsessed with deconstructing this movie before they saw it will enjoy it just fine and if you can accept the outlandish things in the previous entries but not this one then you are just bitter because you can be. Have a happy summer. -
Just a thought.
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The Russians are just not that strong of a villan.
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Now that I have seen the latest Spielberg, Lucas, Ford concoction, I dread the following words. Why? Well, because I really only have one thing to say about this film and I'm simply not confident I can stretch that one thing out into a substantive review. But I'll try.
To call this movie a piece of shit would imply that it had purpose, structure, and substance. It doesn't. It aspires to be a piece of shit. In fact, despite its aspirations, it is still miles from seeing where it would have to get to be close to becoming a piece of shit.
The story is completely incomprehensible. The special effects are laughably bad. To say that Harrison Ford "mails in" his performance would be a profound understatement. If in fact you put Harrison Ford's performance in a box and dropped it for delivery by the US Postal Service, their scanning devices would separate it from the rest of the packages, take it to the parking lot, call the local bomb squad and instruct their remote control bomb detonating robot to blow up the package.
That it took twenty years to make a new Indiana Jones movie, and this is the one they came up with, causes me to suspect that Spielberg and Lucas have been killed and replaced by aliens. This movie had all the heart, nuance, and charm of a colonoscopy. Yes, of course you are glad that someone is there to provide that service, but given the opportunity to go your entire life without having to go through one would be just fine and dandy.
I saw this movie with half a bottle of wine in me and I still thought it was a godawful shitty mess. There are getting hit in the nuts jokes (a telling sign of a comedy in trouble), there are three prairie dog jokes in the first ten minutes (I thought I was watching fucking Caddyshack), Indiana Jones survives a nuclear blast without a scratch by getting in a refrigerator that tumbles violently for hundreds of yards from the shockwave's explosion. The house that the refrigerator was in, in fact the entire town that the refrigerator was in, is completely annihilated. But not Indiana and his fridge. After he opens the fridge he looks up to view the mushroom cloud of the nuclear bomb (which of course looks like CG shit), then is miraculously saved by the US government who give him a shower and save him from radiation poisoning. A fucking SHOWER! This also happens in the first ten minutes of the film. There is the magical skull that scares ants, why John Hurt’s character even thought to use the skull to scare the ants makes no sense but who cares right? We also have Shia discovering his inate ability to swing across a jungle on a vine and to do so with such skill and dexterity as to enter the driving compartment of a jeep going . . .what 50mph? Oh, did I mention Marion’s ability to drive a car off a cliff, onto a tree that has just enough tensile strength to lower the car softly on to the water and yet snap back to knock people of a ledge hundreds of feet above? WTF?
That Harry or any other "writer" on this site gives this movie any praise should shame them to their dying day. I understand they have to kiss ass to get access, but sometimes, you have to say, "the fucking emperor has no clothes." Pedigree matters. Spielberg and Lucas are too talented, have too many resources, and too much time to put crap like this on screen. That they have staffers and production partners who don't take them in a back room and smack them in the face and say, "You are better than this crap you are throwing on screen" is simply tragic. Steven, George, all those people who laugh at all your jokes and say yes to all of your ideas are terrible to have in the room. Fire them. Hire some people who can confidently disagree with you once in a while. You will make better movies for it.
If this were the Mummy 3, directed by Sommers I would still think it was awful, but it would fit in that realm. That this movie is now part of the Indiana Jones world mars the series.
This movie is awful. Anyone who loves movies should have the balls to say it sucks a level of ass previously untouched by the likes of this crew of filmmakers. This is about as much an Indian Jones movie as the Bridges of Madison County would be if you put a bullwhip and fedora on Eastwood's head and had him introduce himself as Indiana.
This movie is a joke. That it is yet another well below par blockbuster that this site takes under its wing and justifies and defends disappoints me to no end. Where the hell do we go for people with the guts to say movies, even those made by industry titans . . . suck?
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You give me one example of how ANY scenes from the originals matched the horrible scenes from this movie: The Brady Bunch-like corny family reunion; Shia swigning from vines for 2 nminutes like tarzan with an army of cgi monkeys following him (WHY?) then attacking russians; an over-the-top cheeseball WEDDING SEQUENCE? And what's with that kiss? They looked like they were leaning in to pech each other like brother and sister. That's just a few right off the top of my head...yuck.
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Hyperbole bores me and calling this "One of the worst films you've ever seen" doesn't exactly strike me as a balanced opinion. It's impossible to completely allign this film with the previous movies because of the era and the character's age. It's a different kind of Indy (and technically, they've all been different in some ways) but the quality is there. If you didn't like the film that's your choice but claiming we are all going to change our collective minds in a few months is ridiculous. I'm a pretty smart guy and I can make up my own mind, thank you very much. Sorry the film didn't work for you.
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the crabs comment was directed toward scotchtapeman75 or whatever his name is.
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Caught the midnight show, and I was a little under-whelmed. I saw all of the originals in the theater, and loved them. Particularly, ROTLA. All of that said, something didn't smell quite right with the new film. Ford didn't feel quite right in the role any more. Not sure if it's slightly aged voice, Spielberg's directing, the script, or what. Don't get me wrong, he was more often better than not. Shia was a pleasant surprise, and not as annoying as most predicted. Save for the monkey vines, and Brando moments. Winstone and Hurt...not much to do. ANd, Allen? Well, it was a blessing and a curse having her back. The blessing was bringing those two characters back together, but the curse was the insurmountable task of trying to recapture the old chemistry. She was passable, but underused. Biggest problem for me, is that the film was (and due to Ford's age) had to be taken out of the 30's. Even the 40's before the end of WWII would have been good. Mind you, I've got nothing against 50's schlock sci-fi, but it's too out of place in a Jones film. The Russians, including Blanchet, were alright. But, I miss those religious/historical artifacts. There was just two much down time in the middle (to talk about the skulls,etc.) ANd, a flying saucer just doesn't do it for me in an Indy film. The movie felt 1950's, but needed to be an earlier, more appropriate time period. If only they could have done a fourth film during the early to mid-90's. That might have worked. IF it needed to be filmed at all. That said, I still enjoyed some of the film. Ford felt mostly right. Liked the motorcycle chase, the diner fight, and a few other scenes. On a final note, I see people are trashing Lucas once again. I suppose we do have him to blame for the story, but as for low-key performances(including Ford)we have either the script and/or, the actors, or the Berg to blame. Lucas was on the set for maybe 3 or 4 days, and didn't direct these actors. It's just like people who wanted to trash Jake Lloyd's performance in TPM, and totally overlooked that Natalie Portman pretty much sucked, as well. Oh well. Not here to bash George, Harrison, or Spielberg. I'll be seeing the movie again, even though it's initially a 6 out of 10 for me. I hoped it would be maybe 3rd out of the 4 movies, but it's not. Just as I hoped Revenge of the Sith would be maybe as good as my least favorite original, ROTJ. Somethings were better, but in the end the actors still weren't full of energy, even compared to Jedi. So, as it stands. 1. Raiders 2. Temple 3. Crusade 4. KOTCS
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Nobody cares what Harry or this website has to say. This movie opens on a FOUR DAY WEEKEND folks. It's going to freakin' kill at the box office.
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OMG! He was so great! Handsome, funny, and just an incredible actor! I wish he could be in every movie!
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Spielberg and Lucas think they are geniuses, and that any random writer is just as good as the next. Until Spielberg and Lucas acknowledge that Lawrence Kasdan's contribution was the reason why Raiders was so awesome, neither of them will ever make a good movie again.
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'Eventually they're going to take these shackles off, and when they do the first thing i'm gonna do is break your nose'. BAM! I have issues with some of the story beats in the film and the pacing, but i enjoyed it immensely overall. I loved the subtle references to the previous movies (such as the Grail theme playing over the photo of Connery), and it's nice (and a little unexpected) that they made a reference to the Sean Patrick Flannery TV series. The only thing that would have made it complete is for Sallah to have been present at the service at the end. I'm sitting there waiting for that close-up of John Rhys-Davies in the church, and it never came. Too bad.
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400 million guaranteed. Anything you guys hate is guaranteed to be a hit.
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May 22, 2008 12:37:03 PM CDT
sweven1978 RE: monkeys following him (WHY?) then attacking russi
by mace tofu
MAGIC SKULL called them. It wanted INDY to take it home. The movie is about a magic skull. Read the title again.
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Just got back from an 11am showing of Indy in New York. Decent crowd for an early showing.
Bottom line - worth seeing for the new Fincher trailer that plays before it. Otherwise in the words of Baby Herman "It stinks like yesterday's diapers."
The Indy has CGI monkeys and goofy CGI hedgehog/gophers a plenty. Character scenes that aren't very well executed. A terrible performance by Cate Blanchett. One of the worst adventure premises in film history (i shit you not). The end was everything I feared it would be. The only positive thing about this film - dare i say it - is Shia Labeuf who for most of the film out indy's indy. Spielberg really let me down with this one. The writing is awful but what is most shocking is how flawed the direction is throughout. And the way they use Marcus' memory in this film was downright offensive with that ridiculous statue scene that should make any true fan of the original films want to throw up. And I'm saddened to say it but Ford for the first half of the movie just didn't seem like his old self at all. The way he delivered his one liners just didn't ring true to form. I hated this film and this will be the last Spielberg film I pay to see in theater. I predicted the film would be bad...I just didn't think it would be this bad. I'm angry and sad right now honestly. -
That trailer was amazing, and filld me with more joy and gave me more goosebumps than any part of Indy 4 did. As for Indy, a good adventure movie, but a bad indiana jones movie.
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You are so right on about Benjamin Button. Looks amazing. That made seeing Indy in the theater worth it. The only satisfying part of the experience for me.
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So, tell us how you really feel..
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Seen the movie yesterday and was pretty much pissed of. As a big Indy-Fan that flic have done nothing for me. I blame the terrible script for that, cause most of the time I didn´t give a damn about the happenings and the characters on screen, everything felt forced and tacked together. There was no natural flow like in the other movies. The action sequences ranged from quite good (motorcycle chase) to rididulous (chase in the jungle) and some things went just too much over the top (like Indy´s way out of an nuclear explosion). The CGI didn´t fit into the general vibe and old-school feel of the series. And some parts of the movie were pretty boring (felt like history-lesson with Indy talking and talking). The audience in the theatre felt pretty much like me, dissapointed. No applause, no cheers, nada. Just a whole lot of people rushin out of the room, eye rollin, head shaking and complaining.
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Examples: Indy and his father tied up and having a what?/what? exchange; The raft/airplane scene from TOD. The tunnel scene in Crusade where the fighter pilot looks over at the Jones' before exploding; The mine cart jumping the tracks in TOD; the musical opening in TOD; the jousting in Crusade; Sallah nabbing some camels to pay his brother-in-law back; Short Round beating the crap out of Thugee guards. I could go on but the point is that the Indy films have always contained radically implausible sequences; hell, that's part of the fun.
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I really missed Kasdan watching this. I think I may have to put on Silverado today just to wash away the stink that was Indy 4.
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One of the better quieter moments in the film is Indy contemplating "life taking things aways" and looking at pictures on his desk brody and his father. Well, some asshole in my theater thought it was hilarious to see a picture of Sean Connery as he father. the scene started and he goes "Ha! Sean Connery!" and a bunch of loud annoying laughter comes from his part of the theater, obviously him and his friends. a minute later, they show the connery picture one more time and even MORE laughter ensues? And I'm thinking "What the fuck? Didn't you see Crusade? Connery was his father you know, they are being correct to the continuity, which is what so many geeks revere. What the hell?"
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It was a damn fun movie.
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So that must be bad?
Maybe the fact of the matter is that we've been spoiled by big, epic movies that actually are built as franchises. We see Spiderman 2-3 because there are threads to be tied up. LOTR is one continuous story. When Iron Man 2 comes out we'll be expecting new developments. And that's awesome, I dig that.
But the thing is, Indy has always functioned where each story is simply an added thrill ride. TOD didn't really give us anything new about Indy; it simply gave us another thrilling adventure. Last Crusade may have brought up his daddy issues, but it did it within a confined story. We never watched Raiders or TOD and thought "hmm, I'd like to see Indy's dad" and I doubt any of us were looking at a 4th film saying "there are a lot of dangling threads to be tied up, so we need a fourth film." No, we simply wanted another adventure that made us laugh, smile and hang on tight. Indy was always built as a franchise that delivered nothing more than superbly-delivered popcorn entertainment and I actually think it would have been a huge misstep if they HAD tried to do anything more than bring Marion back.
Yes, KOTCS has its flaws. And unlike the other two movies (Raiders, we'd all agree, is pretty much flawless), its flaws are structural in the script stage. So yes, they're more noticeable.
But the film doesn't give us something dismal and dark with a whiny, shrill heroine like TOD. And the balance between humor and slapstick is much better than Last Crusade.
All I wanted from this was a fun Indy movie. And I got that. The smirk, the smartass comments, the banter between Indy and the villains. I wanted a gross out scene involving icky creatures, ludicrous fight sequences (is the Doomstown bit any more ludicrous than the raft escape in TOD?) and the cornerstone for any Indy flick, wit. Yes, the Tarzan bit is bound to look a bit cheesy. But it works because it doesn't jive with the tone of the action sequence. It would have been crossing the line had Mutt actually let out a Tarzan yell, but since Indy's whip swinging antics have always been a throwback to Tarzan, I think we can accept it.
Some won't like this movie and I understand that. Heck, I'm in the rare minority of people who doesn't care for any of the Star Wars movies outside of EMPIRE and who has never been able to make it through a Star Trek film.
The one movie I AM surprised about all the love being shown, however, is THE FOOT FIST WAY which screened for us right after Indy. I just thought that, while a tad funny, it was a pretty unpleasant movie about an unlikable guy. -
I liked Sallah as much as the next fan, but they sort of ruined him in Last Crusade(just like Marcus). I for one, am glad he wasn't there. He'd have been sitting on the last pew, with a dozen camels. No thanks.
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When we refer to the serial movies that Spielberg/Lucas are nodding to with Raiders & the sequels -- what movies are we talking about? I'd love to watch some of these, to see some of the original inspiration for the Indy world.
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Actually, this could have very easily been a National Treasure Movie. (They just would have had to show horn some connection to American history in there, like Nic Cage's great Great Grandfather finding a crystal skull at the last stand of the Alamo, and a character named Davey Crocket Fairways or something,) and it wouldn't have been that different. I also would just say, "meh, just another shitty National Treasure movie" and been on my way. Indy has to have a higher standard.
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What'd you chumps all sign up this morning? Or maybe you're all just Merryman Lyon?
Stupid fucks. Clearly the Sex in the City movie is more your speed.
Good day. -
Your outrage at the treatment of his "memory" is pretty silly considering the character is fictional. You don't even know the actor's real name so who's legacy are you actually defending here? Seriously, get some fresh air and some perspective; it's just a movie.
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Probably some (showing my elderly 37 years)some dumbass kids who only knew Sean Connery as that Jeopardy contestant from SNL.
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That's my short take. Lots of great, warm, funny character moments buried in an avalanche of ridiculous, oversized, prequel-y, over-the-op special effects and gimmicks. The last 20 minutes could have been The Mummy or the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie.Which was frustrating, because the personal, small moments worked and were genuinely funny and touching in places. But they were never allowed to breathe in the mad rush to get to the next scene.They made a credible Indy film, which is a pretty big achievement in some ways, but it felt to me like less than the sum of its parts.God, those big special effects were stupid. I'm so tired of Lucas' big waterfalls (we saw enough of those in the prequels) and the annoying, soft-focus-y green-screen halos around everyone.My feeling at the end: now that we have this great cast assembled, let's take them on a plausible adventure without the mountain of CGI junk!
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too silly for me, just didnt seem like a indy flick.
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The magic was there if you chose to see and hear it. If you didn't see it... you might wanna take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself "When did I rape my own childhood?"
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his movie is going up against INDY so I could see him coming here to cause trouble, he was on Fox's REDEYE show promoting POSTAL lol
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Burdened by an overwhelming amount of expository dialogue, KOTCS still has the requisite killer set pieces, John Williams score, and of course, Harrison Ford. It may not be the sequel we were hoping for, but I have not seen Ford as into a role since Air Force One 11 years ago. From the first reveal of him wearing that classic snarl until the last fadeout, he carries the film. And boy, does it need carrying in some places. Still, the chemistry between Ford & Karen Allen is wonderful, I liked Shia alright--no matter what any idiots say, the kid is a superior actor, but I agree with many others that Ray Winstone is wasted. To a certain extent, I felt that John Hurt and Jim Broadbent were throwaways as as well. I am however grateful that the rumour going around that Indy dies at the end was bullshit. Still, it would have been nice if they had shot the Frank Darabont script, but then again, Lucas is an idiot.
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if you look at some of my earlier posts (in this behemoth of a talkback), you'll see I mentioned also that this felt more like the Indy rip-offs Natl Treasure and The Mummy than an actual Indy film. Indy films SHOULD be held to a higher standard.
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it was poo. Too much CGI, crazy crazy, way more than mind bending fantasy elements EVEN for a Indiana Jones movie. "Tarzan" scene was intolerable
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The Good: 1) Harrison Ford. He slips back into Indy like he's never been away and plays his age. This isn't like Roger Moore or Sean Connery trying to play characters who are supposed to be years younger. Harrison does owlish and badass seamlessly.
2) uhhh, I can't be bothered. I liked it. I enjoyed it a lot and I'll probably watch it again. But is it as good as the other three? I don't know. I don't think so-- I can tell a lot of people are going to bitch about the science fiction elements but I think it's a bold direction for the Indy saga to take, especially since we've already had holy relics done to death in the other films. CGI monkeys bad. CGI gophers bad. Agent Spalko goood. Marion Ravenwood pointless, but nice. Slapstick either well done or awkward, just like in the first three. Shia? I like Shia, but I'm just not sure if I buy him in this film. He comes across as a bit of a limp lipped SE Hinton cast off, but then with his character I kind of get the feeling that it's the point that he's trying too hard to be something he's not. That being the case, then he's fine. He's got great chemistry with Indy snr, even if we could all see the 'big reveal' that he's Henry Jones Jnr Junior from--oooohhhh-- at least two years away. Tarzan sequence ill advised, and douses an otherwise thrilling segment of the film. Moment when Indy realises he's stumbled onto a nuclear test site good. Shot of Indy stood beneath towering mushroom cloud awesome. Alan Dale cameo nice touch. Structurally the film didn't feel as tight as 1 2 and three, I don't know why. Still, all good fun, and even if it didn't turn out to be the great lost film of my childhood then it was a very good attempt. I give it 3 out of five. Fuck those monkeys though. When will Lucas ever learn?
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My father has purchased tickets for me, himself, and my younger sister to see this on Saturday. He is a MASSIVE Indy fan, and he's been talking for months about how happy he is that he can take his two daughters to see this, just like his late dad took him and his brothers to see the first three. This is REALLY important to him, and he's very excited for this movie, but after reading all of the awful things about it online, I'm very worried that this thing is going to break my dad's heart, and I don't want that to happen to him. He hasn't read any reviews of this thing. Do I tell him to expect the worst, or should I just let him experience this thing spoiler-free? I'm genuinely torn up about what to do here. If I can prevent a tragedy, SHOULD I?
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can be traced right back to George. Other than pacing, there was a whole bunch of goofy shit that just didn't seem necessary.
That aside, this film hits way more than it misses. It's good. I just wish that Steve would have taken the reigns a little bit more... -
May 22, 2008 1:02:55 PM CDT
MrSandwich, they taking cues from the old Republic serials.
by rbatty024
The best of these Serials is Captain Marvel. Yes, that Captain Marvel, the old superhero that's now a part of the DC Universe. It's campy and fun with lots of action. It has crooks, a desert locale at one point, and an ancient artifact so I have to assume it's one of Spielberg's and Lucas's inspiration.
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to say "here's to hoping this movie bombs so there is never an Indy 5." CGI prairie dogs? Gimme a break.
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This movie sucked and that is a FACT, no matter how many people try to defend it. And I even lowered my expectations hoping for something safe but fun, like Transformers. I am the most dissapointed Indy fan in the universe.
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Holy jesus was that one of the most poorly done sequels or returns to a movie i have ever seen...
Its almost on par with Phantom Menace it is that freaking bad...
The CGI is like pre T2 which is sad considering they had like a decade to get better...
And some of the scenes were neither funny or realistic...
The fight with "MUTT" and a woman in gray who i could care less about becasue of no character development was appaling...
It looked almost like someone drew them weeks before they put it on screen...
Then the ohh lets hit "MUTT" in the balls with branches and sticks wow what amazement...
That joke is what i expect from americas funniest home videos...
Then when "MUTT" is swinging from vine to vine with monkeys, poor CGI monkeys, is so far from realistic....
Should i go on...
Yes i will because this movie really pissed me off...
The scene directly after it was just as brutal...
Karen Allen drives a car off a cliff only to be caught by a tree...
The tree supports the weight of the car and drops them ohhhh so gently in the water then snaps back to life and kills bad guys...
From the very first scene of the movie i was worried...
The whole groundhog, CGI again was poorly done...
And then when did Indiana Jones ever become a Sci-Fi adventure film...
The old ones were about history and exploring...
Not about freaking aliens and alternate worlds and CGI...
Thanks again for pissing on my childhood Lucas and Speilberg...
You 2 will not be getting any more money from me...
Go watch Iron Man and see how you develop characters and have a plot and a storyline...
Thanks again for a waste of my 7 dollars and 2 hours of my time...
Half a star out of 5 is my rating...
I hated it...
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I can't believe some of you did not like this movie. Big mistake. You followed the hype. I liked it alot and can't wait for another. It was a fun movie.
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Don't say ANYTHING to your dad. Let him have a clean experience. I hope he has the same experience my crowd and I had yesterday and not the people here. I enjoyed the movie, a lot. And I trust your dad will enjoy it as well. That's my advice. Probably just say "Dad, if you log onto AICN prepare to be surprised at the incredible amount of hate these poor suckers have inside them, and pity them for being incapable of enjoying life". I wish somebody would've told me that, I'd be less depressed now, thank you.
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I think the Discovery Channel should do a documentary on Movie Geeks: "Watch as the alpha males pick up sticks and beat each over the head with hate and loathing. Nevermind any mating or territorial rituals they may lack... these cynical creatures live in their own world outside of the general species known as the human being. They stand alone on their pride rock, head held high, spending countless hours a day bitching about moaning about nothing. Unable to enjoy the many wonders life offers, these Geeks often blame others for their shortcomings".
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Let's see character development. Hmmm, other than Belloq most Indy villians were 2D. What character development did Toht, Mola Ram or Donovan have? Realism, falling out of a plane in a rubber raft, plane going through a tunnel, guy getting heart ripped out. Ummm, don't see that happening everyday. As for the sci-fi angle. It's more a throwback to the post atomic sci-fi era of the 50's. Maybe someone needs to find the ark of the covenant to see if it really melts faces off.
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The best thing you can do is go with your dad and NOT MENTION any of the negativity surrounding the film that you've read. Watch with him and gauge his reaction. If he ends up not liking it, go for it. If he likes it... pretend you liked it too. Remember, it's about being with your loved ones, not your opinions about the film. (I've learned this the hard way through many similar situations.)
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...from Moriarty's talkback, I think some of you need some fucking perspective on this series.
I was 7 or 8 when "Raiders" was released, but my parents didn't take me to see it. Guess they weren't interested, or whatever. Despite being a big "Star Wars" nerd, I totally missed out on the Indy experience. Never saw any of the sequels, and only had a vague idea of what the series was about.
I grew up into a cinemaphile, but the Indy series continued to elude me until a few years. At the age of 31, I rented all three movies and watched them back to back. At the end of each one, I shrugged my shoulders and thought, "Okay, well, that was cute, I guess."
I understand that I missed the cultural moment, but those of you who are complaining about the new movie being ridiculous, poorly written, soulless, and cartoony seriously need to take a step back and re-examine those original flicks. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was so cartoonish and silly that I half-expected Elmer Fudd to come tip-toeing onscreen and say, "Shhh... I'm hunting awcheowogical awtifacts."
Just off the top of my head, the basket-chase scene with Marion being carried off and Indy chasing her--it's like something from a Popeye cartoon. Or how about Indy outrunning a two-million-ton boulder? (And can anyone answer why he didn't just take a step backwards when he first saw the boulder coming down and let it roll *in front* of him?)
I could go on and on with this stuff, but you guys see what I'm getting at. I understand that the silliness is part of the charm, but the characters are extremely thin, the plot points are impossibly coincidental, the romance is cheesy, and the "action" is practically slapstick in its execution. In short, without the nostalgia to fall back on, these movies are pretty goofy.
All that is to say, it's just idiotic to expect some sort of spiritual, ecstatic experience from the new flick. These were throwaway films to begin with; they just happened to strike at the right time, and became iconic through no particularly outstanding merits of their own.
I hope the new film does well. I likely won't see it until it hits DVD, but I love Harrison Ford, and it would be nice if Spielberg were encouraged to do more fun movies. But get a grip, people. Enjoy it for what it is. -
I couldn't have said it better myself.
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If your Dad is that big of an Indy fan, as I am, then he will get at least some fun out of it. Or maybe he won't-- maybe he'll be silent all the way home in the car. When you nervously ask how he thought the film was, perhaps he'll sigh whistfully and say it was fine. Perhaps he'll just make a non-commital grunt. Later that evening, maybe he'll kiss you all goodnight without saying a word, turning out the light with a bittersweet smile. Minutes later the sound of a single gunshot shall reverberate around the house coming from the direction of your garage...
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It's a old guy movie. Don't worry I saw it and the stuff most people are bitchin about is only a few shots or moments in a 2 hour movie. The dreaded prairie dog scene? Indy falls in the desert near a prairie dog and it looks at him then runs into its hole in the dirt. Thats it. They do it twice. 4 seconds total. If that kills the movie for you then stay home.
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The actor is Denholm Elliot (who starred in many of my favorite films including Razor's Edge and Trading Places) you cock! He died tragically of aid and he is one of my favorite characters from the Indiana Jones trilogy. Fuck you, asshole.
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Even the SW prequels didn't seem to rile up so many emotions!
Rocklover, don't tell your father anything. Let him walk into the movie cold. It's not YOUR fault that a film is what it is--or isn't. There's enough of a "family theme" in the movie to make your dad happy to be seeing it with his daughters. In a way, the movie could be called "Indiana Jones and His Instant Family," and you'll see why. The little bit of charm that this movie does have comes from that aspect of it. All the sci-fi shit is gonna continue to divide fans. You'll either love or hate that element of it. The rest, especially the beginning act, is "true" Indiana Jones.
Don't tell dad anything! While the film is not the "Great Cinema" that was "Raiders," this new-era atomic age Indy IS A FUN RIDE, and internet haters shouldn't cause you or anyone else to fret without seeing it yourself first. Because it IS WORTHY of your paying to seeit at the show. Enjoy it for what it is! -
If you go onto Ain't it Cool and expect positive comments you're going to be disappointed. A lot of people want to dislike movies around here. That's not to say that a few of them don't have legitimate arguments, but you can tell who doesn't know shit about movies by noting who blames everything on CGI. If this was twenty years ago they would be ripping on the matte paintings. If this was forty years ago they would be making fun of the rear projectors. The vast majority of reviews by the professionals have been positive. I tend to trust them more than some kid with a computer.
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I will say that this film was poor at best. The first 20 minutes had moments where I thought they've done it - kind of like the first 20 minutes of Revenge of the Sith - but the wheels came off shortly after. I know Lucas will say that critics have always panned his films, but what he forgets is that the public rarely did. This film did not have a good story. I never cared who had the skull and, to be honest, I couldn't really understand why the skull even mattered at all. At no time did I feel that Indy was trying to save the world or even anyone it nor did I get the sense that Indy was doing the right thing for the sake of archaeology. He was just doing it for the sake of the film which meant that the audience had no vested emotion while watching it. Did anyone else notice how the film, unintentionally or not, seemed to be an homage to all sorts of other Lucas and/or Speilberg films? Back to the Future II (hover skateboard chase), ESB (Han strapped in torture chair), Close Encounters, Temple of Doom (soldiers falling off ladders into river below), and the list goes on ... I seriously wonder if those two sit back and laugh at how stupid the movie going public is for paying to see their films. I was hopeful after Munich that Speilberg could do this film properly, but I was wrong. I won't be getting this on DVD. :(
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"A good adventure movie, but a bad Indiana Jones movie." Think about what a ridiculous statement that is. Since the Indy movies never set out to be anything more than good adventure movies, why are you expecting more?
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Honestly, I don't think your dad has anything to worry about. Having just watched the other three, I honestly am a bit baffled at the responses here. I think, unlike Menace which felt like a foreign entity and not a Star Wars movie, the backlash here is mostly overhyped expectation and not reflective of a bad movie. I loved it, and thought it was the most fun of any movie this summer. I know, we are only mostly through May, but Iron Man and Caspian were quite good. Overall, I think it's the second best of the series, and that's after some consideration of it's merits next to the others. It's like others have said, There is Raiders and then there are the other 3. I like TOD the least, and yet several people love that one. So, it's mostly subjective, but I think with time, this will be considered a good addition to the collection and what's more it will be seen as a terrific success in the fact that it follows up 19 years after the last segment with the same lead actor and director and gets so much right. It had exactly the tone of an Indy movie and the 50s sci-fi elements to me, were a perfect addition to the end. Loved Blanchette and even got a kick out of the aforementioned Tarzan scene. I'm pretty sure I won't be in the minority. They were going for big and goofy, but don't be fooled, there is more skill under this then some have let on. Nothing half hearted about it.
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Don't be alarmed by "some" of the hate mail going on here. If there was ever a place not to come to read non-objective negative reviews of a film - this is the place. The movie was FUN. And your dad will like it if he loves any sense of adventure that he felt watching the first three movies. Indy is back. And that feeling of watching him battle bad guys and deal with the impossible is back as well. Good times await those who just wanna have a good time, and are not looking for the "second coming of Christ".
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is so high, and that the movie is getting fairly decent praise everywhere but here. I'm not saying it is worthy of us having a circle jerk on it. I'm justing saying that I've never seen such disparity of opinion between AiCN TBers and other critics.
No Matter. I'm seeing it again tonight with the kid, AND I'M LOOKING forward to doing so. I'm immune to the hate! NICE TRY, LAO CHE!! -
Just seen it in London. 1st impressions are not great still in shock. Seeing it again 3 more times as I have the tickets already. Hope it gets better....
Problems I had were:
1: Music is mixed by Ben Burtt to be very low so Williams music is not to the forefront like it was in other Indy movies so I could hardly hear it.
2: Dialogue was again mixed too low so I could not hear many parts of it. Its either the cinema I saw it in (Odeon Leicester Square which has a crappy sound system. THX certified speakers and components but not THX certified cinema due to the balcony obstructing the sound waves so it does not reproduce the sound the way it is intended to be heard).
3: Just been reading the new Complete Making of Indiana Jones book which contains some very detailed quotes on the history of Indy4's development hell. If you read it you will see Ford, Spielberg, Lucas equally really do not have a clue in hell about what makes an Indy movie. Consider the following:
Lucas says the title was Spielbergs idea.
Spielberg lost interest in making another Indy movie after ID4 (because of the flying saucer elements) but Lucas said no Indy movie without Aliens in it and gave up on it to do the SW movies instead.
Ford was more keen than anyone else to make it happen.
Lucas only main ideas were the Crystal Skulls & it being an Alien.
Spielberg was the driving force behind all the mis-casting (basically to me everyone except Ford, Shia, Blanchett & Allen sucked bigtime and were horribly miscast plus did not even deliver anyway). There is a whole lot more detail on this so get the book as it contains good stuff on the other 3 movies as well.
4: Indy4 just felt wrong in places. The opening 20 mins or so were pretty good but then it just kinda lost its way a little.
5: CGI to me looked flawless cannot complain about it at all eveything looked pretty acceptable so do not understand where people are coming from with complaints about that as compared to the basic story structure and poor acting from almost everyone this is the least of the movies problems.
6: Flat direction in many places the movie just felt tired.
Its pretty obvious Spielberg, Lucas & Ford have far too much money and just phoned in a lot of this movie and when they put it all together had to hype it up to at least get paid and reclaim the budget.
History will probably not be kind to this movie and TBH Spielberg & Ford will get a backlash over this as they should have known better and told Lucas to keep his ideas but as they could not come up with anything better they went with this movie anyway to satisfy fan demand and sadly failed. -
I have seen posts by a few haters on here, (I will not mention names because i don't want people to feel like they are being singled out or picked on) and it just proves what I have said all along about these so-called "know it alls". There have been some posts by people who have NOT EVEN SEEN the movie and are still saying how it sucks, or how they are going to go see it just so they can see that they were right. Wow what total and complete arrogance, I guarantee that some of these rocket scientists will see this movie, love it, and never ever admit it, because all they want to do is come back here and tell the world how right they were. Of course they will say stuff like, "If I like it I would say so" Yea right, assholes like that cannot stand to be proven wrong or hate looking like fools so they will maintain their opinion if they like the movie or not. Like I have said before, stop judging a movie until you see it, then your opinion will be valid. Now I have seen plenty of movies i didnt think would be good, some were good, some were great, some sucked ass. But I waited until I saw it to really say how it was. It's one thing to have high or low expectations for a movie, but to say it is going to suck, period, before you even see it is short sighted and just dumb. I know I sound like a broken record, but these arrogant "hate for the sake of hating" assholes really annoy me. Peace.
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I'm a huge fan of aliens, ancient astronauts and all of that jazz... hell I am a subscriber to coast to coast am!!
But in my book, Indiana Jones is an action flick with comedy relief... not the other way around. The Last Crusade was THE best Indy movie IMO. If you're one of the weirdos who loves temple of doom and all of its zany, wacky, retardedness... well then you'll probably like this movie.
If you thought the last Crusade was the best movie... you'll HATE this movie. Its just too silly. The last crusade had grit and realism... this has NONE of that. George Lucas was "conducting" the whole thing with his jerk-off hand. I mean, Indy didn't shoot ANYONE! WTF?! WHY IN GODS NAME DOES GEORGE HAVE TO TURN EVERYTHING GOOD INTO SHIT?? -
but over night it really started to grow on me.
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May 22, 2008 1:24:26 PM CDT
Complaining about "lack of character development" in an Indy mov
by darthvedder81
Is like complaining about a lack of nutritional content in your ice cream sundae.
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You haters are lying to yourselves and you know it. I smiled throughout the film even the silly moments. Good stuff I'm seeing it again this weekend.
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it was a fun indy movie, reminded me more of one of the indy comics but good stuff.
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I told you so.
I got pretty slammed for my review when I first posted it, but it seems that it represents the consensus here. Praise and apologies to me ;-) -
...spawn these kinds of debates when it was first released? I remember my friends and I debating the good, bad and the ugly about Temple of Doom and how that film compared to Raiders. Some of us hated it, where others loved the crap out of it. I can see Crystal Skull going in with Temple of Doom as the red-headed stepchildren of the Indiana Jones franchise (unless you count the television show).
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Go over to Ebert's blog and watch the most famous of film critics call you an idiot. I love it.
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I was going tonight because I just couldn't wait for a new Indy adventure, but after reading about CGI monkeys (WHY?!) and UFO's and sloppy endings and Gilligan's Island jungle sets I may wait for the crowds to die down and go next week. Bargain show on monday maybe.
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if he'd stepped back and let it roll in front of him, he would have been trapped inside as it blocked the exit.as for your subsequent post, we were expecting more because the Indiana Jones films are the BEST adventure movies of all time - even the weakest of the series is superior to any other adventure flicks. Of COURSE any new entry in the series will be held to a higher standard. That's like having a new Star Wars movie come out, and saying "it was an ok sci-fi movie, but a bad Star Wars movie".... oh wait, that already happened... 3 times.(p.s. awesome screenname)
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But this talkback gives me hope.
It's full of hate and vitriol, but the haters also seem to be significantly challenged by grammar, spelling, courtesy, and overall apparent intelligence (I'll give 'scotsman75' and '0101' as examples). Therefore, I think I still have a shot at liking it. -
First off... you review was pretty bad. So don't quit your day job. Second of all... you should be fired from your day job considering the NY Times posted you are a theater exec and are pumping out negativity towards a movie that would pull in $$ for your company. Or are you just bitter that Paramount and the boys are gonna take a bigger perecentage from you guys that you want? Indy 4 will have one of the biggest openings in history this weekend... and most of the money will not go to you guys LOL
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Nice post, very eloquent. Couldn't have said it better myself.
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You very well might hate it, but the complaints here are greatly exaggerated. At least in my mind. If you liked the others, I think you will like this. If you hate any of the others for certain reasons, you might dislike this one. For me, they have all been fun rides, even TOD which has moments where I want to push the mute button the remote. But the Thugee cult, the mine carts and the mercenary indy save it all for me.
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Guys this flick is only two steps above the National Treasure (two of the worst films I have ever seen in my life). Films have gotten very expensive. I come to this site to get a sense of what is worth dropping twelve bucks on in the theater. And I really resent it when people call people with negative comments about films "haters", "losers", "liars" or "not true fans." I can't speak for anyone else but I posted my honest feelings on here about this film as a warning. And I am telling you this movie is deeply flawed. Just a warning.
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To dislike this film. It just wasn't very good. The CGI creatures were unneccesary. Karen Allen would have been better as a cameo. The premise felt far fetched, isn't it odd how in Raiders and Crusade the artifacts never really felt far-fetched? The crystal skull feels very silly. The movie looks like it was shot on a sound stage. One thing nobody noticed though is how he is almost never refered to as Indy. I thought he thought of himself as Indiana Jones, not Henry Jones Jr. That said Harrison Ford was excellent, The opening sequence up to the nuke explosion was great. Even Shia did a pretty good job. I also thought that the scene with the hat was Spielberg's way of saying there is only one Indy, and Shia aint him.
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May 22, 2008 1:31:24 PM CDT
I think you can pretty much cut and paste the current arguments.
by rbatty024
onto the first two Indy sequels. Temple of Doom had some silly shit in it. Giant vampire bats, come on. They don't even exist. Willie mistaking a snake for an elephant's trunk. The dinner scene. There' some really campy stuff in there. Not that, that's a bad thing. I enjoy the campy elements of Indiana Jones as much as the serious stuff so long as it's well done, and so far it's been well done with a little wink to the audience.
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For an Indiana Jones movie, it was garbage. For a "summer" blockbuster action/adventure type movie, it was ok. I agree with most of you on here when I say, "A fucking refridgerator?!?" Also, the monkey scene made me roll my eyes. Aliens? I expected some supernatural BS, but aliens? Not in Indy.
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Ha ha. The Wachowskis should put you on the payroll. I saw Speed twice and I agree that it was really good (better the second time) but I'm afraid it's over. The masses just didn't get it. Poor marketing, bad release date (wait till school is out if you're pushing a movie at the kiddie crowds!) and lousy pure CGI commercials killed Speed before he got out of the gate. Speed will at the bargain theaters within a month. I can't wait for the Blu Ray which will be unbelievable looking.
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is a hater, but there are some obvious ones on here. It's film, and not everyone is going to like everything, even if they liked similar things before. It's ok. Im fine with that. In fact there are some who clearly were pre-hating it. At the same time, those of us who love it aren't tasteless, drooling retards. That's the biggest problem here. Everything has to be extremes, and the "public" needs to be on the side of every argument.
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i remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark when it came out in the theater, same with the sequels and just returned from the most recent...i didnt walk in expecting Raiders , because i never think i will ever see a film that left me with such awe as Raiders did when i first saw it ...i always choose to see the Indy films as I saw the first one, totally open to the world created and the style of the piece...you can rip holes in it or just sit back and enjoy the ride...we will never get an Indy film like Raiders ....EVER...but KOTCS was enjoyable and thats all i was looking for ... sit back and enjoy the ride ....Its an INDIANA JONES movie and i am thankful that one more exists for what these movies are....silly popcorn summer flicks... i laughed off the silliness (the SHIAzan vine swinging) just like i did with the raft sequence from DOOM ...its only a movie ...its meant to be fun , they (Lucas/Spielberg) know some of its goofy ...but in the world of Indy ...its all plausible...and light years ahead of the films that attempt to grasp the style (Mummy,National Treasure)...ripping it apart in ritual dissection is like saying that a rollercoaster's fourth loop didn't have enough speed...i recommend it ...plan to see it again on Monday just for the jungle chase alone (worth the admission)....matinee it ...3 out of 5..
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fucking awful, 5% its nostalgic, 2% it sucked but it was fun, 2% I love GL and wish to have his bastard Mutt child, and 1% that actually liked it. Yeah, we're not seeing another one of these.
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I think there are waaaaaaay too many Tomb Raider lovers around here. It is a fun movie... Enough said.
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EVER. Worse than 1941 and War of the Worlds combined.
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I grew up with the Indy movies along with Star Wars, and having seen the picture twice today, I can say that Crystal Skull is about as good as Last Crusade, which itself is the weakest of the original Indy trilogy. The tone of the movie is very akin to Last Crusade, as is the pacing. That same light-hearted, playful feel is very evident in Crystal Skull.
The whole film unfolds at a very leisurely pace. Long gone is the breakneck rollercoaster pace of Raiders or Temple of Doom, but to be honest, the movie doesn't suffer overmuch for it. But hey, whatever the case, it's good! Indy's back! -
I've posted twice on here already about the film, but this will be my last one to avoid public beating, after a little reflection. That said, my response, taking into accound lot of the others on here as well, falls as follows:
Yes, this movie had its moments. The motorcycle chase, the warehouse scene, etc, that felt like Indy, and honestly, I enjoyed every moment of those sequences as much as say, the Mine Car chase in Temple of Doom. But with that said, they were early MOMENTS, hints at what this movie could have been, or perhaps NEVER really could have been, and frankly the rest of the film couldn't be saved by even the most enthralling Indy feats. The same can be said about the Phantom Menace, T4, etc, films with moments, like lightsaber battles, that reminded us of the originals but failed at being anymore than a nostalgic vehicle.
But I also believe labeling the film in this way is far too generous. I wanted to love this movie, I loved the first three like family members, but where it lost me wasn't the ridiculous gophers (though that helped) or the monkeys, but the reinvention of characters I loved. Indy wasn't Indy, not an aged Indy, not an Indy at all. Marion wasn't Marion (remember Nepal bartender, kick-your-ass Marion) and the caricatures we got instead, with a romantic comedy sub-plot, really make it impossible for me to link these at all with the previous three. YES, I understand it was made with 50's B-movies in mind, yes I've taken that into account, but regardless of all the hows, whats, and supposed tos, and all the people that state we're just on here being annoying loud mouths ripping apart anything that doesn't conform to our "perfect" standards, this movie failed on every level: as an Indy film, as a Speilberg film, and as a movie in general. I will be bitter about it, but for me, it will only serve as a reminder of how much I loved the first three.
And just as a sidenote to all the people on here ripping people who haven't posted much, or attacking those of us who hated the film/films/anything...this is a place for opinions, for, as someone above said, those of us who love movies and who love everything AICN deals with, to voice them, and frankly, if you've got a problem with it, spare us the high and mighty talk and just give supply your honest opinion.
Mine was that this movie was terrible and I will not recommend it nor see it again nor buy the dvd. I'm sorry to say it, as a real Indy fan, but that's it. -
One critic got up after and was talking to me and said "this is basically just a rip-off of National Treasure."
After punching her in the ovaries, I then explained that "National Treasure"--along with "The Mummy" films--are the ripoffs of Indy.
What I hate hearing is when people say "Indy is back but the script sucks. Still I had fun." Seriously? Fun is the only reason this movie exists! It's not life-changing. It's not made for Academy Awards and it's not meant to be plausible. It's meant to be a theme park ride, a popcorn flick and a nostalgic ode to the reason we went to the movies as kids. I hate when people call nostalgia a crutch for this movie...the series was created out of nostalgia. Why does this work and National Treasure and the Mummy don't? Because those films know the words to the song, they know the look and setting for adventures, but Spielberg knows the music. He speaks cinematic language so well that he makes it a purely visceral experience where you don't just have to check your brains at the door, you WANT to turn your brain off. This is a movie that should require no further thought or discussion other than "wow that was fun" and "let's do that again." And that's the reaction it provoked from me. I could care less that it had aliens. I could care less that it had some lame CGI--after all, the cheesiness of the effects in the other films is part of the appeal. I can even care less that the script has issues because everything I enjoyed about it is something that made me smile like a giddy kid. -
that should say T3 (sorry!!)
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So we are wrong to even expect the movie to be anything of quality? We should just say fuck it this is going to be shit and love it?
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You're right about my review. I wrote it after a long day (I was up at 6am, watched movie at 10am, out all day, out drinking at night, then wrote it at about 10pm), if I'd know it was going to get that much attention I would have proofed it first. And I'm not a theatre exec; just needed an alias. I'd keep up the cover, but it hardly matters now, does it?
My points still stand. It was the Indy movie you were dreading. It should have been a billion times better than that. -
Loved your comments. Totally on the mark.
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Yeah it had some terribly misjudged moments, but nothing a director's cut wouldn't solve. It was great to have Indy back.
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But it was pretty much impossible after the natives broke through their intricately designed hiding places. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE!!
WHY WAS THE KID SWINGING THROUGH THE JUNGLE?
Uhhhh Indiana Jones is Immortal... or did we forget the last movie ever happened?
I totally agree that the movie was simply a "get the gang back together movie." There were WAY too many salutes to the other movies.
What was the point of the crazy guy?? He was HORRIBLE! Seemed like a Homage to Herman Toothrot if you ask me. BTW Shia would be a great Guybrush Threepwood... but a TERRIBLE INDY REPLACEMENT!! -
Why even get a talented actor to just keep mumbling bullshit?
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Sigh. Watch "Last Crusade" again, pseudolife. Immortality would only have applied had Indy stayed inside the seal in the temple.
As for why the kid was swinging through the jungle--because it's Indy. Indy's a throwback to adventure movies of the olden days, including Tarzan. Let's not forget, like I said earlier, Indy swinging by his whip is an homage to those films as well. This is just a little less subtle. -
Hell, I still liked the film. I think I'm going to see it again this weekend. It's Indiana Jones, guys. There's been silly stuff in ALL the films. That's part of what makes it so charming.
The problem here is that the anticlimactic climax leaves a bad taste in people's mouths, and they remember the film being worse than it was. Go see it again, and you'll be expecting the ending, and you'll appreciate the rest of it MUCH more, I promise you. -
Nope, i'm not going to tell you overlong stories of how Indy and Star Wars affected my youth. This is the here and now. And i absolutely loved the new Indy. It was old school adventure made with today's tools and yet it was still the same old Indy. I love it...flaws and all. Don't hate just to hate. If you didn't enjoy this movie there is always "The Mummy part 3" coming to a theatre near you.
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Quality is in the eye of the beholder. I've admitted the script had issues. But I think Spielberg still had the action goods, Ford and the rest of the cast were great and the movie's quality depends on it being fun. For me, it was. For others, it wasn't. One thing I don't get here is why we have to sway others to our side. I liked the movie. Others didn't. So what? I would much rather everyone agree on something like "The Visitor" or "Young @ Heart" that needs all the attention it can get than to agree on something that's pretty much a surefire success and, by definition, is designed simply to make us forget about anything else for two hours. It's a fun movie. It's not a masterpiece. But, in my opinion, it fits perfectly alongside TOD and Last Crusade--if it had come first and we were watching one of those right now, we'd be complaining about that.
I liked the movie and have stated my reasons. If you didn't, I'm sorry to hear you wasted $10. As a critic, I got in for free so there wasn't anything wasted. there are always differences of opinion to big movies because they are such subjective experiences. FYI, I think the only Star Wars movie I can get through is "Empire." I think A New Hope is dreadfully dull and cheesy and the others just don't interest me. I understand why others like it (which is actually based on nostalgia, just like Indy). I just don't. And I'll move on to movies that are important works of art and not just diversions. -
1 - John Hurt character... man, what was that?
2 - "Jonesy"...
3 - Generic indians
4 - Tarzan/Shia
5 - The giant ants was a copy of the giant bugs from The Mummy -
Saw Indy IV, liked it, had some issues, but I got to see a great preview for the curious case of benjamin button.
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Was anyone else bothered by the fact that hardly anyone refered to him as Indy. It bugged the hell out of me. BTW the beauty of the first three Indy films is that the corny jokes and over the top action never took you out of the reality of the movie, after the opening sequence in KOTCS most of the corny jokes and action did take me out of the reality of the film.
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I originally (last night) gave KOTCS a pretty harsh review, but after a day's reflection, I believe there are a lot of good bits (superb quality of production design being one) and, like many have said, the good outweighs the bad...
All in all, I am at peace with this film joining the Indy canon. -
May 22, 2008 2:06:09 PM CDT
Indiana LaBeef and his Elastic Testicles of Monkey Love
by kingoftheprawnmen
LeBeef doing Tarzan with cartoon Monkeys………………comedy Gofers…………Indy has a mental love moment with a crystal head………LeBeef bouncing his nuts on CGI plants………………..bad looking sound stages…….plastic snakes……………Marion on some kind of drug induced happy mouthed suicide rush………..a half arsed fight in a ring of ants…………plastic aliens………………which are from another dimension and are here to collect nice shiny things………and to round it off a great big flying saucer!
I have no doubt all from the crazy chins of Mr. Lucas.
Well thanks, but no thanks. THIS IS NOT INDY. It’s just pure madness.
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I noticed it too, but i think it's a nod to Indy's acceptance of his father and *SPOILER* his subsequent passing.
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favorite action movie ever.
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Indy 4 was fucking great. Better than Temple and on par with Last Crusade. And for those who thought the whole alien/spaceship stuff was hokey, remember melting faces at the sight of the open ark, or reviving Jones Sr. with the holy grail? C'mon people! If you think into this too much you will never like these films. Shia was spot on and Ford never lost a beat. It was great to see Marion return also. This did not disappoint. If you want to be a disappointed fan, go back to fucking Phantom Menace and you'll live disappointment. This was no Lucas sequel/prequel flop. It was a great Indiana Jones film, period.
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Yeah, everyone always blows off the bad reviews at sites like these as "fanboyish" and untrustworthy.
No, they're not. The people who hang out at these sites tell the truth. We know shit when we see it and we're not afraid to say it.
The only reason people are defending this so hard is because it's Indiana Jones. Kind of like how "Across the Universe" made so much money...if it was about any other music group other than the Beatles, it would've bombed. But since, "Ohhhh, it's about the BEATLES!! BEST BAND EVER!!!!" people all jumped on the bandwagon. -
I thought Ford was pretty good, but my god, the script was lousy. I'd love to read Darabont's version.
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Too many film goers think an action movie has to be like the Matrix or Tombraider its lame. Looney Tunes action is in just about every movies these days. Ever see a John Woo film? If you didn't suspend belief for a bit these films would last about 1 minute as the lead character would be killed off right away. Its fiction my dears with real world elements pulled in to give it a connection to the audience. You want real real world then go rent Saving Private Ryan or something.
Haters are just disgruntled fan boys locked in their mom's basement jerking off to archie and veronic comics. -
than the Star wars prequels. I never thought I'd see a movie with more excuses thrown at than that garbage but it's finally happened. And this time Spielberg gets a piece of the action.
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May 22, 2008 2:20:41 PM CDT
IT WASN"T ALIENS....THEY WERE INTERDIMENSIONAL BEINGS!
by hitchcock'n'balz
They even copped out on the Alien angle...I bet this thing brings in 500 million this week, just shows how fuckin stupid they think the general public is...and how eager the general populace is to prove them right.
I want to punch them all in the nutbeards...... -
is it on line?
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IJ to a fucking POS John Woo movie and mean it? Jesus tap dancing Christ, just stop.
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May 22, 2008 2:23:26 PM CDT
Fuck your "true fan", "inner-child", bullshit apologist stances
by laserhead
Having fully digested it, I've gone from not really enjoying it to despising it. That was shit. I'm not a film geek or a 'hater', I'm just a young adult who remembers the previous three movies very fondly, and the character of Indy especially. I didn't want it to be anything but a fun, intelligent adventure movie. It stunk.
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George: Hey Steve, it's time to make another Indy movie. Steve: Remind me George, why did we wait 19 years to make another Indy movie? George: Well, the Lego market is finally ripe for the picking, and I'm slowly running out of properties to sell to them. If this doesn't go over well, it's Howard the Duck Legos and nobody wants that. Steve: Well what are we going to make Indy 4 about? George: Psychic Russkies, Crystal Skulls and Aliens. Steve: Gee George don't you think we've done aliens to death, I mean I did Close Encounters, ET, AI, War of the Worlds and you did 6 Star Wars movies, don't you think people will balk at us using aliens AGAIN? George: Jesus, Steve, what do you want from me, all I can do is 50's nostalgia and aliens. Besides, I got to sell some Legos somehow. Steve: Point taken, so fine we'll go with aliens. What about those crystal skulls? Isn't it a bad idea to use crystal skulls in a sequel? George: Dammit, Steve it worked in House 2: The Second Story didn't it? Steve: Right you are sir. What about the villain? George: Well we can get somebody who won an Oscar if you really want, but I'd rather have Natasha from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Steve: No problem Beardy, we'll get Cate Blanchett and have her ACT like Natasha from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. George: Good thinking Steve, remind me to give you 5% of all the Lego sales. Steve: Thanks George. Oh by the way, I've been DYING to do some of the stupidest action scenes since I made that little black girl Gymkata that raptor in the Lost World, what do you think I should do? George: How about have Shia being taught by monkeys to swing on a vine like Tarzan? Steve: George, you're a genuis can I suck your cock some more? George: Sure Steve. (Silence) George: Okay Steve thanks I needed that, but next time you do that make sure you wear the Leia bikini. Steve: Yes, Your Flannelness. Now about the effects. George: Uh-huh. Steve: I know your ILM company has billions of dollars at it's disposal... George: It's tied up in Lego money, but I got some guys that do those Sci-Fi Channel orginals on the fire ant scene, so it's all good. Steve: But George... George: Sorry Steve, you're on your own. I got to take this meeting with the Mr. Potato Head people about making a Shia Tater Tot toy...
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May 22, 2008 2:23:55 PM CDT
DAMNIT, Pseudolife! (and anyone who thinks Indy is immortal):
by shiftyeyeddog2
How many times do we have to point this out to people? Did you even WATCH last crusade? The minute you cross the seal, the power is lost. that's why when 2 of the 3 knight brothers left (at 150+ years old) they soon died.
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I really had a great time. Just finished watching Doom (haven't seen it in years---it really aged well, btw). Anyways, KOTSC was pure joy, good old-fashioned fun. All you naysayers, get a life.
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I'm flip-flopping. I don't want to have to work to justify this film as being good just because it's part of a mythos that I love.
When I walked out of "Serenity" (similar type of adventure film), knowing nothing about Whedon or Firefly, I was buzzing. That is because the film I had just experienced was exciting, funny, well-directed and -written with a great hero and a great villain. I had similar experiences with "IJ & the Last Crusade," granted through kids lenses.
My point is, you know in your gut whether a film really works for you and it doesn't help to try to intellectualize it and talk yourself into appreciating it, if it didn't give you that gut feeling right off the bat. I'm not sure KOTCS has those kind of chops. -
I have slowly been trying to squeeze up some excitement for a remake of that..check out my Christian Bale TB from yesterday...I was pimping it there
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May 22, 2008 2:31:13 PM CDT
How come Connery's bullet wound didn't reaturn once he left the
by barnaby jones
Just a thought ?
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May 22, 2008 2:31:21 PM CDT
How come Connery's bullet wound didn't return once he left the t
by barnaby jones
Just a thought ?
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May 22, 2008 2:31:24 PM CDT
How come Connery's bullet wound didn't return once he left the t
by barnaby jones
Just a thought ?
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that was the whole catch -22 of the cup giving everlasting life...recited by the knight...what the fuck is wrong with some people?
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--do people who claim to like it and post presumably have a life, while "naysayers" don't? Just because retarded plots, bad CGI, prairie dogs, and old men in hats with whips convince you you've experienced something special, good for you; you're fucking mentally deficient.
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...I loved the concept for the alien origin and all that, but the only thing that made the entire movie come off as just whacky and cheesy is how over the top the CG was. If this same movie was made 10 years ago, it would've been amazing! Back then, they wouldn't have felt the need to actually depict a living breathing alien at the end who escapes in a fucking massive UFO. If it weren't for their unlimited budget on the film, it would've been sooo much more believable. Think about it, if they made the Last Crusade nowadays, they probably would've have Jesus resurrected in front of Indy only because today they have the budget to go all out; and thats why this movie ultimately failed. If they didn't have shitty CG from the first shot of the movie (the unconvincing prairie dog thing, whatever it was) And as much as I liked watching the bomb testing scene....ten years ago, they would not have even thought about that possibility, they only put it in there today because they had the money to have an excuse for a nuke testing scene. Not to mention, ten years ago, it would've still been enjoyable to watch Indy in action, but I wasn't convinced he wouldn't have had a heart attack during anyone of the action scenes.
Overall, they had too much money to back up their inappropriate CG. Leave out the actual aliens, it should've just been the cave-wall paintings and the crystal monuments. -
Oh yeah, I forgot about bayformers. This is shaping up to blow that out of the water though and that's a crying shame. Denial! It's not just a river in Egypt!
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he was healed and immortal, until he left the freakin temple/seal- floor/area/earthquake zone...then he died of natural causes, like the knight's 2 brothers??????
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For reasons that should be obvious, I also heart your Gymkata reference.
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Actually, it's Jeb Stuart's script that you guys are talking about, 'Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men From Mars.' It's similar to Skull in many ways, but is quite different, too. It's a good read.
http://tinyurl.com/6ntoyl
Darabont's script had Indy's brother in it. I remember the last time a major franchise introduced a character's brother in a sequel. It was Star Trek V and I wanted to die. To my knowledge, Darabont's script has never leaked, but I wouldn't read it if it did. -
I'll make this short, sweet & to the point.
To be honest....I don't know where to start. But here goes- Probably the main disappointment for me, is that the movie doesn't convey the "cliffhanger" feeling that we are expecting from this series. In the previous 3 movies, action scenes were improbable yet plausible. In this one...those sequences are laughably impossible. From Indy escaping the atomic bomb blast....to our hero's going over 3 waterfalls in an armored carrier, completely unscathed.
There is absolutely no suspense or tension in this movie. And the characters never convey any sense of urgency or desperation, despite their respective conflicts. Some scenes are completely ridiculous (mutt swinging from vines, thanks to his "monkey" teachers & catching up to speeding vehicles.)
Not a single character (even Indy) seems relevant in this slapped together mess. Even the music seems underused & uninspired. The "alien" climax for the movie is a predictable computer generated mess The movie's screenplay, doesn't even attempt to answer any questions raised by it's crystal skull "mumbo jumbo".
The "family" aspect didn't work for me either. It all seemed forced & belonged on the jerry Springer show. The movies family and then reunion just seemed to neuter Indy & make him seem very ordinary, and not the adventurous Icon we have come to love.
Watching this movie...reminded me of seeing the Phantom Menace. A horrible flick, except for the cool lightsabre duel at the end. And this movie can't claim any such saving grace. -
Totally agree. I didn't need to see an actual alien at the climax and in fact i was dreading as soon as the UFO element became apparent.
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its not like it reopens wounds or undoes any good that it did. it just makes you no longer immortal from the time you leave. so if he had been shot again outside, he would have died. but his previous wound had been healed and he was starting off good as new.
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Worst of the films by far.
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Given a choice, instead of seeing Indy 4 again, I'd rather take another look at Harry's surgery photos.
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"I saw 'Raiders' when I was 8. It changed my life. I just got back from 'Crystal Skull'. It didn't make me feel like I was 8. It didn't change my life. Therefore, it SUCKED!"
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1) The script was a hack job-- the "Mac" and "Ox" characters are completely pointless. At least Willie, Short Round, Sala, Brody, etc. all contributed something to the advancment of the story. Indy's sidekicks this time could fall off a cliff at any point in the film and no one would care. The dialogue is extremely clunky. Marion was wasted. Uhhhgg... I can't even go on-- it's just making me mad that for some fucking reason people think David Koep is a solid writer. I'd like to see him and Goldsmith put out to pasture. They ruin every film they're involved with.
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May 22, 2008 2:40:09 PM CDT
why is this movie getting such favorable reviews?
by reginaldbarclaysinsecurities
In Harry's review, he mentions a GREAT line by Jim Broadbent, early on to Indy at the university, 'i guess we're at the point where life stops giving us things are starts taking them away' - i dont think that served as a theme for the movie, i think that was ironic and sad, cause at the end, we realize that i was referring to lucas and spielberg having life and age take away their ability to make films. like in the warehouse when indy is swinging on the rope, he undershoots, and falls into the truck behind him. it was funny and awesome, the noise he made, some 'oops,' a great scene, ruined WITHIN itself, by indy taking the time out of the fight to give some line about 'oh, i thought that was closer, derpaderpderp' - OBVIOUSLY. not a single person in the theater thought that he MEANT to screw that up and fly into the wrong jeep. completely unnecessary line. and an unnecessary movie. why make a part 4 if it isnt better than any of the previous 3? die hard 4 was better than die hard 2, its ok that they made it. this movie was NOT better than temple, why did they make it?
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And the Sound Stages of Doom.
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let me continue what I liked is that it felt exactly like an indiana jones movie but i had my gripes 1.too much CG- Some of the CG shots were incredible and iconic like Indy standing in front of the Nuke explosion and the saucer but the overuse in areas like the jungle chase and the ending really took away from it 2-rushed character development-especially between Indy and marion in the finale and 3 The last scene-the last 3 ended with an iconic scene that always gave the audience closure while leaving it open for the next but in this one its more like their saying "their might be another but if not..this will do" I hope they do another and give it a proper send off.
Otherwise it was great entertainment-Ford was incredible and stepped into the role like he never left(which makes me hope it restarts his career) the action was classic and fun and the characters really carried the movie
Id give a solid A -
I have literally grown up on Indiana jones, and in 2 hours it was turned into a mockery of itself!
I felt raped and sodomized by George Lucas and Steven Speilberg.
I had to go home and watch the last crusade just to lie to myself that this mess ever happened. And besides being horribly written, directed, lit, acted, and horrible computer animation on things as simple as a fridge, THERE WAS NO FUCKING INDY IN IT.
Since when did people change so dramatically when they aged. Especially a character who doesn't know how to grow up and commit like indy, where was the passion in the only thing he loved the chase of history and the will to do what's right?
He just submitted to everything. I should have known when Shaun Connery wasn't it it that it was gonna be bad. But I couldn't have predicted a train wreck like this.
All you people who liked it should be ashamed. You should be ashamed to be drones of the media who like crap. You people make it so that George Lucas will eventually destroy everything he ever made that was good.
Who needs 27 versions of star wars and indiana jones. Next on his list is Willow! ! !
The man is mad with power and you are just feeding the crazy fire.
Fricking aliens! What the fricking hell?
I am ashamed to have paid to go see it. And I want my money back. I paid to have my child hood ruined. -
oh well, you get what i was saying
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I have to admit, leaving this movie, I was a little disappointed. I got the impression it was a little rushed script-wise. And I though the special effects were a little more than cheesy. That being said, I enjoyed myself and I look forward to seeing it again. Usually I form my final opinion by the second time anyways.
But seriously how awesome was the music? Did anyone else get a little giddy once the Father-Son theme showed up at the end from Last Crusade? It's just little touches like that that made this movie more magical than National Treasure or the Mummy. -
I'm amazed by the number of comments I've read from folks who talk about being "a true Indy fan" and then go on to talk about how this is the worst film imaginable. I've already posted a positive review on this talkback, but I'm open to intelligent criticism, provided that it's fair. I'm a bit miffed by some of these supposed "true Indy fans" who dislike Indy IV for such crucial reasons as CGI monkeys and gophers; these creatures take up a total of maaaayybe 1 min of screen time. Seriously, saying that these bits ruined the movie for you is as non-sensical as saying that Raiders was ruined when the monkey gave a 'hail Hitler' sign, or that Temple was ruined when Willie was served eyeball soup, or that Crusade was ruined when Connery took down a Nazi plane by shooing pigeons with his umbrella. Guys, for your own sake, take off the rose tinted glasses and admit that the entire Indy series is LOADED with fun-but-stupid moments. Some of these "true Indy fans" are acting like the first three films were models of perfection, and that's simply not true. Each film has great moments, and good moments and downright lousy moments, but the good vastly outweighs the bad, and I would argue that the same is true of Indy IV. Indy films have NEVER been models of character development, and as for certain things looking too fake, I'd be curious to know how a "real" Mayan/alien temple looks, exactly. Today's a great day for Indy fans, if only you're willing to look at the goodness that's right in front of you. Many of you guys aren't merely comparing the new film to the existing trilogy; you're comparing it to your idealized 8 year old memories of the trilogy, and it can never compare, because something that's idealized was never real to begin with.
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May 22, 2008 2:44:16 PM CDT
Here we go, i wondered how long it would be before RAPE was ment
by barnaby jones
Sigh.
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You expect too much. Fuck off and die.
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A FEW YEARS AGO:
Let's picture a scene, shall we? We are somewhere, deep in the Dreamworks movie lot. As we pass numerous office buildings, we zoom into one, and up to a closed metal door, with no window. Behind the door is some crazy (yet, strangely subdued chatter), something has got the people in this room extremely excited. We pass through the door, only to find a board room. A half dozen people are jammed around a conference table, gesticulating wildly. But we notice that the voices are a little subdued, hushed even. It is as if this meeting is top secret. We can barely make out snippets of conversation:
"Yes, I cannot believe that Harrison is going to do it!"
"We have got to make this one count! The fans have waited too long."
"I have got some good ideas."
"Yeah, but we have to get the feel right. Ya know, the dialogue, the action scenes."
"Yeah, yeah, and for heaven's sake, no CGI. Let's roll this old school."
"Let's get the original team, especially the writers. What's Larry up to these days?"
Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.
The entire room goes quiet.
The knock sounds again. A desperate, whiny voice (a Kermit the Frog voice) comes from behind the baracade.
"You Guys! You Guys! C'mon, you guys! I know that you're in there . . ."
From inside the room, several people make a low shhhhh sound. A man with a small, neat beard raises his voice to just above a whisper, "If we are really quiet, maybe he'll think we've gone away."
From outside the room, we hear, "C'mon, guys. Lemme in. This isn't fair."
The bearded man sighs, and begins to stand. There is a chorus of whispered no's, and dont's. But he just sadly shakes his head. As he walks toward the door, one last voice comes to him from the table,
"Stevie, at least make him do the Truffle Shuffle."
Steven Spielberg waves them off, and opens the door.
Behind it, George Lucas stands there, dancing like a kid needing to pee. "Hey, Stevie," he dances back and forth, "Wh-wh-what ya doin'?"
Steven sighs, "Oh, uh, hiya George. Not much. What's up with you?"
"You guys havin' a meeting?" George asks, trying to peer around Steven, and into the room.
"Meeting? Naw, just a little brainstorming session. Ya know, thinking about future projects like Tin Tin, Schindler's List 2, (cough cough) ahem Indy 4."
"I knew it!" Lucas yells, pumping his fist into the air. There is a collective groan from the room behind Steven. "Ya gotta let me in, Steven. It's in my contract. I created Indy."
Steven lets out the mother of sighs and then opens the door.
George walks into the room. He looks around, grins, and says, "How do you guys feel about aliens?"
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...you might even have the whole theater to yourself!
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Oh, you mean like cohesive story, watchable action, practical effects, Harrison actually sounding like Indiana Jones, Marion being Marion instead of Mutt being Marion, and Marion not being on Lithium smiling like an idiot child for her three lines of dialogue?
Damn. I think I expected too much. -
I took my six year old son to his first midnight movie experience, last night, and I will cherish that memory forever . . . no matter what other franchise they decide to destroy.
I can not begin to tell you the anticipation that I had for the new Indiana movie. I can catagorically say that I looked forward to this movie far more than any of the "new" Star Wars movies. Indy has always been my favorite of Harrison Ford's characters. Even when ridiculously silly events are happening on screen, Ford helps me suspend disbelief, and breathes a sense of credibility just with a subtle twitch of facial muscle, and the steely glint in his eyes.
Add that to the fact that the Indy series has always relied on practical effects and matte paintings, rather than the computer generated abominations that pranced around the Star Wars prequels, and you have one happy fanboy that can escape the reality of middle America for a couple of hours.
Unfortunately, Lucas has tarnished all of the old Spielberg magic by insisting on a subpar script, way too much CGI, and a Jar Jar Binks stupidity that permeates the entire second half of the movie. How do I know that it is Lucas? Because of the countless interviews that I read from him, where he stated that all of the silly crap that I hated about this film, he was responsible for.
The worst thing about this movie is that after almost twenty years of waiting for Indy, Marion, and their offspring, we didn't get Indy, and their child was more Marion than Marion was. I don't know who gave Marion Ravenwood the Lithium, but she walks around in a daze, with a silly grin on her face, the entire movie. There is no hint of the witty banner, the sly seduction, and the overall Rosie-the-Riveter grit from the first film. Instead, there is a vacuous old maid, who laughs at Indy's crazy antics, and gives enduring smiles. Seriously, what the . . . ?
And Indy? When did he become a giant wuss? I mean, there are moments that he really feels like Indiana Jones. There are moments when he delivers lines that made me want to cheer. There were a couple of times when I thought that this really was a throwback to my childhood. But those times were few and far between. I don't know what they were thinking, but when 90% of Indy's dialogue is exposition, the audience tends to lose interest really darn quick, especially if the overall story is just ludicrously silly.
Actually, one of the best things about this movie was Shia. I remember liking him when I saw him in Holes, and although the orignial purity and innocence that made him so appealing was not evident in this film, he still continues to grow as an actor. I was not a big Transformers fan, but I liked him in that movie, and I liked him in Indy 4. It is just too bad they made him do that one really stupid thing with the monkeys and the vines . . . On the plus side, one of the genuine "chill" moments that gave me fanboy goose pimples was his, and that came at the end of the movie. . .
Lastly, and most importantly. I HATE CGI! There, I said it. CGI freakin' sucks. Ok, it is one thing to use it to make a dinosaur walk or a killer ant attack, but come on, George and Steven! Why?! WHY!? The entire second half of the movie had everything that I hated about the prequels. The other Indy movies were so great, and largely because of their incredible production, sets, and practical effects. Why did they have to make an entire jungle chase be CGI? They couldn't have tried to find someway of recreating the Raiders truck chase? No, they had to rely on green screens and crappy Lucasfilm effects. It is amazing that a team that absolutely revolutionized movie storytelling, and created modern special effects, have sold their souls to the "easy way out" (or the dark side for you star wars fans) of CG effects. Nothing looks real anymore.
I will not go to any more Lucas movies. I am burned out and ticked off. Thanks for raping my heroes George. You did it with Star Wars, and now you did it with Indy.
The one good thing to come out of this experience was that I got to take my six year old. He will always remember that he and daddy went to that midnight show together. I wouldn't change that for all the world. I just wish that the movie had been worth the wait.
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I can't decide. The Catch-22 of this film (like Revenge of the Sith) is that while it suffers major problems with respect to plotting, script, and characterization, there are also many moments that are great Indy canon. And anything Indy canon is gold in my eyes.
Kasdan, Hyuck and Boam all knew and helped define and strengthen Indy's character. Keopp didn't have the skill to stay completely true to this character. In fact, Keopp completely breaks character more than a few times (eg, during the FBI interrogation; when he almost wet himself at seeing Marion for the first time; or defining the difference between quicksand and a mudhole as he sunk). Indy would go back and forth from telling-off the Russians to aiding & abetting them. There was also much left unexplained and confused: why the cemetery guardians were there; Ox's happiness towards Indy marrying his wife; the murderous and God-complex-wearing trans-dimensional archaeologist aliens; how Indy got back in the good graces of Marshall College, etc., etc.
The screenplay was extremely bloated, inconsistent and uninspired.
I'm wishing they had rebooted the franchise with Nathan Fillion and stayed in the 1920s or 30's serials.
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In order to be a "true Indy fan" we have to love whatever we're given, no matter how shitty it is? This is reminiscent of the "true Star Wars fans" who swore up and down those shit prequels were equal to the "real" Star Wars movies. It doesn't make you any less of a fan to actually be able to form one's own opinions. Your reasoning is the same kind of reasoning I always hear about "true Americans" never question American policy. That's bullshit in both cases.
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There is a large difference between getting a CGI monkey to do something and getting a real monkey to do something, which is believability, which THIS movie seems to lack in any fashion. In the other three they stretched reality alot, but within the confines of the universe you believe Yeah, you could do that. The practical effects, ACTUAL locations, help lead you down to the usual leap to fantasy that happens at the end of each of the movies. This one starts with a leap of fantasy (refrigerator as the way to survive a ATOMIC BOMB) to more and more leaps of fantasy, should I mention the I can swing on vines thing again, or how about the fact that MAC somehow couldn't lift himself off the ground at the end for some unknown reason (it wasn't the vortex yet, he wasn't pinned, was he too fat?). Maybe it was the overtness of the "alien" gag. Oh look pictures of an alien on the wall, look there is a map on the dusty floor, at least I think that's a map, it's not near as cool as the staff of Ra, but eh. How about the nonsensical moments with John Hurt, or the monkey man that had NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MOVIE. The dumb plot device of sinking sand only to be there in order to have the reveal of who Mutt is. dumb and lazy. How'd indy get his whip back? how did Mac have a bag of homing devices that just HAPPEN to be with him? Why are the prisoners in the LAST car? Where did the truck of soldiers disappear to, only to reappear after the fight scenes are over? Why did they run from a truck with an old man, old woman and a young kid when they had A ARMY OF SOLDIERS???
lazy -
I've seen Indiana Jones and the Crystal scull before. They were the first 3 indian jones movies. like the cliff and the water or maybe the trucks crashing into each other, these and more were all from the other movies. But I gotta say the lowest copy point for me was borrowing from star wars. The sword fight on top the trucks was way to similar to the speeder scene in star wars with luke and the storm trooper. Or was is from episode 2 where obiwan fights against a Sith in a similar circumstance with light sabers.
I have to believe that George lucas has alzheimers. Because any movie he produces and has a major hand in has the same crap. So he puts it in one movie. Then makes another and puts the same idea in again. Peopel have to stop this crazy power crazed man. -
Exactly. That's what I tried to say in my earlier post. If you go in to see "Crystal Skull" expecting to feel like you felt when you saw "Raiders" for the first time, you are 100% certain to be disappointed. You can't experience something for the first time more than once.
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Scanning through the headlines, I noticed we got a lot of n00bs on the board. I can't remember the last time I saw this many new Talkbackers come out of the woodwork.And po'warriorII is now po'warriorIII?LOLZERS!!!
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Steve: George, I wanted to talk to you about the look of the film. George: Sure Steve. Steve: I was thinking maybe a lot of deep reds like Temple of Doom or earthy tones like Last Cru... George: No, we're not doing any of that Steve. Every frame of this movie must be over-lit like a Sealy Posture Pedic commercial. Steve: I see... George: You know those infomercials where Chuck Norris and Christy Brinkley are on the rowing machine? Steve: Yeah I love those. George: I want the entire movie to look like that. Steve: Sure, George. Now how about the action, I've been telling the press how we're making a return to realistic stuntwork like Old Time Hollywood and... (George falls out of his Huttese throne laughing) Steve: What's wrong George. George: Jesus Steve haven't you learned anything from Attack of the Clones? It's all going to be CGI. Steve: Good call. Now when we get Karen back I'm thinking... George: I'm paying her per word of dialogue so make sure she says less than fifty words in the whole movie, not including "He's your son." Steve: Okay. I can see it now, it'll be just like Luke finding out Vader was his father. George: No actually it'll seem more like Happy Days Meets Tales from the Gold Monkey, but you are right Steve that whole father/son thing is the only plot thing I've ever had up my sleeve. Unless of course there's racing involved. There IS racing involved, right? Steve: Right at the very beginning. But's it's totally pointless. A bunch of kids drive a jalopy and race the Russkies. It serves no purpose whatsoever. I'm thinking of axing it. George: Don't make me take away your Lego money Steve. Steve: Sorry. George: Well, gotta go now Steve, but let me leave you with this little nugget of advice... CGI groundhogs... HUH...HUH, am I a genius or what? TTFN...
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Not true. I felt that same way THREE TIMES with three different Indy movies. It's not that this film didn't evoke a certain feeling within me, it's that it was intrinisically different from the other three Indy films. Even the opening credits sequence didn't feel like an Indy film.
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Seriously, I'm hurting for the review of someone I actually respect.
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Nice analogy. You made me laugh, which is more than I can say for Indy 4.
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Liking something doesn't make you a wussy virgin, and hating something doesn't make you a stud. Grow a pair and admit you had fun even if it wasn't better than "Raiders".
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with George and Stephen is hysterical.
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Loving this movie won't get you laid either. You are living proof of that.
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Dude, if you walked out of a movie feeling that your childhood was ruined and that you were "raped and sodomized" by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, you have a sad and pathetic life. If your childhood is summed up by a movie and that not enjoying a movie is akin to being sexually assaulted, then you have absolutely no concept of reality. Seriously, we rag on Harry for crying tears of joy over this...but I want to rag on anyone who actually becomes enraged over brought to tears because a movie doesn't work. If you go see a movie and you like it, awesome. If not, you simple realize that it was only two hours of your life and you go back home and get on with your life.
Also, the comment about how Indy wouldn't change that much in 20 years? That's just idiotic. Our priorities and passions change through life. Yes, at a younger age Indy was probably passionate about archeology more than anything. But time and mortality mellow you. Now he's passionate about teaching and he looks at the setbacks in life and the one that got away. That's one I think I really like about this movie is that they deal with Indy's age realistically and not as an age joke. -
was my torn asshole and the blood in my pants at the end of the night. Ouch!
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adulthood....but i liked it.
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Lucas kept trying to cram his cock down my throat. Lucky for me it was a CGI cock.
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Man, this reminds me of the prequel wars. Everybody bitching about how bad those films were, especially on the fourth or fifth viewing.
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"What? You dare criticize the Mighty Spieluca$ and point out how flawed the movie is? This is intolerable!"
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Forgive me for having taste in movies and flaunting it, I forgot that there are people out there not as fortunate as me who have none. When I go see a movie. it is for an experience. I want to be emotionally involved in the story and characters. I forgot some people only go to look at the pretty colors.
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Your pain gives me STRENGTH.
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Thanks. Unfortunately (Fortunately?), I have not yet seen INDY 4. I'm a huge Indy fan...and a diehard disciple of RAIDERS. However, reading the headlines in this TB have started to sour my excitement.I'm hurtin' too, man.
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was so much better than the fourth....can someone please please tell me why...wait I gotta go smoke crack for a minute.
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do listen to others, judge for yourself...
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to insist on character consistency, good story, and for our Indiana Jones movie to not look like the animated adventures of . . .
Oh, you guys are so right. We are nothing but elitist snobs. . . -
Why? Because people clapped enthusiastically for the trailer?!That's a dubious conclusion, gotham_night.
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May 22, 2008 3:14:01 PM CDT
How can you "Go back to SPEED RACER" if you've never been there?
by spyguy
C'mon, look at that box office. Hardly anyone saw SPEED RACER.
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When your childhood turns into your profession its easy to get wrapped up in a bad movie
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give some lecture to his kid about quicksand, while he and Marion are sinking to their peril. Come on, the laughs were out of character and ridiculous.
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What is your speed racer dude?
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Great beginning, boring middle and terrible end. My other problem is as far fetched as the other films can get they never seemed silly or cartoonish. this was a.
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Every other Indy movie he narrowly avoids death about a dozen times. In this one all I kept thinking was the CGI will save him.
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It's like when I saw some fanboys last year at the Arclight with their Michael Bay Raped My Childhood T-shirts. Asked if they liked Transformers, which they bought tickets for, "It sucked" was their reply. Really? I wouldn't have guessed that. So now we have these reviews from people I know were going to the movie looking for any reason not like it, and lo and behold, they don't like the film. Shocking. And the pure hate being thrown at Lucas and Spielberg, are you kidding? I read a quote here where someone had the audacity to say Spielberg/Lucas don't know how to make an Indy movie. Huh? You know that's just emotion from a fan whose expectations weren't met. Relax, the movie wasn't horrible. It was good, not great. But were people actually expecting Raiders?
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The cheers were loud and boisterous . . . during the previews. There were a few random BOOs at the Lucasfilm logo. There was thunderous applause at the Paramount logo. At the beginning of the movie, there were chuckles and gasps and cheers. As the movie wore on, the audience sank into subdued silence. A few people chuckled at the Mutt/hat gag. When the closing credits rolled, three people (I am not exaggerating) clapped.
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I wanted to love this film. I LOVE Indiana Jones. I wanted Lucas to redeem himself. It is not because we wanted to hate it. This film was not good. It was mediocre. And, yes, why shouldn't I expect it to be close to Raiders? They have had nineteen years to tweak the friggin' thing. It may not be able to be Raiders, but it definitely shouldn't have been another Richard Chamberlin Alan Quaretermain flick.
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I know you want to like the film. You may even have convinced yourself that you do. Go see it, again. Watch the other three, first. Pay attention to the pacing, and the dialogue. Pay special attention to Marion and Indy in the first one. Then come back and tell me you still like the arc of these characters.
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This movie would have never been made if George Lucas wasn't rolling in money. No Studio would have green lit this script. Its too insane. If you would have read the script that Steven Speilberg and Harrison Ford loved form 4 years ago that George shot down you would agree. There was no son, no crystal scull, and it was a masterpiece. This was just such a bad script that it made it bad from the get go.
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It seems two logical people can have a totally different take away from the film. I won't apologize for any film, even Indy but to say this is the worst film you have seen - well that is saying something. Worse than the SW prequels with Jar Jar stupidity and Anakin's wooden delivery? Nope, sorry, just cant be. Worse than Transformers with all the mush mouth dialogue? Not a chance. Before you say its the worst, better think back to all the shit you have seen.
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The only way this movie would have been good was if at the end of the movie Indy woke from a nightmare, and the whole movie was just a weird dream.
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May 22, 2008 3:29:46 PM CDT
Dear Lord...Help me build a time machine to make this film go aw
by generalvenduu
I so wanted to love this film. I set my mind to 12 years old and hoped. However, goodness...I plead to you scientists out there help me construct a time machine so I may go back and stop this from ever happening. Part of my childhood has now been f'd by this movie.
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Your comments sum it all up perfectly.
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The vortex in that movie and the climax in this, is virtually the same. Silly as hell but all that swirling rocks was just so beautifull to look at...
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The reason i think this takes the cake in suckage is because you killed 3 movies with one. Star wars was stretched over three films. I can't say much for transformers.
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I think that's the biggest obstacle people here have to face. It won't be Raiders, it never could be Raiders. It's impossible to recapture the magic from 20 years ago.
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where can i read that script?
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Is there anywhere I can find that script?
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And who wrote the script you're referring to?
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I wasn't. I am a lover of some really bad movies. Really bad. Like embarassed to mention bad. But that being said, it's pretty bad when a lover of bad movie can't even stomach the sequal to a good movie. I love amazing movies and horrible movies. But this movie ... it was just like pure and udder shit. I'm not gonna say there weren't good ideas in there, but they didn't fit, and especially didn't fit this movie. Indiana didn't really even effect his surroundings really. And the major point i have to make is. If he would have died right after they found marian, the movie could have still continued in the exact same path. Now what does that say about the movie. and he is supposed to be the main character.
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This felt less like an Indiana Jones movie and more like a young Indiana Jones tv movie. Like if the show had continued and they decided to make two hour tele-films. This is what it would have looked like. It definitely had an expanded universe quality to it. Showing the alien took away a lot of the mystery of it and I'm still trying to figure out why the villain was killed. All she wanted was knowledge. Without Irina, the interdimentional beings would have stayed stuck here.
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post brief outlines of the three scripts that were rejected, particularly the Darabont. Also, point out what elements of each were used for Crystal Skull!!!!
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I'm available for quotes! Cheap!
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um not sure anymore, read it like 2 years ago. But I can tell you some main factors to tell you if you've found the right one. The script had indy, marina, stalin, and willie scott (which it could have gone without in my opinion)
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Mutt swinging on the vines, the refrigerator flight, the cg at the end (so much like the end of Mummy Returns) were all just laughable. People left the theatre I was at and I was seriously considering it in the last five minutes. Should have made Darabonts script cause this wasnt an Indy movie, this was a National Treasure/Mummy movie, and a bad one of that.
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I liked it a lot. there were a few things i could've personally lived without, but for the most part it was great. lots of fun to watch. I was'nt going in expecting some life changing or affirming experience though, so I'm not dissapointed.
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It was a visualization of a fan novel. Maybe from someone who liked Indiana, but didn't understand the characters very well.
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I thought of something that was worse then this movie. The Star Wars Christmas Special. It is horrible. And worse then this. But still george lucas' fault
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I really like the first half of the movie A LOT. The opening sequence at Hangar 51 and Doomtown worked better than I thought, the college chase scene is fun, the grave sequence is classic Indy, Shia was good. I liked Cate Blanchett as the villain was a really strong villain. Not as great as Belloq but the part where she outlined what the Soviets planned to do with the skull was effective. Seeing Marion back was great and she really shone. The snake pit scene was funny in a good way. I like about two thirds of the Jungle chase. The whole swinging Mutt thing did suck. The climax at Akator probably is the thing most people will complain about and the whole alien thing is still hard to digest. It's not as great as RAIDERS of course but I will argue though that Indy as a character in this movie is much stronger and interesting than he was in the first movie. The first movie centered on the Ark and as Belloq said Indy was simply passing through history while the Ark WAS HISTORY in that flick. The plot of this movie may center on the skull but more than the previous ones, the KOTCS is ALL ABOUT INDIANA JONES and I'm glad about that. Harrison Ford gives probably the best performance in a long, long time in this.
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No Indy film can ever be as perfect as Raiders. It was completely, mindbogglingly fresh. Temple of Doom and Last Crusade were great films but they weren't as good as Raiders (Last Crusade took me a few years to warm too) so all the whining about it not being as good as Raiders is for me irrelevant. Sounds to me like it's going to a good Indy film but... not as good as Raiders! Which means it's probably not as bad as the haters are making out.
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Didn't we learn from Ed Wood to do multiple takes? The whole movie felt rushed, the actors seemed out of practice.
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I am a huge Indy fan. I saw TOD twelve times at the local $1 movie theatre when it came out. Trust me. It is that bad. Unless you love CGI, CGI monkeys, CGI aliens, and CGI gophers. If you like that stuff, it is right up your alley.
For the rest of us "snobs" and "haters", this movie was a tepid shadow of Indiana Jones -
By the way as for the U-boat ride in Raiders - that's as way out there as any Crystal Skull/aliens leap in logic. If the sub had submerged Indy would have drowned - if it stayed on the surface lookouts would have been stationed on the conning tower WITHOUT FAIL and would have spotted Indy imediately.
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was so tough was that he drank from the grail and is now immortal like his dad . . . oh wait. His dad is dead. Looks like the cup of Christ let him down on that one. I guess that you have to make continuous trips to the Holy Chalice. But, think about it, a movie where Indy is immortal . . . hmmmm. Has potential.
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I was with it until Mutt showed up (no, Shia didn't ruin the film), even though they revealed way too much about the macguffin too early on. I even loved the suburbs scene. I even got a slight chuckle from the Lost cameos sprinkled about in the first twenty minutes or so. But dammit this film is devoid of any humor or snappy dialogue that this franchise is known for. The exposition scene is so convoluted......something you don't expect from these films to that degree, and so awkwardly thrown into the mix there's a good chance you'll get lost. The film spends more time explaining the macguffin (which not only is a departure for the series, but isn't all that intersting), it's origins, and forgets that the reason this franchise was so popular is because their was some effort into making the characters likeable right off the bat. Here, it's just assumed everyone knows who Indy is, so there's no need to concentrate on that with him, or with the kid thats probably gonna replace him. It's as big of a fuck up of Lucas' treatment of Obi-Wan in Phantom Menace. And Shia and Ford have zero chemistry. Any development of Mutt is handled strictly from fight scenes and listening to others bicker. And when the focus is shifted to him it's mostly in the films worst bits. George Lucas' showcasing of how his baby, ILM is fucking up modern cinema. There are two scenes involving Shia that is so fucking over the top (and we are talking about a series that prides itself for being over the top), that it kills any sense of realism what-so-ever. Cate Blanchett isn't so bad (and she looks damn good in that getup). Marions just thrown into the mix for the sake of nostalgia. Two characters in the group serve no real purpose to the story or contribute anything like other supporting characters in the series did in their respected outings. John Williams dropped the ball. It's mostly just a mishmash of the previous films score and nothing new, which is disappointing as hell considering his work on Temple and Crusade both added so much. No tension for the films finale. No sense of wonder like in Raiders, no big fight like in Temple, and no sense of urgency like in Crusade. It's all just effects and horseshit. This film has no fucking soul. And this was one of the few times I've seen a audience visibly angry at a film....the worst since Phantom Menace. And it wasn't just 20-30 year olds either.
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There's CGI gophers in the film? Now that I gotta see! Bugger Indy, I want my CGI gopher fix!!! I'm definitely paying to see it now! lol
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to come back, why not have her do something? Why not have her be Marion? I wanted to see her kick some ass. Besides, they missed a perfect opportunity for a really good bitch fight.
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Your conversation is off to me in the sense that what you are blaming Lucas for has a lot more to do with Spielberg and his constantly using Kaminski as his DP. His visual style just doesn't work with most of what Spielberg does.
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My favorite actor in Harrison ford. I've watched every movie, special, tv interview this man has ever been in. I worship the man. That being said the man has only acted like someone other then himself in one movie and that was regarding henry. It shouldn't have been a hard task to act like yourself. But due to the insane green screens and poor directing in this film I have seen Harrison Ford act bad. Not through the whole movie thank god. But to say that this is his best acting in a long time is a ... well its a lie. And Karren Allen clearly hasn't acted in a while, and needs to take a class or something. She drove that car like she was a fem fatale in an old black and while movie. The wheel was all over the place, but the car went straight.
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Here goes. Like a lot of people, I agree the film was a mixed bag. But seriously, ONE CHANGE could have made it great. Quite simply, this film lacked ONE THING that all the other movies (even Doom) had--a final moral dilemma. And it’s usually the same one. After getting his ass kicked a thousand times and narrowly escaping numerous gruesome deaths, Indy is always faced with a power greater than himself, and must overcome his own ambition and leave well enough alone. In Raiders, it’s his humility that saves Marion and himself when he realizes that man was not meant to look into the ark. In Temple of Doom, as the Sankara stones fall into the water below, Indy lets it happen and it is Mola Ram whose greed causes him to fumble for them and he falls to his death. And finally, possibly the most literal example, in Last Crusade when Indy is so close to reaching the grail, his father simply says, “Indiana, let it go.” It’s a beautiful moment and it’s precisely the point of all the other films. His relationships with Marion, his father, and even Shortround are worth more than “fortune and glory.” So now we have a presumably older and wiser Indy, and undoubtedly, the key relationship here is with his recently-discovered son. It all works out reasonably well like an Indy film until the final act which could have borrowed the extra minutes gained from cutting bits from the Amazon jungle chase. The final act was too short, too muddled, and most critically, did not provide a MORAL DILEMMA WORTHY OF INDIANA JONES. Throughout this Franken-script, a lot of themes were merely touched on, but a solid closer would have solidified the main one. I could have seen it going one of two ways (because sadly, at this point, all of us have written and rewritten the movie over and over in our heads, and why not, since the film had about a million writers). ENDING 1: In order to complete the idea that Indy has become, in many ways, like his dad, Mutt could have been tempted in some way to use to power of the artifact in an unscrupulous way, only to be brought back in by a wiser Indy who knows all-too-well where that path leads. Or… ENDING 2: To solidify the idea that Indy has been running all his life from what is truly important, family, he could have had the opportunity to leave Marion and his son—to go with the alien archeologists and learn about history in a way no man has ever before him, only to choose to stay behind with them and… wait for it… let it go. But in the end, George, Steven, and Harrison couldn’t let it go, and that’s fine. It was a fun film, but it was easily the fourth best thanks to a lackluster ending without much of a point. Oh, and that marriage? Criminey.
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Yeah. CGI gophers. I think I might of caught a glimpse of a CGI Carl Spackler in the background.
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I kept expecting the gopher dance from Caddyshack. How did Spielberg and Lucas miss out on that golden opportunity. Or, how about another cinematic moment? Maybe the cast of Cannonball Run could have been racing the Russian agents in the military sedan at the beginning of the film. Dom Deluise, B. Reynolds, Mel TIllis, Terry Bradshaw, and company are still alive. Save for, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Burt Convey. I can see it now...Dom Deluise, "Never fear, Indy. Captain Chaos is here! Dum, dum, dum, dummmm!" That would have fucking rocked.
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I really think he liked the idea of combining Indy, CEOTTK, and ET into on uber-homage to his better past life.
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They are Prairie dogs.
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Haha! Oh I know its over, I just loved it and feel the need to spread my love for SPEED RACER for and wide. It is so over though. I'm willing to lay money on it being mega-popular on dvd, and having a second life as a cult favorite.
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In which CGI gophers inherit the earth. Damn my gopher fetish! It's a curse, I tells ya!
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Jackie Gleason chasing a CGI Burt Reynolds, and yelling, "JR!" at the top of his lungs.
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I counted two.
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I know. I am just using poetic license, here. The point is that the CGI ran amuck, just like little gohpery, prairie dog rodents.
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I was just playing around with that. I think it didn't translate into text properly.
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Marion did more in her limited scenes in Crystal Skull then she did in all of Raiders where she was nothing more than a damsel in distress, albeit with a drinking problem and a smart mouth.
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I think they put his name on it cause they used, or sampled his stuff. But the music was so random and uncoordinized that i feel he would have to have been on drugs if he really did it for the film.
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I just did a quick scan of this TB, and I see several references to how great SPEED RACER was from a whole bunch of different talkbackers! I'm telling you, that SPEED RACER should have been a mega-hit, because everyone who has seen it, who isn't a boring, stuffy, lame-o critic, has said they thought it was fuckin' great and have seen it multiple times! (Basically, the cult audience). On the flip side, most people are saying that INDY IV is grindingly dull and hugely disappointing. And the really sad thing? Indy 4. regardless of being yet another lazy, flatulent offering from Lucas and Spielberg, is almost guarenteed to make more money then SPEED RACER, a movie that actually deserves it.
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Swinging with the monkeys, surviving a nuclear blast, taking out a top secret government facility with a handful of dudes, using gunpowder like pixie dust, swashbuckling greasers with impossible balance? This thing is unforgivable! "But tis supposed to be like the serials of the 50s." It reached that level of camp in the first 5 minutes then leap and bounded into an absurdity I haven't seen on film in years! This has George fucking Lucas written all over it. Too bad Spielberg and Ford didn't have the stones to stand up to him.
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please please please tell me that was a joke, right? Right? All she did was smile in this film. She smiled at the zany antics of Indiana, and gazed lovingly at him. Good Ganja must grow in the CGI jungle.
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The last 45 minutes are awesome. All this hate about the film is the depressing sign that children of the 80's are getting old.
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if you don't understand Hitchcock's meaning of it. The "Ark" and the "Skull" are not MacGuffins in any way. The end up being central to outlandish payoffs...a MacGuffin has no payoff, and was there to throw you off course and turn your attention from something else.
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Nobody saw it though. Basically because it was too awesome and the advertising for it sucked.
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Marions purpose in raiders, ill agree was damsel in distress ( but that was the point it was mimicing old movies, times, and comics). But for crystal scull, I felt like Karen allen arrived on set and forgot her script. She was all over the place and her thought process was off. Who drives off a cliff?
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Don't read this if you haven't seen it (or easily offended). I won't give any spoilers but I will state my honest opinion.
I'm a fan of Spielberg and early Lucas but Indy 4 is a let down. I had absolutely NO expectations and went into the theatre open-minded and ready to be entertained.
The story was weak, dialogue was a joke, the characters were pretty flat, and even some of the effects were bad. I'll give ILM credit for their crystal head moment near the end but c'mon...could those monkeys and groundhogs be any faker? Did their interns work that day?
I'm so happy that Karen Allen was back...I never liked the other love interests in the other two films but why did they make Marion act like she was always high? Shia was on cue. As he did in Tranformers, he saves this film. Maybe he was the only one trying because as much as I like Harrison Ford, he made a lot of weak acting choices. But Shia's deliveries were great. I wish him luck in the future because he's definitely a talented young actor.
I could go on but enough's enough...all-in-all the entire film felt half-ass. No one was on top of their game. Shia is the only draw to the film unless you love Indy so much that you can't be unbiased.
Don't get me wrong, it has it's moments but when asked if I would seen it again I quickly said no. I'm not even sure I'd buy the DVD. I feel cheated as a moviegoer because this lacked in quality. As I said, I had no expectations going in but I feel let down by the team of filmmakers. They have so much more potential than this. I can't forgive the poorness of this film just because of their previous work. But this is just one man's opinion. Make up your own mind and view it as an unbiased moviegoer. Does this film really meet the quality of good filmmaking or is it just an attempt to make an action film that everyone will see based on its predecessors? -
Maybe Ford wasn't joking when Letterman asked him why no clips were sent out.
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A few little tidbits. Why didn't all of the guns, belts, fillings, etc get pulled out by the magnetic super coffin thingy?
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...Crystal Skull takes third place behind Last Crusade...
...and none of them are on the same level as Raiders...
I just want to know... since Crystal Skull was the film they all agreed on... what bunch of turd scripts were they turning down all those yaers?
I'd love to see what Frank Darabont wrote. I would probably sound a little more cohesive than this film was. -
Ouch.
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immortal? Do you have to take continuous drinks from the Grail?
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Yeah, a mugguffin it like something a script term for a plot device that motivates the characters or advances the story, but the details of which are of little or no importance otherwise. The whole story in the crystal scull is about the crystal scull
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Indiana Jones, you sum-bitch! Jerry Reed could have replaced Mac or one of the other sidekicks. And, Sally "Frog" Fields could have replaced Karen Allen, all the while bitching at Indy about the Iraqi war. Ooops. Wrong decade. The Korean War. Yes, that's better. Different decade, same Sally. I digress. hehe
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Great Star Wars ref.
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I have to admit I'm surprised to see so much hate. I would NEVER advocate that "turn your brain off" or "sit back and enjoy it" bullshit, but I thought the energy, tone and humor of this thing far outweighed the clunkiness in parts of the script. I really enjoyed it and it seemed like the crowd I saw it with did too.
I guess some of you who feel you have been touched in your bathing suit area must disagree with me, but I think this movie is full of classic action sequences. God damn, it's sad but I can't remember the last non martial arts movie that had this many great action sequences. I especially liked the motorcycle chase through the school and the swordfight/chase along the cliff. Cate Blanchett was a damn super villain with all her poses, I loved it. If TRANSFORMERS had exciting action like this where I could tell what the fuck was going on I don't know if it would make up for everything else, but I wouldn't have been as hard on it.
I also have to disagree with the "too much CGI" thing. The Indiana Jones movies were always showcases for special effects (think of the faces melting, the mine cart chase) so of course they're gonna take advantage of the new technology. But Spielberg wisely kept it more organic than most modern directors. There was not a better way to do the ants, for example, so he used it for that. But then it looked like a model for the overhead shot of the cemetery. The prairie dogs were unnecessary but if that's enough to ruin a movie for anybody then there was no fucking way you were gonna like this movie no matter what, so I shed no tears for you. And in the swordfight scene it seemed to me like they even purposely made it look more like '80s bluescreen mattes than modern digital greenscreening.
I guess it helps that I am more a casual fan, I like all those movies alot but never worshipped them like some of you fellas. So I don't know what it is that I am supposed to be looking for and then get upset about. I am genuinely sorry you guys didn't enjoy it and I hope you talk to an adult you can trust about what happened to you. -
Kept expecting Bill Murray to turn up!
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And what was up with the fricken crazy dentist chair? Do people just carry these around in the amazon?
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not perfect, but very enterrtaining, I won't know where it is in the series until I've seen it a few times, but it's probably better than doom. Slow start, I liked Mutt (sorry apparently that's a crime) I loved the jungle chase and my 8 year old daughter pretty much had the same reactions I had to Indys 2 & 3. I watched it as a 35 year old man, and I kinda watched it as the 9, 12 & 17 year old I wa watching the 1st 3.. All those versions of my enjoyed it. Oh Karen Allen's smile. :) wow
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Smile, yes. And drive the amphibian boat in one of the best action scenes since the truck chase in Raiders.
What did she do in Raiders? Let's see...
Almost get killed by Toht in the bar. (Good thing Indy came back to rescue her.)
Get kidnapped in Cairo.
NOT escape from Belloq in the tent.
Get thrown into the Well of Souls.
Almost get kidnapped again on the submarine. (Good lookin' out, Katanga.)
So, like I said, she "did" more in her limited scenes in Crystal Skull then all of Raiders, where she was nothing more than a headache for Indy.
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For non-martial arts action sequences, the 'Pirates' movies far outdid Indy 4. For that matter, so did 'Bad Boys II'. And the action scenes in this weren't 'classic', because there was never any sense of peril-- it was more like the cast was on an amusement park ride --nobody even looked like they thought they were in danger. The monkies? The vine-swinging? Karen Allen looking like she's high on Xanax? I love your movie criticism, but this was bad, bad, bad. Also-- congratulations on the sidebar in last week's Entertainment Weekly.
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because someone disagrees with you they must be an idiot? Whatever, it's all subjective, and people are airing them. You could use your same rationale and start telling us how grand the Prequels were. The fact is that there was an expectation, and instead of taking the time and care to try to meet that, spielberg and lucas through a crappy script, production, and release date together to give us a lackluster installment to a beloved trilogy. Lucas did the same thing with the Prequels he just said, eff it I'm not going to actually take time to do this, make it worth watching I'm just going to throw something on the screen and people will go see it and then defend it because it's average and it has Indy. This is why there is crap movies, because we don't EXPECT enough. This was a shoddy film in my estimation, so quit projecting your molestation fantasies on us
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From a nostalgia point of view... Speed Racer was better.
People at my midnight show clapped louder for the Dark Knight trailer then they did at the end of the movie.
Having seen it... I wish I had gone home and gotten an extra 2 hours of sleep and kept $10 in my wallet.
If you go to see just one movie this holiday weekend... go see IRONMAN again!!! ;-)
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I suppose I'll find out in a few hours...
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I have to agree with the ants. I thought that was the one good usage of CGI technology. Several times the ants actually looked real. The main problem with the CGI is in the comparison with the rest of the Indiana Jones library. Look at the truck chase in Raiders, the boat chase in Last Crusade, the tank scene in last Crusade, the airplane fight in Raiders, the mine chase in TOD, and especially the face melt scene in Raiders. Even when models were used, it still breathed and was somewhat organic. The scenes felt real. There was no reason to do your acclaimed sword fight through a CGI jungle. Practical effects would have at least made the crappy dialogue and departure from the natural character arcs more bearable.
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I guess we are getting to old to enjoy the quality flicks of today like, Love Guru, the Adam "I'm the middle eastern soldier who becomes a hairdresser" Sandler film, or Larry the Cable Guy's, Delta Farce. What was I thinking liking movies like Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, This is SPinal Tap, Star Wars, Empire, and Raiders. hehe Don't take me seriously. I'm just having a little bit of fun.
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But Moriarty, Quint, Massarym, and now Vern! We had to have seen a different film! Nothing else makes sense.
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that's actually a really good analysis and idea, sheeooot, they should have had you on board to tighten the screws on that stinker
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Harry is a nostalgia junkie.
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On the one hand, it's nowhere near as "cool" and "stylish" as Last Crusade, and the dialogue was weaker, but there are definitely scenes where at least the action sequences match it in scale and quality and that puts it in competition. Let's just say, I have plenty of praise for this movie.
Oh, and I had no idea Cate Blanchett had back like that. Add in a whole dominatrix vibe and I was drooling for 2 hours.
And my final point of praise before I rip it a new asshole? RESPECT! This movie RESPECTED the previous films completely and didn't talk down to me either.
My only gripes?
Shitty American Graffiti Redux opening title sequence. Unnecessary and yawn-inducing.
A crotch joke that went on five seconds too long and had no comedic payoff.
Stupid monkeys!
The snake thing almost worked, then it looks incredibly fake.
Is Indiana Jones a cyborg? Seriously, the action sequences went from thrilling to absurd at points.
Still, cool movie that is -
I still like her better in raiders. Sorry, Yeah in the form of an actor's character being more independent over time and age she was better. But that was just you know her character. In order to build up the indy character thats what they did. Still thought she was mpre fistey in raider. (sorry can't spell)
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that chase scene sucked. The show you the gun on the mantel (the big tree chopping tank thing), and then have it do nothing but explode. Why? So that a blade can shoot out and mangle the car. Big whoop. There was no point to even having that vehicle in the movie. And that is the whole point to the movie. There were cool ideas that were introduced and then COMPLETELY wasted. Marion might have driven the truck, but one of the CGI monkeys could've done that. Her character was so un-important that she disappeared for half the fight and only showed up when she was needed to save our "real" heroes who were doing all the fighting.
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It's not Raiders 2, but it's still very entertaining. It's between Temple and Last Crusade, quality wise, and had some nice refs to Henry Snr & Marcus Brody. When Jim Broadbent came on screen, I felt a pang of sadness for Denholm Elliott. He was missed. Coulda done with some closure on Shortrounds situation, but maybe that's being saved for another movie? (I hear Lucas is planning a Spin-off with Shorty as the main star and Indy in a Connery-esque role!) Was hard to believe I was actually watching an Indy movie throughout. Ford was so cool in the role. Notice how no-one says he's too old anymore. That's because he kicks ass. The film has it's flaws, but you can nit-pick anything. Better to just enjoy the ride.
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I'm right and everyone else is wrong.
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Nothing wrong with being opinonated. That's what passion is all about.
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I can see and respect many of the points various reviewers have voiced about the new Indy movie. When i watched it i kept these in mind but i personally understand the subject matter and how the chariots of the gods aspect can be married to the Crystal Skulls enigma and it works perfectly story wise. As an Indy film it will get many negative feedback due to the Alien connection which many will and do see as having no place in an Indy movie. BUT, it's set in the 50's and the whole view of the world was different than in the 30's. As Harrison is older it seems logical to set the movie in the 50's rather than still have us believe he is the same old Indy in a 30's back drop. On the whole, I need to see it 2 or 3 times more but i think it is a great film, different but still as good as Last Crusade. It's no Raiders but it's slightly better than Temple Of Doom.
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Seem to have forgotten about the ridiculous musical number in ToD. I thought opening credits were effective in setting up the time period and throwing you off a bit at the same time.
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Thanks for saying what needed to be said.
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Bad Boys II had better action than Indy IV ? Thats a joke right ?
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It would be Mutt in the main role...
...Shorty would remain MIA... unless they somehow wrote him in...
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I haven't seen Indy yet. I still need to knock out Baby Mama and Made of Honor before I do. I heard Iron Man was shit.
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Enjoyed it until after the motorcycle chase, then it became Indiana Jones and the Old Dangling Dong of Disappointment. And I love all three Indy's. Shia LeBeouf was the best part of the movie. Why it sucked: Obscenely excessive/confusing exposition. Action sequences=not entertaining or exciting in the least. Karen Allen. Wow she acted like a buffoon. The script. Was. A. Piece. Of. Shit. Monkey swinging/CGI gophers. What the fuck. The end.
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May 22, 2008 4:40:14 PM CDT
Would people have been called hates for Superman IV in the 80's?
by romanocc
I am seeing Indy IV this weekend, so I can't give my thoughts on it yet, but I keep hearing that anyone who doesn't like this is a typical hater. But there were crappy movies to our beloved franchises growing up, and many of us knew it at the time, so what is different now? I remember seeing Superman III & IV in the mid 80's, and those movies totally sucked, even though I was a teenager at the time and wasn't cynical from the internet yet. So was I going into those sequels with too high expecations, or was I just calling it like I see it?
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I had low low expections. That were exceeded. In worseness. Don't count me as a Hater so much as a Disliker.
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...that was the funniest post of this whole TB...
...it was a joke... right? -
It should have begun with Sallah, Short Round, and (digital) Marcus Brody all being killed one at a time like the opening of Commando or the scene in Lethal Weapon 2 where all the cops are killed. Then the government goes to warn Indy, leading the Russians to him and setting the story into motion.
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Really even with aliens?! ALIENS? What am I watching the X-Files?! Seriously even if it wasn't an Indy movie, it was poorly made in every department from scrip supervisor to-to costumes continuity and sanity- to Cinemotography and directing. It was poorly made and rushed all around. I almost wished that Harrison Fiord would have had diarhea so that he could fix the damn thing.
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Really even with aliens?! ALIENS? What am I watching the X-Files?! Seriously even if it wasn't an Indy movie, it was poorly made in every department from scrip supervisor to-to costumes continuity and sanity- to Cinemotography and directing. It was poorly made and rushed all around. I almost wished that Harrison Fiord would have had diarhea so that he could fix the damn thing.
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Seems like the nearly unanimous opinion here is that the movie sucks...
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All your bitching and that... Think about the stuff in the originals. Okay, this one has the weakest script maybe, but in all it is a big fun romp. Saw the trailer for Mummy 3 right before it and after seeing Indy I can only say that even after the 19 year gap Indy owns every Tomb Raider, Mummy, Sahara and National Treasure out there. Indy still fucking rules and I won't hear a thing about it. I had fun and that's what it's all about.
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May 22, 2008 4:43:15 PM CDT
Why isnt anyone talking about the Benjamin Button trailer?!!
by lhombresiniestro
Or did they already post it on Aint It Cool and I wasnt aware. It was the highlight of Indy....and Jack Black's panda saying "Skidoosh" is the Kung Fu Panda trailer....both were more enjoyable than Indy...I'm heartbroken to say....
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I applaud your ability to enjoy the new Indy movie WITHOUT leaving your brain behind. There are so many logic holes and stupid scenes (you didn't even touch on Tarzan Shia, something many have complained about) that I feel like if I wasn't severely retarded (like the guy two seats away from me who couldn't shut the hell up) or 5 years old, I wouldn't be able to watch most of this movie without questioning it constantly.
The film did have some exceptional scenes, like the bar fight and the motorcycle chase, and the truck chase had some cool elements thrown in. But just like those damn gophers aren't enough to ruin the movie for me, hints of brilliance will not be enough to make it a classic.
And to address the CGI once again. Consider if they hadn't used CG in the truck chase (which considering the other films, is really quite possible) how much more AMAZING would that have been to see real, tangible people doing real, amazing stunts.
My main problems with the film were the pacing (one set piece to the next without really spending time with any of them) and the terrible, exposition-heavy, dropping at every turn, dialogue. -
I made a funny, dude.
Nevermind. just roll with it.
Anyway, personally I really liked the film. Harrison saying the "I've got a bad feeling about this" was just what I needed to hear one last time I think. Now all we need is another Schwarzenegger movie where he says "I'll be back".
It's been too long since I've seen the other Indy movies, but I think I liked this better than Temple of Doom but not as much as Last Crusade. We'll see. I'll have to rewatch them again first. -
Indy looking at the mushroom cloud.
I enjoyed it better than Last Crusade. Raiders and Temple of Doom are still the best. -
I fricken can enjoy Howard the Duck. I can. It's sad. But I sit and I enjoy. Now you see that i like sucky things. CAn you grasp that me hating indy 4 is not a joke but a fact that it just is bad.
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a partial joke, because I know Vern despises that movie. I love each of the three previous movies to varying degrees, and I didn't have high expectations, but yeah, thinking about it, I'd take the interstate demolition derby in Bad Boys II over Indy IV. Yup.
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i know. i was jsut playing along with ya. marcus, i totally agree. indy 4 should have had rubber ducky condoms and playduck.
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I didn't say anything even remotely close to what you are claiming I said. I didn't call anyone an idiot or vaguely hint at it or in any way imply that somebody was wrong for disagreeing with me. I just explained some things I liked about it and that I was sad so many of you hated it. And the molestation reference was obviously in response to the "George Lucas raped my childhood" cliche.
It was nice of them to give me this blackbox after my scuffle with Dave the Demon but man has it been a curse. I could post "I love you guys and want to hug you" and I'd get ten people telling me to calm down and get off their case and quit insulting everybody. -
Wall E. I know I'm gonna see it. Just have to. But I have low expectaions
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....the problem is the film stepped out of its genre boundries & it jarred...badly.
I don't post often, but felt compelled to write, as I am feeling a mixture of severe disappointment & mild anger.
I was one of four people who went today, all lifelong Indy fans. I even went in with lower expectations after getting bad vibrations from the reviews earlier in the week....and all four of us came out totally deflated, like we had been kicked in the nuts. (In my case, kicked in the nuts again, as I held out & put up with prequels 1 & 2, as I was under the foolish notion that Ep 3 would totally deliver the goods, but how wrong I was!) But we all agreed that the prequels were a hell of a lot better than this mess.
I agree with a lot of the comments above regarding too many convenient near misses, looney tunes CGI physics (the amphibious vehicle on the branch, the 3 waterfalls & the bit when the ruskie jeep lands on the amphib & uses it as a ramp, then everybody just pokes there heads up again spring to mind). Also Spalko firing a machine gun pretty much point blank in Marions face & she isn't even blinded by the flash (WTF?!) Shia was actually one of the better things going for it (but Shia & the monkeys WTF?!)
It actually came accross as a homage to The Mummy Returns (which I also hated for the slam-bang pacing & bare minimum space for any decent character development)
John Hurt was just a babbling fool for most of it. Karen Allen was ok, but criminally underused - but what the hell was that bit with her holding just the steering wheel about after the waterfalls for? That was just plain retarded!
Ray Winstone was pretty pointless & just cheapened the whole thing with his cockney accent, couldn't he attempted to be american?)
I am afraid I too was one of those people when it came to the alien & saucer bit gasped in horror & said "oh, fuck off, you have to be kidding". It was just so totally out of step with anything in the Indy-verse.
Fantastical & supernatural, yes. Extraterrestrial, NO, NO, NO"
It was just like AVP with the shifting puzzle temples & Alien gods influencing the natives.
This was sorley missing the Larry Kasdan Touch. Is it a coincidence that Raiders, Empire & Jedi were great films & he happenned to have input on the screenplay, I don't think so! Koepp was never that great in my book, I remember being very disappointted with The Shadow & his 2 x Jurassic Park screenplays are simplistic at best.
The best bits were the start at the Warehouse & the End at the church, and that my friends is it.
I was really hoping that this was going to bookend Raiders, bit I never thought I would see the day where an Indy sequel would actually elevate Temple of Doom from the bottom of my list. Its gotta be Raiders way up there, then Last Crusade, then Temple of Doom, then, way, way, way, way below, this massively stinking, fly-ridden turd.
I was planning to do the mashochistic thing & see the Clone Wars CGI movie, but not after this. I, like someone said above, will not be giving Lucas another penny..........
P.S. Is it just me, or did anyone think the bit with Marcus statue & head coming off, was pretty insulting to Denholm Elliot's memory? -
would have been a fucking AWESOME movie! I know that it would have had nothing to do with archeaology per se, but gosh, with a great script, seeing Indy lead OSS missions ala the Dirty Dozen or something like that would have absolutely kisked ass. Thoughts anyone?
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well, they were technically "interdimensional beings" and not "just" from another planet.
Although it would have been REALLY easy to rewrite them into being gods instead or some kind of supernatural beings so I don't really know why they didn't do that.
The Saucer at the end though was Spielberg's E.T./Close Encounters moment I think in this film. And that was nice to see.
If we're gonna be picky about it I'm more concerned with the russians not being as evil as the nazis. While I like the fact that the US government's witchhunt for commies is shown to be pretty much as bad as the commies themselves and that shows how much the world has changed since the last movies, and while I admit that in film you can't get any more evil than nazis and child molesters so how can the russians be worse, I think that them not being evil enough makes Indy not enough of a hero as well. -
Did you ever notice that when the duck condom is taken out it has no wrapper. That means that he just keeps used condoms in his wallet. Ug that was so bad.... I LOVE IT! HEHE
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It is supposed to be that way. And, I did not want to see an immitation "Raiders" or another "Temple" movie and THAT is what it would have been if they went the "Tomb Raider" route. I liked this movie. I went in not caring about it and came out smiling. I kept my expectations low for a reason. For me, it worked. To all the haters, what action movie this year(or I should say in the past 5 years) was better? Clovershit? Or King Dong? Or Revenge of the Shit?
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could you address some more of the issues I talked about? I respect your opinion and I'm curious as to what you think. Don't be scared to post just because you will be seen by some of the more ridiculous talkbackers.
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I thought I didn't have to worry about Uncle George sneaking into my bedroom and molesting me with his imagination ever again. Thanks for tarnishing another series, douchebag!
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Interdementional beings he he
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Kind'a on the dumb side, but I think it evens out. It's just like the other two Indiana Jones movies -- NOTHING like Raiders. ROTHEFLMYASSCOMPLETELY OFF !!!
I enjoyed it, though. That is due to the fact that I went in with the expectation that I wouldn't really like it at all.
I have complaints but, they're the same complaints I had about the previous two films. The McGuffin was too thin, unexplored, and unnecessary; the movie was too long; no reverence for the proceedings.
However, I thought it would really suck. And it did'nt.
Cannot believe they used so much of Jeb Stuart's script without giving him credit. That was shocking. -
May 22, 2008 4:55:59 PM CDT
action was unrealistic in situtaion and how it was dealt with
by prossor
The action in the first three was unrealistic as well, but none went as far as this. The first three went just beyond reality in the improbable and they got through it how a person would realistically while this totally abandons anything close to it going to the impossible, siutation and how people get throughit. And as for the supernatural elements, the others were fantasy-oriented not scifi. I'm far more dissapointed in this than i was iwth PHANTOM MENACE as well. at least TPM just had Jar jar's annoyance for the most part, at least it delivered on good things like Liam Neeson and Darth Maul.
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I was on the terminator talk back and there people that are saying T3 was better than T2! If that isn't crazy I don't know what is? I will see this movie and make up my own mind.
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1. The people who liked it are the people who a) don't know any better and b) tend to smile at anything the big screen flashes at them.
2. The people who hated it are the people who know better and expect better from their films. -
Just saw JONES and all I have to say is ACME INC! Jones has become a "BUGS BUNNY CARTOON" character. "SKULLS" is 50/50 for me. I guess I liked many many things in this film, but then there are many many things in it that left me stupified. Now I remember what it felt like to see THE LOST WORLD back in 1997.
Ok...the theater wasn't packed, but it had a decent amount of people in it so that was good. Once the LUCAS logo came on screen it felt like the 80's again. The opening with the "kind of" drag race was really good and the intro to Indiana Jones was great. Ford is awesome as Jones. This is the Harrison Ford I love to watch on the big screen. Once the action begins in the wearhouse I was excited and not disappointed. Ford sure can fight and looks believable doing so. Great action scene.
Spalko wasn't bad as some have said. When we first meet her I wanted to see what this character was going to be like. In the end she was 50/50. Not great but not a bad character either. I hated Ray Winstone and his "Jonesy line" Such a waste.
Ok, so the first big action scene was great and then we get the "BUGS BUNNY" scene when Jones survives a nuclear blast by hiding in a fridge? huh. Jones is indistructable in this film and I don't mean like he was in the other films. This is something different or it feels different. ACME INC. ACME INC.
Ford, or was that Dr. Richard Kimble, is accused of being some sort of traitor to his country. OK! That idea is dropped fast and never heard of again? Probably a good thing.
Jim Broadband (sp) makes a forgettable appearance and we don't see him again until the end. A waste.
The plot was a bit confusing and sometimes I WAS WONDERING WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT. Sometimes I didn't care.
It was nice seeing Connery's pic in this as well as Brody's statue. Both were good. I liked the intro to Shia. Nice Brando homage.
The bike chase was nice...but again "BUGS BUNNY" JONES. Still nice action scene. Shia calls Jones "80 years old and old man" in this several times just to remind us that Ford is old ::) :o ::)
Shia and Jones go to some prison (yawn) and then some temple (this scene was silly). and then blah blah blah. Jones gets captured again and we are re-introduced to Karen "I havn't aged well" Allen. I was shocked when I looked at her. She looked so young and pretty in the pics on the net. Sad to say ILM must have touched up those pics.
We are also introduced to John Hurt, the babbling idiot. I was shocked that a great actor like Hurt was reduced to babbling and babbling and acting like a crazy idiot.
We get a Jones snake scene that was just plain ok, not bad, but just ok.
Now for the BIG ACTION SCENE. This is what gets me. SPIELBERG is an action sequence GOD just like CAMERON. This scene was 50/50 for me. There was ALOT of great stuff in this scene, but just as many WTF moments. Shia getting hit in the nuts; Shia acting like a monkey, the scarab beatles from The Mummy, I mean red ants make an appearance and Shia and Spalko sword fighting. WTF moments indeed. I loved when Ford fired the rocket launcher and when Ford was fighting the russain guy and beats him really good. Loved those moments. But then Karen Allen decideds "hey we are in a bugs bunny cartoon" so lets drive off a mountain, land on a BIG tree limb and have it slap the bad guys in the face. I'M NOT KIDDING ABOUT THIS!
The ACME sequence continues as Jones and family survive three death defying drops. That was a bit much...You actually see Karen Allen holding the wheel of the jeep in her hand even when the jeep has been destroyed. I tell you if Spielberg and Lucas were paying homage to the classic WB cartoons this film has done its job well. The Road-Runner could have run by Karen Allen holding that wheel and I would have been fine with it.
We end up at a cave where out of a SCOOBY DOO cartoon you see someones eyes behind a statue wall. This scene is so POINTLESS and the cave men are so non-threatening that I was just sitting there waiting for the next scene.
We end up at the big finale and it involves ALIENS. ok. What was the point of the plot again, honestly.
I have to see this film again to see if it all holds up because right now I like some of it and had major problems with alot.
I LOVE RAIDERS, TEMPLE and CRUSADE and think they are PERFECT films. SKULL feels like something else entirely.
People clapped at the end which is a good sign, but I was left saying to my little brother...that was good but. I wanted to LOVE this film.
I give it 2 and a half stars! -
The first two parts of the movie were great. Then we get Snake-rope, Tarzan Mutt, and CGI alien. What happened?! I will say that it was a "fun" movie, but I didn't leave the theater loving it. The movie also felt rushed. It never stopped to take a breather and explain what the hell was going on. Oh well...at least we'll always have the 1st 3 Indy films.
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So they made the movie bad on purpose? Interesting concept. I never thought of it that way. They want to end the movie for good. So sabatoge it. GENIUS!
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Learn the meaning of MACguggin
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Overall, I liked it. I like the fact that it was an older Indy in a different era, and I love the early shot of Indy staring at the mushroom cloud after witnessing the explosion of the nuclear bomb. I agree with those who say it kind of felt like a different Indy, but not in a bad way. The closing of "Last Crusade" was almost like the closing of that trilogy, and that era of Indy movies - the middle-aged Indy in the WWII era. This film felt like a beginning, rather than an end, and I wouldn't mind seeing two more films in a trilogy of older Indy movies. This one was definitely more exaggerated in terms of the macguffin and supernatural phenomena, but I didn't mind that either. With the closing of "Last Crusade" with Indy drinking from the Holy Grail, and having not seen him for 20 years - Indy has become legend. So its fitting that the subject matter seems almost fantasy-like. Not that the early films were reality based, but they were grounded more in the realm of reality than this one. I hope they do a dark one next, like Indy following an artifact that leads to a vampire cult, or something evil. The last one could be Indy discovering God, who knows. Other random things: 1) The janitor from Scrubs was in it - his second time acting with Ford; the first time was as the subway cop in The Fugitive. 2) I heard the wilhelm scream from the nerd in the library when they ride up on the motorcycle. 3) Ford was really hamming it up in the last scene with Marion - it was like he never kissed her before. 4) And I didn't have a problem with Shia, nor with the vine swinging. I thought he was pretty good with the material he was given. Throughout watching the movie, there were several times when I couldn't help thinking, "I can't believe I'm watching another Indy movie". It was worth the wait, and I hope to see more.
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Going with friends and just going to enjoy it. I do hate the fact that I've read that there is just too much Lucas in this. This should be the last dime Lucas gets from me though.
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Well I agree, I prefer the reality of the truck chase in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK or in a movie like THE FRENCH CONNECTION. I also prefer the less jokey tone of RAIDERS. But I've had 24 years to get used to the goofier sequels. To me that chase was in the tradition of the mine cart chase in TEMPLE OF THE DOOM or the speedy bike chase in RETURN OF THE JEDI. None of them look photorealistic but they are staged in a way that to me is exciting. This one also added a little Errol Flynn/Buster Keaton/Jackie Chan physical comedy courtesy of Shia's stunt double.
BAD BOYS II car chase didn't look real to me either. It was a cool idea what was going on, but to me the disorienting camera angles and editing took me out of the scene so I just didn't feel the momentum or danger of it at all. But some people can translate that stuff so I can see how that would be a cool scene for them. -
...in past talkbacks, and regardless of what you've said here, you've developed a identity as such. People would have a problem regardless of a blackbox or not. It's just that your comments whether they be good or bad draw more attention.
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IF YOU LIKED SUPERMAN RETURS...
IF YOU LIKED ISHTAR...
IF YOU LIKED THE CAT IN THE HAT...
IF YOU LIKED THE GRINCH...
IF YOU LIKED RAMBO III...
IF YOU LIKED SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT III...
IF YOU LIKED ALIEN 3 AND ALIEN VS PREDATOR REQUIEM...
IF YOU LIKED THE LOST WORLD...
IF YOU LIKED GILLI...
IF YOU LIKED NAVY SEALS...
IF YOU LIKED THE JOEL SHUMACHER BATMAN MOVIES...
IF YOU LIKED TENATIOUS D: THE PICK OF DESTINY...
IF YOU LIKED THE HULK...
IF YOU LIKED GODZILLA...
IF YOU LIKED BEVERLY HILLS COP 3..
IF YOU LIKED THE 5TH ELEMENT...
IF YOU LIKED STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE, AND ATTACK OF THE CLONES...
IF YOU LIKED JAWS: THE REVENGE...
IF YOU LIKED GODFATHER PART 3...
IF YOU LIKED SUPERMAN 3 AND 4...
IF YOU LIKED REVENGE OF THE NERDS PART 4...
IF YOU LIKED JACKIE BROWN...
IF YOU LIKED ALWAYS...
IF YOU LIKED PORKY'S REVENGE!...
IF YOU LIKED TENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 4...
IF YOU LIKED BATMAN RETURNS...
IF YOU LIKED BIRD ON A WIRE...
IF YOU LIKED YOUNG EINSTEIN...
IF YOU LIKED RUSH HOUR 3...
IF YOU LIKED ROBOCOP 2 AND 3...
IF YOU LIKED ANY OF THESE MOVIES...
THEN YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE
INDIANA JONES 4: AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL COCK! OH I MEAN... THE CRYSTAL SKULL... (WHEN WATCHING THE MOVIE IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.) NO PUN INTENDED.
MORE TO COME... -
and Lucas didnt like it because he thought it was better than what he wrote? But then he used pieces of it anyway to stitch together a "Frankenstein" like Mori called it from other scripts, the result is something which doesnt have its own identity. sporadic, lifeless, plastic look.
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Look,if you don't like the movie, I get it, but the whole "aliens was taking it too far" argument doesn't make sense to me. While I don't think the living breathing alien (or inter-dimensional being) needed to be shown, the idea that aliens would exist in the Indy universe makes sense. We've seen hearts being ripped out (while the victim remains alive), the power of god, 600 year old knights, voodoo dolls, and GHOSTS, or spirits or whatever you wanna call them. So to me at least, it just seems like the next step.
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Like, say, a childhood? No. Its not. Nor is it possible to win a war against an abstract concept like "drugs" or "terrorism"; that is, if recent history has proven anything. Drugs are more plentiful then ever and terrorism is on the rise. Almost as if the war against them actually makes them stronger! Wow!
Oh, but hey, anyway, is Cate "Fascist Fetish" Blanchett hot in this? I wanna do a BDSM fantasy with her. We can take turns being sex fascists. "Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather..." -
I will not be responsible anymore for having a hand in fatening up Lucas' neck. We'll read in USA Today one day that the Boss Nass Blubber around his neck finally suffocated his dumb ass I might feel a little guilty. Just a little.
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You lost any credibility you may have ever had with your "that chase scene sucked" line.
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That you support your argument by insinuating that the members of the audience who disagree with you were molested should embarass you. Is that kind of treatment what we should expect from a place where like minded people go to share ideas and opinions? Disagreements happen buddy. But hey, if that is what you need to feel intellectually secure, knock yourself out. It is one thing for that kind of crap to come from posters, but as a representative of this website . . . it is, in a word, pathetic. But hey, maybe I'm wrong and molestation jokes are all the rage. But, I guess, in retrospect it would be better to suffer the impact of molestation than to be a fucking asshole. One day, you'll have to fill all of us victims on what that is like.
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I hope that people who have not seen the film read these posts and see it thinking it's gonna be worse then it was and enjoy the film. But I'm not sure anyone could have expected the carnage
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I saw it Tuesday night and was not sure how I felt about the aliens..I know I HATED and will always hate Lucas adding the CGI fuzzballs (Groundhogs THREE times & Shia LaTarzan and the monkeys & the stupid library scene with Indy & mutt sliding under tables only to be asked a question by a student...all Jar Jar level cringe worthy)...but Aliens...hmm...in retrospect it's as far fetched as a box that melts people, good luck rocks that glow and bring prosperity, or a cup that heals...and the crystal skulls, nazca lines, El dorado etc, all have archeological and historical refernces andlegends around them. The effects of the aliensd spinning and making a mean look at Irena as she dissolves was over the top, but I'll buy it. It's 50's sci-fi adventure kitsch...now for #5 I say bring on the the 2nd thing you think of when you think of 50's sci-fi the first being aliens the second...giant monsters. I want to see Indy & Mutt on a quest in the african jungles looking for the legendary Mokele-mbembe. WE had aliens, so bring on cryptozoology and bring us Dinosaurs...We haven't seen Indy in the African Jungles, he hasn't touched on African folklore and legend (well, North Africa in Raiders). I want to see #5 be an Indiana Jones meets Jurassic Park wild & fun adventure.
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I'd love to read the script that Darabont wrote; I bet it's a great story.
...don't want to get all hyped up on Darabont though... The Mist wasn't all that great. -
Yes, that was clearly the most ridiculous part of the movie, and I can understand hating that. But let's not pretend there wasn't the Nazi monkey saying "Uh oh" in RAIDERS, Short Round beating up a bunch of adults in TEMPLE OF DOOM, Willie screaming at ten different animals in a row, the River Phoenix scene or Sean Connery's performance in LAST CRUSADE, etc. That scene was taking the goofiness that has always been there a little bit further. I thought it was too far but then the payoff of Cate Blanchett trying to drive while covered in monkeys made me forgive it.
I guess what I'm saying is the Tarzan scene is easier to swallow in an Indiana Jones movie, where it's not THAT far off from what they've already been doing, than it would be in BATMAN BEGINS or something. Or MUNICH. -
the only respectable fourth outing of all fourth installments, of course that wasnt that hard to do since this is Rambo, but still credit is where credit's due. Rambo fans must be a happy bunch compared to Indy fans, or Die Hard fans
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Did Indy over look saving any minorities in this new film? From the trailers I've seen it looks to me like the only minorities in this flick are baaaad minorities. You might want to wright the NAACP and MPA to tell them that Indy is just out to save white people. ahahha.....
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I think you need to go back and read the title of this TB...
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CK, I see what you're getting at with the whole "true American" thing, but it's a stretch. Lets stick to Indy. I'm not advocating blind following at all, I'm just saying that your benchmark for comparing and criticizing the movie has to be a fair one. It's unfair to say that Crystal Skull is inferior to its predecessors because the situations are too outlandish, when virtually all of the situations in the other 3 films are INCREDIBLY outlandish. Is the jeep/jungle chase really that much less plausible than the mine cart chase, or Indy versus a tank? I'm just using believability as one example, the point is that if you're going to compare this to the other 3 movies, you have to accept the strengths AND the weaknesses of the other 3 movies. You say it didn't make you feel like the other Indys did, and that point is well taken, but this is set in a different era featuring an older Indy. If it seems different it's because it is different, but different doesn't mean bad, if you can buy into this 1950s Indy universe. Some of us did, some of us didn't.
Spacekicker, I've been thinking about the movie today, and not once have I thought about why Mac had homing devices. I can only imagine the talkback we'd get if Spielberg and co. felt it necessary to include exposition that explained every continuity issue conceivable. It all goes back to expectations; seriously, I watched Temple of Doom the other day, and do you know how many times he loses his damn hat in that movie? You can gripe about these issues all you want, and obviously many people have, but I just don't see the point of that. They certainly didn't ruin the movie for me last night. -
Never posted before, but here goes.
Definitely not in the same league as Raiders, but tonally consistent with Crusade and better than Temple. I personally didn't find the transition from the 1930's serial throwback to 1950's B-movie "jarring." To me it was fun, clever, and I feel that although there were many spots in the movie that felt off, it will gel with the rest of the sequels in time. I wasn't hoping for anything that could touch Raiders, though. The bulk of the problem that the audience has with the movie is that it wasn't in tune with the era and body of filmmaking that KOTCS references - simply accepting the other three entries in the series as "what an Indiana Jones movie should be" instead of acknowledging its pulp roots. This new movie works, for me, simply because Indiana is center stage, and he is the only grounding I needed in the transition to sci-fi elements.
I would agree though that the cinematography was incongruous and really disappointing. -
When they showed the Alien skeletons at the end combining to form a "living breathing" alien I took it to be in Irena's mind, not a physical melding of skeletons to form a living thing. The consciousness of the aliens or their "soul" resided in the skull, it talked to Oxley and talked to Indy and in the climax we more or less saw in Irena's mind.
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in the saucer men script, the Russians in the Darabont script and the skull from the chin of Lucas? It felt like a script welded together from too many ideas, too many writers and put together in fashion to make all the main players happy! When it didn't really work on most fronts, if any.
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and it rocked me me hard. It was slightly goofy, had some questionable lines but above all it was Indiana Jones and I fucking loved it - Bring on more! Go and see this and remember what the movies used to be like.
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There's nothing wrong with a little bit of absurdity in an Indiana Jones movie. But Shia controlled an army of monkeys. In Raiders a monkey sort of said "uh oh". There is a difference.
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Never posted before, but here goes.
Definitely not in the same league as Raiders, but tonally consistent with Crusade and better than Temple. I personally didn't find the transition from the 1930's serial throwback to 1950's B-movie "jarring." To me it was fun, clever, and I feel that although there were many spots in the movie that felt off, it will gel with the rest of the sequels in time. I wasn't hoping for anything that could touch Raiders, though. The bulk of the problem that the audience has with the movie is that it wasn't in tune with the era and body of filmmaking that KOTCS references - simply accepting the other three entries in the series as "what an Indiana Jones movie should be" instead of acknowledging its pulp roots. This new movie works, for me, simply because Indiana is center stage, and he is the only grounding I needed in the transition to sci-fi elements.
I would agree though that the cinematography was incongruous and really disappointing. -
...and one of those stars is just for nostalgia. Was it the worst film of the summer? No. But when you spend 19 years going through draft after draft, you'd better knock it out of the park when you finally land on a story that you feel is worth shooting. Not this muddled mess of slapstick. Prairie Dogs? Alliances with monkey armies? No, no, no...I think I actually prefer the special effects of the 80's when it comes to Indiana Jones. Back then, everything had a weight to it, rather than this shiny CGI that reminded me of the worst of the Star Wars prequels. And as the third act unfolded, it felt like everyone involved decided to give up on telling a coherent story, just like Ray Winstone decided after he tripped in the treasure room that he wasn't gonna bother picking his fat ass up off the ground again and run. It was just easier to lay there and wallow.
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There is a difference between being goofy and being rediculous. The whole damn movie (4) was just stupid. It had no story structure. How can you not just recognize a train wreck. It's one think to say I just say a train wreck, but I enjoyed it. It's another thing completly to say the damn thing was good. I have dumps that look better then this movie did.
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Film it and they will come... and still bitch! a lot?
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Again, I didn't say anything at all like what you are accusing me of. As you know if you have read any of this talkback, people who do not like this movie or any Star Wars movie like to say that "George Lucas raped my childhood." I think this is a stupid cliche so I am making fun of it by playing along with their overstatement and telling them to talk to an adult they trust.
In other words, you agree with me. It is stupid to compare something like this to being molested, which is an actual problem that damages people's lives, unlike Shia swinging on a vine like Tarzan.
Like I just said it is really hard for me to write talkbacks anymore because no matter what I write people find some way of interpreting it that I did not imagine. So try this:
I RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINIONS HERE, WE CAN ALL BE FRIENDS, I DID NOT TRY TO INSULT ANYONE IN ANY WAY, I AM SORRY THAT I LIKED THIS MOVIE, I WILL STOP WRITING TALKBACKS NOW. thanks -
That was pretty bad. Can we all agree on that?
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I absolutely NEVER would have guessed that a month ago. I went to Speed Racer so I could rip on it. I ended up loving it. Many people will regret that they didn't see it in theaters. Of the 4 blockbusters this month, Speed Racer is the one that will endure. The others will be forgotten (and I've seen all 4). And Lucas apologists need to stop telling us sane folk to admit that we "had fun." No. I really didn't. The movie was stupid and boring. I smiled a couple times, but I did not "have fun."
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that people are saying The Phantom Menace is better than this flick. To me that's truly fucked up. I'm clearly in the minority though cos I loved it. Quite taken aback by all the hate it's getting. There were Lucas moments I could have done without and it's definitely the most OTT of all the films but to me it really felt like an Indy movie, thought the chemistry between Indy, Mutt and Marion was great and thought the whole Aliens/Mayans angle worked really well. Despite the hate on here I'd still recommend seeing it if you grew up loving Indy as it clearly works for some people, and this is coming from a guy that fucking hates the prequels.
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that people are saying The Phantom Menace is better than this flick. To me that's truly fucked up. I'm clearly in the minority though cos I loved it. Quite taken aback by all the hate it's getting. There were Lucas moments I could have done without and it's definitely the most OTT of all the films but to me it really felt like an Indy movie, thought the chemistry between Indy, Mutt and Marion was great and thought the whole Aliens/Mayans angle worked really well. Despite the hate on here I'd still recommend seeing it if you grew up loving Indy as it clearly works for some people, and this is coming from a guy that fucking hates the prequels.
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something went screwy in my last one anyway...
Temple of Doom
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Last Crusade
Kingdom of the Looney Tunes Skull -
It's a cruel world in this here Talkback place. I've thought about headin' out to Californi' way myself. I hear they got that internet out there. Also I hope you understand that as a writer for a pretty popular site you have to have thick skin. So tough it out man!! Tough it out!!
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you really think the "uh oh" monkey, short round's karate, and willie screaming was in the same boat as tarzan mutt?
maybe if they had used real monkeys to attack the russians . . . -
Don't apologize. REPENT!
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I'm glad you liked it. But just realize, you're wrong. It's kind of a fact.
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Like I said, I hope this is the first of a trilogy of older Indy movies, and if so, I have the perfect ending to the very last movie: Jump to a scene 1000 years in the future, and there you see, the most valuable piece in a museum is the remains of the legendary archeologist, Indiana Jones.
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I want one.
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Vern's referance to molestation is in response to me saying like i felt reaped and sodimised by george lucas, so you guys should stop ragging on him about that. But obviously Vern takes everything too seriously because its just an overstated metaphor. Vern obviously hates South Park and all jokes that aren't clean
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There seems to be a huge debate on what belongs in a Jones film. Many of you believe that sci fi doesn't belong in Indy. Others see it in the same light as Mysticism. This is the way I see it. In the first 3 Indy film, the artifacts hold a sort of mystery. It's outlandish, but but it works. The crystal skull starts out the same way, but then the mystery is removed. So is the charm. Sometimes knowing too much can kill a story. It's kinda like taking away the mystery of the Force by introducing medichlorines (sp?). I think Sci Fi has a place in Indy, but KOTCS took it overboard.
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OK. Hear me out. Regardless of what you think of the performances or the story or the CGI, Spielberg REALLY dropped the ball here. The horrendously obvious out of sync dialogue in the first scene (clearly re-recorded in post), the endless continuity errors, the glowing sheen of the cinematography. Can't we all admit these things were bad or out of place in the series? Even if you liked everything else, the film was poorly made.
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Of course the movie is flawed. I didn't think it really found its groove until Marion came into the picture, John Hurt was a non-character and Mac was half-hearted attempt to invert the "helpful buddy" character by making him sort of a bad guy. But was Mola Ram a fully formed character? Was the chemistry between Indy and Ilsa in Last Crusade anything special? Did the melting face in Raiders look real? The bottom line for me is that Crystal Skull is still an exceptional action film featuring Ford in his greatest role. There's a real lack of measured criticism here, and far too much talk of CGI monkeys and raping.
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You said: "Vern obviously hates South Park and all jokes that aren't clean"...haha that's why I quoted a South Park Cartoon when I addressed him earlier because I had that same thought. ajajkdf
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Greatest net handle ever. As for Indiana Jones, I totally dug it, and yeah, I could've done without Shia Taraz-ing all over the place or Indy surviving a nuclear bomb, but even if they'd cut the scenes out, I bet people would've insisted they be included on the DVD. I overheard a couple of young 'uns saying it was the best of the 4. That smells like victory to me. I wish I could've watched it when I was 11.
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Here is where I would fundamentally disagree with someone about this film. Like if someone said "That was great!" I'd be like "Um...no it wasn't." Or if they said "Wow, that truck chase sequence was cool. I liked the monkeys and the ants." I would say "I can appreciate that. But you see, it wasn't any good." Or if they were like "The whole psychic ability subplot worked really well." I would counter that by saying "No, it honestly didn't." Or if someone posited "I liked how Ray Winstone said 'Jonesy' a lot and was a double triple agent arbitrarily and left little radar devices for Cate Blanchett." I would, in this case, reply "See I didn't find that good. At all." I could go on, but I think you get my drift.
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Just that. Much more fun than CRUSADE, which was nothing but an uninsprired RAIDERS remake anyway, but not as good as the true pre-/sequel DOOM with it's no-holds-bared action approach.This movie had at least a different setting, a much better villain and a true iconic Indiana Jones picture, him standing before the nuclear cloud. Indiana Jones 1957! Not flawless, but there was much more than in many, many movies to just like and... it was FUN!
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You are hillarious
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Let me start by saying I am an INDY fan, good bad or whatever. I remember the movies from when I was young and I loved to swing back into that world via leather whip....It was fun, it was fast, it was INDY,,,,,Sure it was campy, but it was INDY....I was not looking for Harrison from presumed innocent, I wanted INDY and thats what we got....for all you haters....get over it....It is like expecting episode 1 2 and 3 to be the end all be all of movie making....all people did was complain because lucas did something other than their vision...well I say nay nay....THIS WAS INDY in all his glory and I am going back again and again....if you are wondering where my heart lies...Star Wars over LOTR and Raiders over all!!!!!
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I'm glad the kiddies like it. But someday, they will grow up, watch the film again, and stab themselves with a rapier. Then I will smell their blood...and t'will smell like victory.
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you were 11. I am not saying that we should see these movies "in a child's eyes", but I saw last night that all the kids in the theater loved it, the high school kids cared more about texting than the movie, people in their 30's like me wanted to see it again to make an objective decision, and other adults acted like they do when most other movies end: they pick up their things and leave.. .
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It had some great moments. I felt that the Shia monkey scene was a nod to Burroughs, the king of pulpy science fiction, so it didn't bother me. The movie is on a par with TOD and TLC. Go see it and enjoy!
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May 22, 2008 5:29:12 PM CDT
Enjoyable on a whole but underwhelming and unessesary!
by ceejaynightwing
This is the film they didn't need to make and the odd on e out because it goes into science fiction where as the other films stick with fantasy, myth and theology as their basis for archeology. The first three quarts of this movie are pretty good and very much in the spirit of an Indiana Jones film. But the last segment of the film is simply a CGI fest with very little for the characters to do, solve or interact with in real purpose making for the weakest ending to a Indy flick ever as well as one that simply goes beyond the mystic myth and religious themes of the past. The villains are semi define on a whle and the goofiness is acceptable for all the entertainment it manages to deliver. But the Adventure serial these film were supposed to herald is not entirely honored here with its McCarthy era setting. This is Indy in more modern ground than he should be seen in so its unsettling, but they make a lot of this work especially with Shia Lebeouf who is excellent. But its a lightweight Indy film without all the supporting cast homaged time and time again through out the film with photographs, statues and references to past moments in the OT. You simply enjoy it for what it is and then despise it a little for not being what it could have been not too long after the credits start rolling. 6/10
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When the titles ended after the car race. I still had hope at that point. I'm sorry once indy was pulled from the trunk i was like, " I'm sorry i don't believe it." He wasn't even bound. Indy is like Magiver in that respect he would have found his way out.
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IF YOU LIKED CROCKADILE DUNDEE IN HOLLYWOOD...
IF YOU LIKED BAD BOYS 2...
IF YOU LIKED MEATBALLS 4...
IF YOU LIKED BABY'S DAY OUT...
IF YOU LIKED THE TOXIC AVENGER PART 4..
IF YOU LIKED FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 5...
IF YOU LIKED HELLRAISER 4...
IF YOU LIKED WISHMASTER 3...
IF YOU LIKED DOGMA...
IF YOU LIKED AMERICAN PIE 5...
IF YOU LIKED HOLLOW MAN 2...
IF YOU LIKED SPECIES 4...
IF YOU LIKED THE KILLING POOL...
IF YOU LIKED THE LAWNMOWER MAN 2...
IF YOU LIKED BEVERLY HILLS COP 3...
IF YOU LIKED HOWARD THE DUCK THE MOVIE...
IF YOU LIKED THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE...
IF YOU LIKED NORBIT...
IF YOU LIKED DEMOLITION MAN...
IF YOU LIKED POLTERGEIST 3...
IF YOU LIKED CHICKEN RUN...
THEN YOU WILL LOVE INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL VAGINA! -
IF YOU LIKED CROCKADILE DUNDEE IN HOLLYWOOD...
IF YOU LIKED BAD BOYS 2...
IF YOU LIKED MEATBALLS 4...
IF YOU LIKED BABY'S DAY OUT...
IF YOU LIKED THE TOXIC AVENGER PART 4..
IF YOU LIKED FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 5...
IF YOU LIKED HELLRAISER 4...
IF YOU LIKED WISHMASTER 3...
IF YOU LIKED DOGMA...
IF YOU LIKED AMERICAN PIE 5...
IF YOU LIKED HOLLOW MAN 2...
IF YOU LIKED SPECIES 4...
IF YOU LIKED THE KILLING POOL...
IF YOU LIKED THE LAWNMOWER MAN 2...
IF YOU LIKED BEVERLY HILLS COP 3...
IF YOU LIKED HOWARD THE DUCK THE MOVIE...
IF YOU LIKED THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE...
IF YOU LIKED NORBIT...
IF YOU LIKED DEMOLITION MAN...
IF YOU LIKED POLTERGEIST 3...
IF YOU LIKED CHICKEN RUN...
THEN YOU WILL LOVE INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL VAGINA! -
The editing was fucked in that scene. First, Indy lands in the truck, knocks the guys out. Then cut to stunt double jumping off the truck. No linking shot of Indy getting up, just stunt double leaping. The Jeep chase in the desert also suffered from similar problems, but what killed it for me was the awful CGI and the cartooniness. Okay Shia gets hit in the groin, HA HA. But after about the 18th shot to the nuts, it was like HUH? He should be singing Soprano.... ARGH. The more I think about this movie, the more I hate it.
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I recall an interview with Gary Kurtz a few years back where he said that Lucas began using the marker, 'good enough', in relation to putting the Star Wars films together. This was a phrase that Roger Corman used to use all of the time when knocking out his exploitation peices - that there was no point in trying too hard or pushing the boundaries here as Corman had reasoned early on that the audience will basically accept mediocrity if it is pushed out with enough energy. To me this movie embodied that phrase. It was 'good enough'. Lazy, competent and a constant reminder that Raiders was once fresh, vital and gave us a spin on a tired old formula that we hadn't seen before. This was as, Kurtz would have us believe Lucas would say was: 'good enough'.
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When did Indy stop getting excited about making discoveries? In the last movie he was and i quote "Gitty as a school boy" and now he's what a teacher so no happiness? The whole mood of the movie was like sad. No one ever got happy until the end where it was like Muppets take Manhatten. I thought they were gonna start singing " Somebodies getting Married"
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Spielberg has often said that, next to E.T., Indiana Jones was the only character he had that you could recognise merely from the silhouette. Did anyone else notice he went all out to prove this in Crystal Skull? There's a hero silhouette every ten minutes (against the car, the awesome shot of the atomic blast, a whole conversation of silhouettes in the tent with Spalko). Not a gripe though. I thought the film was really enjoyable, the action was brilliantly choerographed, lots of brilliant Indy moments (punching Mac throughout the jeep chase; getting dragged off the bike and out through the car window in the bike chase). There were lots of moments of silliness but no more so than any other Indy movie. It's just we're used to those films and have a fond affection for them. In years to come we'll be less critical of this one too. That said I found it hard to understand why they had to go anywhere they did (as in going to the graveyard, etc) and the whole mission seemed piss-easy compared to what was endured in the first three. And the ending - I don't think we needed to see a living alien. Plus Indy turned into a gurning sap towards the end and the wedding seemed a damp squib of an end scene. So I can understand why people are griping about it but there's a hell of a lot to enjoy in the film.If people genuinely don't enjoy the film then that's fine, and I can understand why (my friend hated it) but those who seem determined to hate on it or concentrate on the negatives to make a point - because liking something popular isn't cool - well, I feel sorry for you. And to those dickheads who haven't even seen it but have decided they hate it and are leaping on every bad point mentioned in this thread and repeating it to stir up negativity - PoeticWarrior, you're chief of these dickheads - well, you're very sad little fucktards and the reason internet movie geeks are looked upon so negatively.
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Funny, how everyone thinks of Stallone as a marble-mouthed idiot, but he revive two 20+ years old franchises in an exciting way that felt real, and like bonafide attempts at film making.
George Luca$ and $peilberg botched the revivals of Starwars and Indiana Jones. Very pathetic.
Stallone: 2, Corporate Giants: 0 -
Seriously. I haven't encountered a single valid argument as to why is the alien story different from religous relicks. Or why is Willie Scott or Short Round not as silly as Shia or whatever the fuck single less-than-a-minute element of this movie makes you yell it's the worst movie in history, and how Spielberg should apologize to you, etc.
It seems the popular thing here is just to yell "CGI SUCKS" "TARZAN IS RIDICOULUS" and that's it. I'm very sorry you people didn't enjoy the movie as much as few people here and I did. I really do. To me, it was great fun with my family. I'm glad I'm not one of you angry fucks. And I mean that. -
I like Cate, but her character had no character. The movie basically stated..."She's Russian...she's bad." And the audience nods its head in agreement. Also...how many times was Indy captured in this film?
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Because I'm venting. I'm trying to feel normal again, so if i get it all out. i can enjoy the original movies again
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that was as inspired as indy during the motorcycle scene in last crusade. you had the broken pole, the practical effect of the motorcycle and rider flipping through the air, and then Indy's smirk. To top that all off, Sean Connery had a complete non-response, and in one single instant, we get to see the complete complexity in their relationship with Indy's facial response. That was when Harrison was an actor. Now all he can do is mumble, look stoned, and appear tired. There was no little subtlety to his performance. There was no craft. It was a lack of showing up on his behalf. Anyone that says this movie is better than Last Crusade is puffing on the same pipe as harrison, marion, and lucas.
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between seeing this again and looking into the Ark and having my face melted off... I'd choose the Ark any day.
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First, a few miscellaneous points. Harrison Ford is essentially 20 years older than when Last Crusade was made. So, let's get real here: He's older, it would have moved the timeframe to the 50's, and the Nazis were no longer convenient badguys to use in this movie. I'm not surprised that they used the Russians, but the fact that we have essentially made peace with the Russians (at least, in public) dilutes the malevolence of the bad guys; in fact, I was surrounded by a bunch of Russian immigrants in the theatre, which was kind of surreal. Second, it's inevitable that Spielberg/Lucas would bring in a younger character to help anchor the story; otherwise, most younger people would have considered the film to be an "old guy nostalgia movie" (which it is, in a way); in other words, great for the AARP, not so great for date night. So, I forgive them for introducing Indy's son and, honestly, it does provide the possibility that Indy's son can carry on the series, if people still want to patronize it after 4. I would.
The story was a bit whack. How did the Russians know where to find the warehouse containing the alien body? Why did they need it? Uhhhh...
I'm surprised they didn't have more fun with the Hangar 51 storyline. God knows what was in all those boxes in the dessert. They could have had lots of fun crashing some of the cars into crates, discovering all kinds of oddities, and then ... well ... you get the picture. Under-utilized. Surviving a nuclear blast in a lead-lined refrigerator that didn't open when it rolled through the desert? Indy fighting (and beating) guys who were 35-40 years younger than him? Nobody getting injured beyond a scratch or two? Plunging down a 200 foot waterfall in an amphibious vehicle without seatbelts -- and then having everyone remain in their seats when it plunges to the surface? Uhhhhh... a non-metallic crystal skull that's magnetic (physics, anyone)? Wasting John Hurt's acting talents on gibberish and spouting Milton quotes?
This was not a violent movie. It was more like humorous Disney violence, where the good guy takes a slug or two, but he always knocks out the bad guy; who promptly disappears down an ant hill or gets thrown out of a moving vehicle. Raiders, by comparison, was downright BRUTAL. I think that was one of its flaws. You never really feel like Indy or anyone else in his party is ever in any kind of danger. You HAVE to have that kind of tension for this kind of movie to really work, balanced by a certain amount of comic relief. Don't get me wrong. It was an enjoyable movie, I liked it overall, but I think that George Lucas should put down his pen and stop writing screenplays. I can't think of anything that he's done in the past 20 years that I've truly liked. Marion barely had any lines. That's sad. I don't think that Lucas understands women at all. Marion was no more than a set dressing in this movie.
Anyway, regardless, if you liked the IJ movies, go see it. You won't be overly disappointed. But, remember, don't expect to see the Harrison Ford of the 1980s. He's a bit creaky now, but he managed to pull it off. -
First, let me ask would you like to know my level of dislike of this movie in metric or the American system? 5 kilometers of dislike, or 3.5 miles. Let me say, my dislike, not hatred, of the film goes beyond CGI swinging monkeys. I will try to measure my criticism into something coherent and specific. I wasn't able to follow the story. That maybe due to the fact that I'm an idiot, but I doubt it. There should be nothing confusing about Indiana Jones. It's pretty simple. In Raiders, he actually teaches us very well about the history of the Ark. I couldn't tell you a single thing about the Crystal Skull coming out of the movie except it was an alien skull. Secondly, the whole going to Mexico finding a prison cell going to a tomb "What are we looking for Indy" "I don't know" Guess what? Neither do we. Who the fuck were those guys guarding the skull temple? In both cases! They were weak. The action sequences for me were not exciting. The fight between the big Russian dude and Indy was by far the weakest of the "Indy fighting a big guy" fights. It was a series of punches, followed by a fake looking CGI Ant death. Again I say, the best part of the movie was the relationship between Mutt and Indy and even that took a turn for the worse: "You shouldn't have quit school!" Weak. The whole meeting Marion and figuring out she was Mutt's mom was poorly written. Also, the quicksand? scene was also bad. And the wedding. Bad. Ok, so that wasn't measured or coherent criticism. Sue me.
Also, I didn't like that they not only had to get the crystal skull, but had to take it to the temple of anal suckjob. Kind of took the wind out of my sails. -
May 22, 2008 5:40:22 PM CDT
I Have Seen "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,
by rogue planet
...Meh.
Spoilers abound, so if you don't want to know, don't read on. Suffice to say, I'm
confused, I'm angry, and I'm armed.
First of all, let me apologize in advance for not liking this movie.
Combine "Temple of Doom" and a bit of "Close Encounters" with a bit
of "National Treasure," and you'll have this movie. It wasn't nearly as good
as I hoped, though I went in with greatly reduced expectations knowing Lucas had a hand
in crafting the original idea behind the script. I also knew what that idea was, to
bring Indy forward to the 1950s and bring in all the trappings of that era: Commies, the
Atomic Bomb, greasers, sock hops and flying saucers.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was originally titled,
"Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars," or something along those lines.
You know that only George Lucas would come up with something like that.
Now, I know that this film was never going to soar to the dizzying heights of fun and
excitement of the first film, nor would it have the goofy adventure or sparkling guest
stars of the second and third, but it could at least have had a bit more of all three.
As it was, it was not enough of some and too much of another, like a great ice cream
sundae with too many nuts and not enough cherries: no matter how much chocolate sauce
you pour on it, it's still too crunchy and not nearly as sweet as it should be.
If this movie had come out in the early 90's not long after "Crusade," I might
have liked it...hell, I might even have loved it, but it's not vintage Indiana Jones. In
fact, it's barely Indiana Jones at all.
Ironically, the name "Indiana Jones" is barely uttered in this movie. For the
most part, Indy is called "Henry" or "Doctor Jones" or
"Professor." The names "Indy" and "Indiana" are, I think,
spoken aloud by only one character.
Speaking of that one character, I was delighted to see Karen Allen again as Marion
Ravenwood, even though she was barely in the movie.
Frustratingly, the effervescent and lovely Ms. Allen was deprived of at least one
fantastic opportunity for her character to shine, but was passed over completely. Watch
for the scene where Russkie bad gal Agent Irina Spalko falls into a Jeep right behind
Marion: you're expecting something funny to happen, ANYthing to happen, but nothing
does. Some letdowns I do not forgive.
Karen Allen with Harrison Ford again is just magic, and the interaction between the two
of them is one of the few real highlights of the film. One of the few things I couldn't
stand in "Temple of Doom" was Kate Capshaw. I see now why: she wasn't Marion
Ravenwood. She also wasn't Karen Allen. Of course, Capshaw later became "Mrs.
Spielberg," so maybe she got the better end of the deal than Allen.
But in this film, Marion is almost "there but not there." She's basically
there to trade a few barbs and reveal the fact that Shia LeBuffer's character, "Mutt
Williams," is, in fact, the son of Indiana Jones. Ironically, the one thing I was
expecting to hate the most, LeBoobie's character of Mutt Williams, ended up being one of
the least annoying parts of the film. LeButtmunch is not a bad actor, nor is this a bad
role, it's just a bad idea. Unfortunately, this movie is full of them.
I'm sorry, did I spell his name wrong? Must be all the Spielberg/Lucas hate I'm feeling
right about now.
There are some great moments, no question. There are also some really, really
unbelievable moments (who knew Frigidaire made refrigerators THAT good?) There are also
some bad, bad, just-not-good moments (i.e. the whole big finish), and some moments that
just don't belong in an Indiana Jones movie at all (the extra-sugary "happy"
ending, even though it sort of fits, despite the fact that it fits in a really, really
lame way.)
I feel honestly guilty not liking this movie. I loved the trilogy, every bit of it, even
the bad bits, but this just seems...forced. I kept expecting somebody to say in front of
Indiana, "you mean, they came here a long time ago, from a galaxy far, far
away?" At least THAT would have been somewhat funny and inspired.
Instead, we get a glimpse of the Ark of the Covenant, some familiar bits of music, a
really lame Marlon Brando impersonation, a lot of 1950s retrograde visuals that were more
at home in "Back to the Future," and a climax that was at once anticlimactic
and overdone at the same time.
Impossible, you say? Pay full ticket price and ask again, I reply.
I give it two stars out of four. One of those is simply for being called an Indiana
Jones movie. It's worth a matinee price, which is fitting, but for the rest of you I say
wait for it on DVD then rent it.
Sorry. I feel really, really bad about it. -
It wasn't the originals and used too many modern special effects. the villians weren't like the old indy villians i like. The CGI was too fake. I wanted lifelike CGI. the acting wasn't as good as the originals. the theater i saw it in wasn't the same theater where i saw raiders. the cars parked outside the theater were too modern. my parents look older. the world trade center is gone.
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...usually the ones that resort to namecalling.
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::sigh::
What we've learned:
This movie will be huge.
Fans will be split.
Great debates will rage on for decades. -
In Raiders, a monkey died by eating a poisoned date. In Temple of Doom, people ate monkey brains by the gallon. In this one, the monkeys were CUTE and HELPFUL. And don't even get me started on the scene where Cate through the monkey off the cliff and the 'berg felt the need to show us that the monkey landed SAFELY. God, this movie sucked.
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was utterly shit. And Balboa was not some heartfelt masterpiece but a 3-star effort that only just managed to restore dignity to what had become a one-star joke of a franchise.
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Because I didn't like the movie. I'm cool because I didn't like the movie. So much cooler than any of you. [combs his hair real cool-like, pours Champaigne on his hot bitches at side]
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You sad gits that don't get it are either too old and jaded or have been made too corrupted and cynical by this shitty world.
If you can no longer let yourself feel like you did when you were 9 inside then don't even bother going to these movies.
Become one of those boring farts who talk about nothing else than the housing market. Then take up golf.
Geeks. I hate these guys. -
They are fucking aliens! ! ! Its that simple. Once you add aliens , dracula, frankenstein, etc. to any movie it changes it completely. And I understand that talking archeologically they think that the mayans and such were worshiping aliens and such, so i'm with you till there. But there are just things that shouldn't be done without intense thought. And putting aliens into a movie is one of them... they tried to curb it with calling them interdimentional, but it was too late. And archeologically speaking, the real damn crystal sculls look like human sculls. so they went way further with it then they had to. And also if i may add, only in the last 3 years have we been able to READ the mayan language. So indy wouldn't have been able to read it. Speak it maybe because the language got passed down through families to keep their past alive, but because a lot of them got turning into slaves they lost how to read the written language. Forgive me for the ramble though I minored in college in archeology and anthropology.
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So sad. Maybe one day mommy will buy you that pony always asked for, but never got. In the meantime... I'll keep enjoying Indy 4 as the movie it is... "well made entertainment escapism". I can't wait to come back here on Monday and laugh at the losers on this board. What a bunch of wankers.
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May 22, 2008 5:46:12 PM CDT
Honestly... nobody goes into an Indiana Jones movie with the int
by tylerdurden3395
It just happens. It started off bad (CGI groundhogs), got worse (incoherantly edited action scenes), and worse (Aliens for fuck's sakes). There's only so much you can take. I can't wait to hear Mike Nelson's Rifftrax on this. It should be priceless.
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two days ago it was 9.2 with a thousand votes i think, yesterday it was 8.8, now it's 8.6 but on the imdb top 250 it's 175 with 8.0, i expect it to drop out of the 250 soon though...
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and I was so excited, I had watched all three Indy movies the past 3 days... and WOW! what a dissapointment... I thought it was ok, had its moments, but part of it was boring I was falling asleep... oh and another thing.. aliens? u serious?
my theater was packed, 1/3rd of the audience clapped and the rest seemed negative or underwelmed...
I really wanted to love this but it was just ok.. and like someone said above... I enjoyed speed racer so far out of the summer movies so far... -
This movie was fun and Ford is still a believable Indiana. I am a bit surprised by the monkey swinging sequence, though. None of the people making this movie should have let that one make it to the big screen.
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Who knew I would long for Temple of Doom while watching the new Indy film.
What a disgrace that after the long wait this is what Lucas provides us with. Everything about this movie screams "Half-assed" . . . Great opportunity to reignite a long slumbering franchise wasted on cutesy CGI(Mutt vine-swinging with the monkeys, God help us all), lifeless character development and pointless rehashing of previous films. If you need nostalgia, watch a documentary or "making of" featurette on the DVD. -
I didn't like it because the world trade center is gone too.
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I want my fucking pony.
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Am a big MST3K fan
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I'm fairly certain that Spielberg still has his balls - I had my doubts after War of the World's ending but luckily Munich restored my faith. Will see Indy this weekend and try to avoid the hate on this board. I always find geek reviews quite different to real world review. For instance in these pages, Iron Man and Hellboy are masterpieces!!!
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WTF?!
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great! I am really happy for you, and envious. I came on here so that I could pour my feelings out with people that might understand why last night was a bad night for me. I went to likeminded people to explain that this went against the Indy mythos.
I am glad that some of you could suspend disbelief and enjoy this film. I am not a fucker because I could not. I wanted to. I tried to. I am not jaded and have been able to escape into many a film. But this one just hurt too damned bad, and that is why i have posted the things that I have. I don't even go on talkbacks, but I just had to.
If you liked this movie, that is fine. I will let you like this movie. Just let me hate on it a little bit.
OK? -
are enjoyable. Star Wars movies are the best.
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If by "well made entertaining escapism" you mean "poorly made boring suckism" then I'll agree with you. And I am not a wanker. I'm a wankee. A Yankee wankee.
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I really hope your job entails doing things things that are shity. Because this movie was horrible all over. To use the words "Well Made" is just idoitic
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Saw Indy IV an hour ago and have to say it's the fourth best in the series. I think it just about scrapes 7/10. If you haven't seen it yet then i'd recommend you go for a matinee. It's far more of a lazy Sunday afternoon movie than an ass kicking evening one. From the bizarre opening that shows a CGI critter popping out of a burrow and then follows a group of whooping Fifties teenagers for what seems like 5 minutes before they pointlessly drive off, to the finale that takes the Lethal Weapon 4 approach ('the whole gang is here') by giving Indy no less than four sidekicks going into the final stretch. The film hits a few too many wrong notes. There is also a lot of obvious CGI messing up the purity of the action (in one particularly 'wrong looking' sequence Mutt and Valko swordfight while surfing on speeding Jeeps). Still there's fun to be had and I think it's worth a watch, just dial your expectations down first (and see it in the afternoon not the evening!).
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May 22, 2008 5:55:06 PM CDT
I've seen some student films made better then this film was
by marcusisburning
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A Shia fan, but I was actually quite surprised by how he really held his own in this film. The only really weak (IMO) part of the film was the whole Tarzan vine-swinging escapade. Otherwise, I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely better than TOD, but not better than the other 2 installments.
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May 22, 2008 5:57:14 PM CDT
Why the hell did everything have to be done on a poorly construc
by marcusisburning
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Now that is a ringing endorsement
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Raiders 11/10
Temple of Doom 10/10
Last Crusade 9.5/10 -
I think I've said every thing bad that can honestly be said about this film without going crazy into it.
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Can someone provide me with the URL or site with which I could view this script . . . I would like to know what could have been.
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And, you know, enjoyed yourself and had a good time rather then be filled with rage, disappointment, and a sense of betrayal. Remember this when, in the fullness of time, you see SPEED RACER on dvd and realize you fuckin' missed it, but blew another $10 on Indiana Jones and the Temple of The Phantom Menace instead.
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Any vague interest I might have had in seeing the movie has been eliminated by many of these comments. Not because of what the "haters" say - but because of the excuses and apologising from people who claim they LIKED it. Why are you guys trying to excuse or explain away so much of what happens in the movie? A genuinely good movie shouldn't need apologists. The people comparing any excesses in KOTCS to the monkey in Raiders are completely missing the point. Any flaws or missteps Raiders may have are irrelevant. Because Raiders is a BRILLIANT MOVIE WITH NOTHING TO PROVE. It is so brilliantly conceived and executed that no flaws can undermine it. It is lightening in a bottle and cannot be reproduced. It's quality is self-evident and needs no explaining or apologising. Maybe I'll just buy the Raiders DVD instead.
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He was really good. One of the few bright spots in the movie. The Tarzan stuff wasn't his idea so can't blame him.
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as it seems for many above, and you come to the realization that you just can't go back, AND you desire to see a real adventure film, something original in terms of cinema history, you should seriously check out Prince Caspian. Check out this new international trailer, and see for yourself. This is what the original trailer should have been more like: http://tinyurl.com/5gkj4o
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TOD, 10 out of 10?
Aliens and CGI animals are bad, but rollercoaster mine rides, parachuting rafts, and swinging rope bridges you can believe? -
And it was good. If I had been 8 years old it would have been the bomb. It wasn't a perfect movie, but it was definitely done with a lot more style, care and heart than this cinematic hemmorhoid.
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I've been defending this film for the last few weeks but I just saw it. It's a serious letdown. The script is non-existent. The action scenes are pathetic (except the diner brawl/car chase which is classic Spielberg). I'm not even sure what was going on. As for the Gollum alien...WTF????? Away for a stiff drink - more later.
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Indy turns BAD. When you are 6 years old and you see that in a theater that fucks you up. When he hit Short Round, you're like what the fuck? But then he wakes up and grabs Short Round and winks to him.... Damn that shit gives me goosebumps just thinking about it and it's 1000% better than anything in this turd. TOD had balls. Hearts got ripped out. People got crushed. Gators ripped people apart. CHILDREN DIED. What happened in this? Uh... ants from The Sci-Fi Channel Original Movie.
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It takes us into and explores that warehouse, it takes the action to Indy's campus, it rectifies a lot of stuff that bugged me about the prior sequel. The snake scene is great, the bug scene is great, the Peruvian mountain road chase is great, I loved what happened with Mutt at the very very end. Liked the evil Russian lady. Loved Harrison Ford, loved Karen Allen.
I judge this a FAR more satisfying conclusion to the saga than The Last Crusade. It's too bad nobody could convince Sean Connery to come back to play what I assume is now the John Hurt role -- but Henry Sr. still felt like a big part of what was going on.
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I told myself I wouldn't see this film in theatres (I'll be damned if I inspire these assholes to go ahead with Mutt Williams and the Acid Drop of Fate). But I've got a morbid curiosity to see it. Maybe if it underperforms over the weekend I'll check it out. But if this thing starts pulling in Spider-Man numbers I'm staying away until I can netflix it.
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I was on the fence about whether I should watch this. But I have a theory that it was the John Williams score that made our memories of Raiders and Star Wars greater than the movies actually were. The plot in Crystal Skull sounded stupid enough, but now I'm hearing from you guys that the score sucked too (or was non-existent). I was going to catch a Monday matinee, but now I won't bother. Age and art do not go well together. We change as we get older and it is, perhaps, unrealistic to assume that Spielberg and Lucas (and possible, horrors, even John Williams) can still manage enough creativity to pull good movies off anymore.
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no way in hell is this better than doom or crusade... no way in HELL...but if by SUQuels you mean ALL the suquels that have come out in RECENT years,as in die hard, star wars, rocky....then OKAY. but its NOT better than any other movie in the indy franchise NO FUCKIN WAY
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Saying yes to James Bond and no to this shite
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I can almost picture Lucas and Spielberg sitting around over a beer, brainstorming about 50s culture: Roswell, atomic bomb testing, duck and cover, Red scare, ducktails, Brando, the diner, big honking sedans, greasers, switchblades, Cold War, flying saucer sightings, strip malls, little pink row houses, yadda, yadda, yadda. This movie dug up practically every cultural phenomenon from the 1950s but, in a lot of ways, it tried to cover too much ground. Raiders was simpler: There was more of an emphasis on character, not so much of a dependence on CGI in order to make it all work. You really believed that Indy could DIE in Raiders fighting the Nazis. Not such much in Crystal Skull. Spielberg/Lucas seemed to be going after the widest demographic possible, and I think that watered down the qualities that made Raiders so wonderful. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, it's an action movie. It isn't trying to be a cure for cancer and, as light entertainment, it delivers. Just don't spend a lot of time trying to find some kind of deep, underlying meaning in everything -- because you're not going to find it. Just go along for the ride, and don't worry about it: Lucas and Spielberg have your safety belt fastened tightly, and no one can possibly get hurt.
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People are saying this is better than Temple of Doom? That's just insane brothers. Yeah, the score is sucky too. The Basic Instinct theme comment above really made me laugh, won't be able to watch it again without thinking of that.
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mutants in the atomic test town and they turned him into Cannibal Chow it could've saved us an hour and forty five minutes.
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that GL and SS had moved their focus from 30's bmovies to 50's bmovies hence the alien influence?
Speed Racer isn't a movie it's a computer game cartoon for people with ADD.
I think this as good as LC I find easily as entertaing as ROTLA.
So there. -
that's just one of the many flaws that just after awhile adds up in my opinion. I can dismiss a couple of plot holes, or non explanations but this was replete with them. From a guy surviving a NUCLEAR BOMB in a fridge, to the nonsense as to why John Hurt goes from insane to sane, takes the crystal skull, brings back the crystal skull, monkey man with blowgun having NOTHING to do with the story. Natives that live in cocoons and break through them when intruders come and really having nothing to do with story as well. Poor plot devices like quicksand to try and reveal Mutt's dad. Lame Lame lame
And Vern, I don't read every post, so if your intention was to just criticize one person so be it, but when someone comes on and says they are surprised by the HATE, it makes the people that don't like the movie seem like they are just bastard evil beings, when not liking something, even vehemently doesn't necessarily mean hate. -
Allow me to summarize.The critics who matter mostly like the film.The film will probably make like $100 million by Memorial Day.You hate it.Thanks for setting all those people straight.
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I thought is was at times the best and worst film of the year, and the last 20 minutes blows chunks.
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They were Soviet Communists!!!!!!!!!
They even went so far as to say She was from the Ukraine for crying out loud!!!!
What the hell's wrong with aliens?
And for the love of God if you're gonna nit pick, at least get your facts right. Yes Crystal isn't magnetic. they say so in the MOVIE, no the crystal skulls found are human shaped, the one's in the movie "had never been found", you know like the ARK or the "holy grail"Oh and like it or not he Soviet union did a lot of "pyschic" research -
You're welcome. Movies that make a lot of money are always great. Movies that critics like are always great. And I didn't hate it. I loathed it. And by loathe, I mean hate.
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Spot on. The plot/script is a mess. There's no tension, especially in the ending. Indy and co walk around a temple and then some alien dude appaeras and sticks his ugly pus right into the camera. What was Indy's goal? To return an alien skull to some temple? Why? Because the skull told him to? I mean, what? Koepp should be ashamed of this claptrap, no memorable dialogue at all. Last Crusade seems like genius all of a sudden. Karen Allen was terrible, a completely different character from Marion in Raiders. In fact, this new Indy seemed more like a parody of Raiders than a sequel.
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i havent read every review on AINC, and i've only read about half of the posts (which is still plenty) so if this has been covered already, i apologize.. but i really liked how they handled indy's 19 year absence from us watching his adventures. they could have went the easy 'ive-been-out-action-for-a-long-time-but-something-pulls-me-back-in' route, with lots of 'im too old for this shit' moments, but they didnt.. they explain that since we've last seen him indy has been as active as ever, helping the government, being a spy, and assumably having plenty of adventures during the time we havent seen him.. i thought that was a better way to go with the character.
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In the warehouse Indy calls Spalko by name. After the bomb blast (DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT SHIT) when Indy is being interrogated by the Feds, he's like "Who's this chick?" LAZY screenwriting/script supervision!
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If 5.9 billion people liked this movie, it wouldn't change the fact that I didn't like it. Or that it wasn't good. Like I say, facts are facts, and apparently all this movie wants to say is facts are bad, or something like that.
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to the rafters shot, that was a great shot, why cut it? Bah.
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Your comments on TOD are spot on. I feel the movie is flawed in that Capshaw was the Jar-Jar of the series. No more. But you couldn't be more right. The movie had some serious nuts.
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There's some great stuff (Marshall College chase/the Diner/blacklisted Indy/Indy + Marion / Indy & Mutt / Ford!) and some disappointing shit (especially in the last 20 minutes or so but also the overall pacing of the plot-the lack of real danger-the lack of inventive and elaborate figh and action-set pieces.) that turned me into a picture of misery during the End Credits. It was the shock of being disappointed by the men who once were your greatest inspiration. Who were the first to introduce you to the magic of the movies... I couldn't imagine Spielberg looking at this film at the Cannes premiere without realizing what he or they did wrong. When I was trying not to go all Mutt Williams (what a fucking crybaby, but otherwise a really nice character -I loved the rapport he has with Indy!)during the credits and attempted to manage the anger towards the Berg and Lucas ...and Ford, who, despite delivering an absolutely fantastic performance obviously agreed with the weak script, I was wondering why you spend so many drafts and wait so many years just for some of those dull set-pieces and action-scenes...and such a weak finale. And despite all the let down. Despite the anger, I'm gonna go see the film again tomorrow. There was still a lot of things that I loved about it. And I'm looking forward to seeing the film in a less nervous state.
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May 22, 2008 6:29:48 PM CDT
Temple Of Doom is by far the worst of the four.
by bartleby t. scrivener
He's not searching for anything until he lands in this little town where someone stole their precious rocks. He goes looking for these rocks, and stumbles on human sacrifices and child slavery. He saves the kids, saves the rocks (well, one anyway), and heads on back home.
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Or how about this...
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of Jurassic Park IV?
or...
Spider Indiana Jones Dying Hard while fighting Rockie on the Death Star. There ya go. Blockbuster written all over it. -
1) When it ended. 2) The trailers before the movie. 3) Ok, fine, there weren't three things.
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I'm Canadian, so metric jokes are welcome and appreciated. And your criticism was actually more coherent than the "George Lucas rapes the corpse of my childhood" rants that I've been reading. I dug the fire ants, they fit nicely into the role filled by snakes/bugs/rats in the other films. Also, the quicksand, along with the Indy grabbing the hat at the wedding were two of the biggest audience pops of the evening at my theatre, along with Mac getting punched. A wedding is also the quintessential movie happy ending, so if this is the last Indy film, and it probably will be (cause Ford could very well be dead in another 19 years), the whole thing goes out on a note of closure. I had a friend in university who studied for his first year classics exam by watching the Indy trilogy...he didn't do very well, despite the history he might have picked up from Raiders. I can't tell you much about crystal skulls now either, but El Dorado is a good subject for an Indy movie, and the alien thing beefed up the mythology a bit. Otherwise there might have been too much National Treasure 2 for comfort.
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Let alone you Herc? This was a terrible,terrible movie. Then again,I dont understand the hate folks have for Last Crusade. Crusade was damn near as good as Raiders and that ending where everyone rides off into the sunset was fucking perfect. They should have never made a 4th movie if it couldnt at least top that ending,and this one doesnt even come close. This may be WORSE than Phantom Plotline in the long run,and once all the Indy excitement wears off I'm pretty sure this film will fade away,never to be mentioned or enjoyed again....
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"In the warehouse Indy calls Spalko by name. After the bomb blast (DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT SHIT) when Indy is being interrogated by the Feds, he's like "Who's this chick?" LAZY screenwriting/script supervision!"
If I could guess, I don't think that Jones was asking her name but, rather, WHO is she? What is her function? Why is she so damned evil? -
Harrison Ford's best acting was in the scene at the diner when he's just chillin' with LeBeowolf. Very subtle and clear and specific. And I really did like the opening up until after the motorcycle chase. I just wasn't entertained or able to follow the story after that. That is all I'm sayin.
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May 22, 2008 6:34:03 PM CDT
If Herc liked it you know its overly precious and lame
by industrykiller!
Herc i think there's something Joss Whedon out there you have to go overrate. Run boy, run.
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I think it might just be the second best of the series.
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May 22, 2008 6:36:06 PM CDT
it wasn't the CGI it was the models and the skull that stank
by jccalhoun
I didn't mind most of the CGI but I thought the actual practical effects were horribly bad. The shot of the town exploding from the bomb and the first overhead of the cemetary where they found the skull were so obviously models it really sucked me out of it.The other thing that was horrible was the skull itself. It just looked like a hollow plastic scull filed with crumpled up cling wrap and aluminum foil. It just looked cheap. That's the most important prop in the film and they can't make it look like something they didn't make out of materials they found in the dumpster? Sad.
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The filmmaking in the first 5 minutes of Doom is better than all of Skull. Then there's another 110 minutes of awesome music, virtuoso action, great laughs, excitement, tension and thrills. Compare the Temple of Doom score to the Skull one. Williams phoned it in, Spileberg phoned it in, Koepp didn't even dial the number.
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We all know that TOD takes place BEFORE Raiders. In the beginning of TOD, when the old man sends him out to find the stones, Indy tells Short Round he's in it for "Fortune and Glory". When he retrieves the stones, it's still about "Fortune and Glory", but after he awakens from the Black Sleep of Kali, he stops being an arrogant asshole and frees the kids. Temple of Doom shows how he went from being selfish to truly giving a shit about helping others and being a serious archeolgist that he is in Raiders.
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I didn't have a problem with any of the ideas. "Hey, Indy should get married at the end." Ok. And I'm glad the audience enjoyed it. But its the execution that's the problem. That wedding was not earned. At all. They threw Marion in three quarters of the way into the movie, gave them really awful bickering dialogue, and then they were supposed to be in love again. As for Ray Winstone getting punched, I always enjoy seeing Ray Winston getting punched.
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It isn't. It's the worst.
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When the goons crashed into the statue of Marcus and the head came off? I get the feeling that was meant to be funny,but it was just a sad reminder that this film and the characters in it are no where near as cool as the originals.
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"Crystal Skull" was not a perfect film. But consider this: If Crystal Skull had come out in 1981, and Raiders came out today, many of you would be saying Raiders was inferior in every way to the "classic" Crystal Skull.It's a SEQUEL. It can't make you feel like you did the first time you saw Raiders. I'm afraid that much of the criticism of the film mainly boils down to "It's not new to me".
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not a bad way to spend $5 and 2hrs on an afternoon......I could have done without the tarzan bit but it was ok........
Rating.....
1 Raiders
2 Last Crusade
3 Crystal Skull
4 Temple of doom
-Cate Capshaw took me out of the film.... -
I kinda liked that "lecturing" Indy. I didn't percieve it as out of character but rather one of the things he started doing in the past 15 years or so. What bothered me more was that old Indy also doesn't seem to give a shit about wether he's captured or not. It was always Mutt who tried to escape (in the diner scene as well as on the russian camp site) and I'm not sure that was such a clever idea. Indy sitting down and resting on that rock (and Marion on his lap) in the end seemed to be a symbol for the role they had thought up for Indy throughout most of the plot.
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Fine. Indy can go after El Dorado. But he wasn't...really...or was he? He was bringing a skull back that a conquistador tried to get it but he has to RETURN it because there's a lost city where there was an ancient culture that made skulls--given skulls by aliens--who are psychic--THIS IS WHY CATE BLANCHETT EXPLODED!
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In the Last Crusade, the opening shows a young Indy trying to recapture Cross of Coronado because "it belongs in a museum". I don't remember it being about fortune and glory.
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Great Cate Blanchett gag. The script is a mess. Somewhere Darabont is smoking a cigar and shaking his head.
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In the Last Crusade, the opening shows a young Indy trying to recapture Cross of Coronado because "it belongs in a museum". I don't remember it being about fortune and glory.
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...the creepy little Hindu guy take the Shivalinga from Indy, look up at him with that guileless stare, and...without missing a beat...say to Indy in that lilting accent, "This...is the wrong rock." Funny. As. Hell.
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In no way would I do what you say I would do. In that hypothetical, I would first be wondering how the hell Harrison Ford managed to reverse his age and I would seek whatever it is that he was using. I would thusly then watch Raiders and go wow, I'm surprised they made a sequel to that Crystal Skull movie, but I'm glad they did. This Raiders movie rocks.
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Tyler's talking about Doom, not Crusade.
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I too very much enjoyed hearing about what Indy was up to subsequent to Last Crusade.
Bartleby, I hated Temple of Doom. The opening at the Obi-Wan was pretty good, but the balance of the film will always feel like a quick buck to me. -
Cub Scouts grow up to do devious things. Why else would he pattern his whole persona over the scheming dude who gives him the fedora in the first place?
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May 22, 2008 6:46:12 PM CDT
Some questions for those who actually liked this movie, and clai
by irishraidersfan
1) If you're renowned for using a bull whip, why can't you remember to use it and pull yourself out of quicksand?
2) What exactly happened to Spalko? Why were the aliens so unhappy with her? Sure, Belloq melted in Raiders as he was effectively commiting an act of blasphemy, but Spalko did what they wanted, right?
3) Why was Ox the human equivalent of Jar Jar Binks? Total dead wood?
4) Can ANYONE (lovers & haters alike) hum ANY of the new parts of the soundtrack? I reckon Williams knew it was a turkey and so phoned in his score...
5) Why did almost NONE of the humour work? Marcus statue head? WHAT? "Stay out of the library!" Jesus, it was painful.
6) Why was so very much unnecessary and bad CG used? Hell, in the hangar outdoor shot, the hangar could have been CG'd, and a real sky used! As it was, it was abysmal!
I could go on. This really is a case of the Emperor's New Clothes - it was a mishmash of poor scripts, with awful dialogue and way OTT set pieces. Sure, Indy's shoes are smoking after stopping the cart in Temple of Doom, and Daddy Jones sits on a seat that conveniently opens a passageway in Last Crusade, but these weren't EVERY FIVE MINUTES!
A wasted opportunity. I saw this at a packed midnight screening in Dublin, Ireland with a full house of fans. People cheered at the Paramount logo - by the end, people boo'ed and someone even shout out "Bullshit!" No one disagreed, I can tell you. -
is that of any disheartened Indy fan. She wanted "To Know". And she got burned. We wanted "To Know" what happened after Last Crusade. We got burned. Bad.
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That if KotCS came out then and Raiders now, that we'd be griping about Raiders. There is such a thing as a sequel outdoing its predecessor (From Russia with Love, Empire, Godfather II, Wrath of Khan are all arguably better than their predecessors). If Raiders came out today, with its impeccable pacing, fantastic stunts, iconic moments, etc, what complaints would there be? Not enough comedy? Now Indy is a three-dimensional character and not a caricature, a cartoonish superhero?
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It is what it is. A summer popcorn adventure flick. They didnt try to take it too far in another direction which was a good thing. They followed the classic Indy formula and it works just as well now as it did back then. Some may get a little mad about the xfiles storyline but I actually enjoyed it.
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May 22, 2008 6:48:16 PM CDT
Why can people accept power of God but aliens are too far fetche
by theyreflockingthisway
I've never understood this. We can have religious artifacts such as a box that unleashes the power of god and a cup that gives you eternal life. However as soon as there's a temple that could have been made by aliens it's unplausable? Unrealistic?
It's not like I believe in aliens and not god - I can accept both exist or they don't but, without proof, they are as plausable(or unplausable) than each other.
I always thought Indiana Jone's adventures revolved around something that can't be explained - something that archeology has never seen before. I don't want something down to earth - I want it weird as hell and this succeeded there. The ark, the grail, Atlantis etc - the weirder the better.
I thought it was a fantastic adventure and, for once, Indy actually got to explore temples for a good portion of the film (as opposed to just the begining or end). That's something I've always wanted more of in an Indiana Jones film. Thumbs up - I can't wait to see it again. -
You could feel the disappointment here in Edinburgh as the audience shambled wearily out, they were seriously underwhelmed.
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The script is the true problem with the film. Mori said it was a Frankenstein of a script and it shows. But if he just took out the best parts from each script that doesn't really give me much to say about the earlier drafts. The funny part about all of it is that the reason they waited so long was because they had to find a good script. If I were the Berg, I would have waited a little longer.
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I just saw it this afternoon, and I liked it just as much as any of the other three. However, I know that I will never have that same experience I had as a teenager watching the first one in the theater for the first time. Same with the first Star Wars. There is no point nit picking logic or plot points, its a popcorn film. My only thought was that Harrison Ford really does look old in the film, but not as old as he looked on Conan O'Brien last night.
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I'm not sure how some of you can work up enough vitriol over this movie to form hatred. Was it worth $8? Yeah, it was. Was it better than Raiders? No, definitely not. But I didn't want to see another Raiders. It's 27 years later. I would expect (and appreciate) something different. That, it delivered. Many of you will waste at least 2 hours here debating this issue so, really, what's the bigger waste of time? I'd rather see Indy. ;-)
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May 22, 2008 6:51:31 PM CDT
While running from the Hovitos Raiders Indy swung from a vine an
by toowhippy
It showed character. He's not graceful, he just does what he can. It makes the Mutt tarzan thing even more ridiculous.
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We were curious to see if Indy still had it, and he does. The movie, not so much...and they still have our ten bucks. If Iron Man winds up pulling in more bucks than Indiana Jones in the long run, then justice is served.
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so sad to say, it was TERRIBLE. Hard to believe that Shia was actually one of the least cringe inducing elements (except for that fucking ridiculous Tarzan scene). Lucas, JUST STOP. Spielberg: reevaluate what you're doing man, seriously you're losing touch as well. You used to know how to put CGI to good use and have it serve a story - this fucking diaster felt like National Treasure Part 3. Ford: nice try, seriously, but it's over man. Indiana Jones belongs in the 80's and I for one am going to try and forget this ever happened.
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what was up with a nuclear test STILL going on after a super secret military base nearby is ransacked and people killed.
Or who were the people that zoomed away from the fake city?
the indian dudes, do they just hibernate in those cocoons and come out with the white boy alarm goes off?
Oh man this script was bad. The more I think about it the more annoyed I get. We waited 20 years so that they could do something below mediocre. -
Oh shit, I'm not able to spell. Nor am I able to form sentences in this weird foreign language. Just one more thing before I'll fall into the black sleep of Kali Ma: I hope you had a great day, Finky and your taste in threads to wear at your wedding is better than Indy's. Mazeltov!
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See Indy 4 for the new David Fincher trailer for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. Indy sucks...That trailer rules! So, if you're a Fincher fan go see the film for that reason alone because it doesn't look like Moviebox, this site or anyone else has put the trailer up. Benjamin Button looks incredible. I've been searching for the last half hour for the trailer so I could show it to my wife. It looks really fantastic. And after Zodiac I'll see anything Fincher does. But Indy 4 is just awful. Its funny reading comments from people on these boards who say its the "fourth best of the series" and shit like that. There have only been 4 movies...So in essence its the shittiest one. The fact is for better or worse I will never pay to see another Spielberg movie again after this. Munich was going to be last one with that terrible flashdance scene where Bana head whips around with all that sweat while having sex in slo mo. But I thought I would at least give SS another chance on familiar territory. But he's completely lost it folks. This is up there in the anals of War Of The Worlds when the son says, "I need to see this." As a film geek and a child of the 80's I needed to see this...But now I am sorry I did.
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Sure the skull looked fake, but the town exploding and the cemetary? CG'd, my friend! So, bang goes that argument... And YakMalla, Raiders had a cohesive plot, with motivated characters, Crystal Skull does not. At all.
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I laughed at the "Cub Scouts grow up to do devious things".
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You can try to play good cop all you want bucko, but the numbers support me on this. Just look at the box office. Year after year they wonder if the Oscars are out of touch because movies that no one saw get nominated. Nope, it's in fact the people who are out of touch. It's not that people go to see certain movies, it's that they DON'T go to see anything else. I don't blame anyone for seeing Prince Caspian, but if that's the only film that can get you into theaters then fuck you. They won't see There Will Be Blood, but the latest rom-com? Mmmmmm boy they can't wait. And when they do go to see this awful dreck they often enjoy it. Thats pathetic. They aren't five years old, and watching Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz get forced into a hijinx laden marriage shouldn't entertain anyone, especially when you've seen that movie 9 million fuckin' times in your life with better actors in the leads. And if they went from a recommendation from a friend that means other people went to see it and liked it, further proving my point. If you look at something like a "What Happens in Vegas" and say "i'll see this with my girlfriend" that doesn't prove anything except your girlfriend has bad taste. The only excuse you came up with that stands is your kids dragging you to see something, but that really only applies to family films, and I don't really take those into consideration in the first place. And moreover I meet plenty of people every day without kids that just go to see total shit and nothing else. Pretty much every excuse you gave was an example of an arbitrary unthinking mass, you more or less say yourself that the "moviegoing masses" are indeed one monolithic force that can bent and swayed with clever advertising. Otherwise why would these trailers for soemthing obviously awful appeal to them? Here I'll inflame you ever more, it's even worse with music than it is with movies. Country anyone?
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The Munich sex scene - worst scene of Spielberg's career. Hands down.
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Who wanted to know what happened after Crusade? The majority of fans didn't want this to even happen.
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Loved Indy 4, but the Mutt and the swinging monkeys scene was a little ridiculous. If they make another one hopefully they won't wait another 19 years.
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If the place you went to eat was McDonalds and the meal you got by the picture alone was just a Mcrib Sandwhich with a new name and "special sauce". And the other meal you passed up was a Filet Mignon (assuming, like movies, that all the prices are identical of course) then yeah it means you lack fuckin' taste. There, argument UN-refuted.
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I shall now forget that this movie happened. Thank you all very much.
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"Why can people accept power of God but aliens are too far fetched..."
Easy. I think that many religious folks tend to think that we live in an Earth-centric universe, where we are made in God's image and everything else isn't; therefore, God doesn't even care about them. Which is pretty silly. Who's to say that God didn't create aliens, as well? (except for those badass aliens from AVP--who could create such whacked aliens). -
Many little bits of dialog pissed me off. I remember the bit about the scorpion STINGING Shia with its stinger/tail and he and Indy kept talking about the BITE (as if it had pinched him with its claws).
Call me a nitpicker, but lazy screenwriting like that irks me. Although nothing is more annoying than when screenwriters bring out-of-place phraseology into period pieces, as times in medieval films where someone says FIRE! with respect to non-gunpowder based weapons (like all the archers in the LOTR films).
How many times are these scripts reviewed and they can't get the little things right.
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This is WHY the aliens don't work in the movie. It's HOW Spielberg handles them that sucks. There is no mystery. Indy does not look upon them in awe. The Ark was shrouded in mystery. The stones in Doom were an instrument of fear, and the Grail was set up as divine as you could get. What does Spielberg do to build up the mystery of the aliens? Nothing. Indy opens a door, walks into a chamber, puts a skull on a skeleton, the room turns into a flying saucer and goes away. The End. Spielberg has done aliens to death. He should have only brought aliens into the story if he had something new to say on the subject, but he doesn't. He just wants to sell Legos, just like George. Spielberg doesn't capture one moment of the aliens in an awe inspiring light the way he did in Close Encounters or ET or with menace as he did in War of the Worlds. (Which sucked, but not nearly as much as this.) Without a build-up of mystery, without a sense of wonder, the aliens are totally useless. I mean this is the first time Indy sees aliens, what does he do? Exit stage left. And what do the aliens do? They incinerate everyone and take off. No "Thanks for returning our skull", just "total immolation for you and your friends and, oh yeah, and we'll destroy some precious ruins, but we'll leave you guys with a great Spring Break spot." BULLSHIT!!!! Aliens vs. Archeology 101... Class dismissed!
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i didnt think the movie was AWESOME or anything.. I just kind of didnt hate it (i know, not really a glowing review) but ill try to answer your questions.. 1-been covered.. he didnt really think he was in much trouble until he was too deep in and couldnt reach it. (yeah, i admit it's streching)2- this one i dont think im streching on.. the aliens are said to have all knowledge, and psychic abilites, so they could easily 'read' spalko, and see the evil lengths she went to for selfish gains. 3- because OX should have been henry jones Sr. blame sean connery. 4-i kind of felt the same way.. but then i couldnt hum any of TOD until i played the video game all the time.. now its ingrained in my head...so maybe its in there, but we were just playing to much attention to the movie.5-some of the humor worked. i laughed out loud a few times, and i can be a sour-puss. but yeah, there were definitely some misfires.6-at least people are trying with CGI, its still the best way to make the impossible, possible on film. even if it still has a ways to go before its perfect. as ive said before, i wonder what the next big thing will be in film..like sets made out of nano-tecnology so the actors looks like they're really there..but at first it wont look that good, and people will bitch "why didnt they just use CGI? it looks SO much better!"
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Yeah. That movie is so overrated. And its funny to me when I see people load all this criticism on George Lucas for whats wrong with the new Indy when point of fact Spielberg hasn't been directing and executing his scenes all that well. The fact is a good director can make a bad script work (i.e. Verhoeven's work on Basic Instinct). Spielberg has become one of those directors that I feel people are afraid to criticize. But they aren't doing him any favors by telling him that everything he does is gold and without flaws. Its been a long time since he made a movie like Raiders or Schindler's List. Spielberg is the most powerful director in Hollywood. He needs to be held to a higher standard. And the fact is I saw more money on screen watching Bad Boys 2 than I did watching this new Indiana Jones. I really wish that Spielberg would take Lars Von Trier's advice and make a small indie film and go back to his roots. I would love to see Spielberg do something like Duel again. Simple but effective. Now his films just seem messy and bloated.
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May 22, 2008 7:03:49 PM CDT
There seems to a lot of Jeb Stuart's Saucer Men script....
by kingoftheprawnmen
In KOTCS, the fridge, the rocket launch, killer ants, Russians, UFO into the sky and even a wedding at the end. KOTHCS looks and feels like a patch job, bits of different scripts here there and everywhere. The main problem with the film is the script flaws, OX switching sides every few minutes, bad dialog, UFO's, Indy pretty much helping the "Bad Guys" out, aliens from another dimension and a lot of the actors just looking lost or bored as they don't have much to do. I felt sorry for John Hurt, having to act a bit mad in his screen time is just a waste of a good actor. What was going on with the grave guys? Why where they there? Why not bother to use the living dead? Then you have just odd things out of place like the gofers and swinging from tree's with monkeys that just don't sit anywhere (like most of it!). The script was just a mess! The first half felt a tiny bit Indy, the second just went off into a crazed CGI frenzy that jumped from lax set up to set up.
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1941 is at least inspired in its badness, so over the top it's impressive. This has the haphazard plotting of The Lost World with the lazy, jokey tone of Last Crusade. Not one frame of this was exciting.
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that was some of the funniest shit i've ever read on that steve/lucas convo. good day
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Please, explain to me what the spaceship at the end was for. What was its purpose?
And don't tell me, "You have to use your imagination! It's science fiction!"
Answer the question. -
I thought maybe it was just the print I saw but I noticed the out-of-synch, looped dialogue in the beginning as well. It stuck out like a sore thumb.
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I think that one of the reasons that the Alien theme is so hard to swallow is that it's revealed too damned early -- and too obviously. I mean, the Crystal Skull is EVIDENCE of the aliens' existence. There's no mystery. They tell you up front, when Indy is being interrogated by the Feds, that he was ushered onto a bus in the middle of the night and shown evidence from a crash in the desert, blah, blah, blah. Then, he finds the alien skull in the graveyard. There's no mystery after that. It's just about bringing the skull back to its owner. Why? Why not simply drop it off the waterfall and let it sink to the bottom? One place is as good as another. He's one step ahead of the Soviets. It's not as if he needs to hitch a ride on a submarine to PREVENT the Nazis/Soviets from bringing the ark/skull back to their masters. It's like Indy has no real purpose after he gets from the clutches of the Soviets, and that's really where the movie goes off the rails. Indy doesn't even seem all that interested in seeing what's going to happen after he returns the skull. He walks away, kind of like the scene in Raiders when he and Marion are tied down while the Ark-opening ceremony takes place -- with Blanchett sub'ing for Belloq.
Overall, I liked it. It was just mindless entertainment. But I would really like to see George Lucas stop making movies. He's made dreck throughout his career, with the sole exception of creating the characters from Star Wars and Indiana Jones. -
...because so many folks on here whose opinions I respect found this to be a worthy movie, yet I did not. I'm not angry or hurt, just empty. This movie felt like a hollow shell of Raiders and Crusade, and like a poorly-done sci-fi version of Temple of Doom (and, I'm sorry, but I LOVED "Temple of Doom." I thought it had the most retro-pulp 1930s feel of all the films...you could almost see the chapters where the screen would go black and the announcer would say, "Will Indiana and the gang escape the evil Thuggees? Be sure to come back next week for Chapter 4 of...INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOOOOOOOM!" Loving it, LOVING IT!!!
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'i have a bad feeling about this'?
how can they use that line..an homage to star wars? -
Explain the deal with the dudes at the graveyard. Also explain the dudes in the temple.
The thing that was weird was Indy got excited when Spalko was giving him translation help, as if he actually appreciated it and was excited about doing her will. -
Tarzen swing and yell in ROTJ. Nobody bitches about that. Whenever I still watch that I cringe a little each time. Now, that was tasteless.
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spaceships buried thing ie. WOTW.
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I think that the spaceship was Spielberg's nod to Close Encounters. Assuming that you bring the aliens back to life with the return of the skull, you have to provide a way for them to get home, right? What are they going to do? Sit around on Earth?
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Well I saw Indy 4 twice all ready and I am a little confused on whether I liked it or not. I think it has its positives and it has its negatives... Theres its fun and there's its questionable. I think the script is the real problem and it just does not seem to no where it is going. The acting is Ok, But some characters are useless and just seem like fillers. This is prob the worst out of the saga and I know with time, I might be able to like it. It just seems like it was off...Kinda reminds me of Star Wars The Phantom Menance, like they were reading from Q cards...I don't know...I did like certain things, but I just had trouble with it....What was the big deal about Crystal Skulls....Who Cares??? I might have to give another view though..will see....
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Anyone who even begins to suggest that this belongs anywhere amongst the original 3 is totally fucking bat shit crazy. The reviews claiming this is the "second best" or "better than crusade!" or "better than doom!" Man, I'm sorry, but you are in a different universe than I am. You must be somewhere in the "space between spaces" or some shit sorry... still venting... I don't hold it against anyone that actually liked this, but damn, I just don't get it.
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Maybe the aliens kidnap Indy in the fifth movie and take him to a Galaxy Far Far and Away where he becomes Han Solo and saves the Rebellion.
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The only explanation that I can think of is that there were additional scenes with exposition that were cut. The way they left it, though, just didn't make a lot of sense. I mean, who are these people? Why are they there? Why are they defending the graveyard/temple? Don't they have anything better to do with their time? ;-)
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im not going to explain the dudes in the graveyard or temple..(yeah, that was dumb) but i will explain indy looking like he was appreciating spalko's help in the jungle camp scene. its because he WAS. hes an archeologist, he couldnt blow up the ark in raiders, and he cant help but get a little carried away with trying to learn more about mystical artifacts. he would have sat there and figured out more with her if mutt didnt punch them and, in a way, bring indy back down to earth and come to his senses. its like that scene in 'gangs of new york' when leo saves bill the butcher, even though we wants to kill him. the person next to me in the theatre had a real hard time with that..out loud.. its seems once you make a character more than one-dimensional it confuses some people.
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What happens is that the aliens had probed Indy and the gang earlier and took their memories away of said event. They took with them some human cells from Indy. The aliens plan on cloning another great one from these cells. From this shall come the warrior known as Han Solo.
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dear Steven,
you are my hero.. you are the reason why I went to film school and I now work for tv.
You said you made this for the fans, and it shows: Marion, the ark, the great action scenes, the snake.
But you really have to stop listening to George Lucas... It's been proven times and times again that the guys has lost it!!
WHAT the hell was that spaceship doing at the end?!?! This is Indy we are talking about?!?! It shouldn't be a sci-fi movie!
It all went to chaotic at the end... AND PLEASE, enough of that CGI!!!
The ants looked fake, those monkeys were terrible and the cliffs while they're driving during the car chase sequence, would have looked better if they had been matt painted as they used to do it in the old good days.
One thing is sure, Harrison is Indy, and after 5 minutes you forget the guy is 65!!
So go and make another one while you're all still jazzed up!!
Also, and I think it's been said before, not enough was shot on location and it did feel a bit claustophobric... and somewhat fake.
I did like Shia, even though I never though I would, so congrats for that.
the "hat joke" at the end was awesome! -
Yeah, I agree with you on that. I'm just seeing if anyone else had any other thoughts on that, because someone else above me mentioned the fact he looked like he was glad to be helping the Soviets.
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Temple sucks. Crusade is silly. This one rocks.
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I am always right.
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That they were trying to beat us over the head from the moment the movie started that this was an older Indiana Jones, that this was in a new era, that the world had changed?
I'm talking about the opening credits and "Hound Dog" being used....kinda felt like I was being talked down to there.
Besides the opening credits were generic. -
I think he might actually do a better job with the series from here on out. And no, Temple of Doom doesn't even come close to sucking.
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I've already voiced my negative comments about this movie...but I didn't go far enough. This piece of garbage deserves another beating. Everyone has an opinion & this is mine- Any adult who liked this movie, surely voted for George W. Bush....twice !
Soon as I kept on seeing the prairie dogs, I knew this flick was going to suck. I was actually waiting for one to glance backward, with one eye wide open, like that gopher from the "you tube" video. Just like fake CG gun powder fading into the nite, so went my hopes for a halfway decent movie. Not to brag...but I could've written a better script, with an elephant tap-dancing on my balls !
After withstanding an insult to my intellect, watching Indy survive an atomic bomb blast, I was then treated to one of the most lame car/motorcycle chases ever (car catches up to cycle, has to stop & turn around, car catches up again, has to stop & turn around) punctuated by the bad joke at the library. The car chase in the last "Rush Hour" movie was 5 times better.
And the only decent part, was the scary natives guarding the entrance to the 1st cave. But that was far too brief & not even original. Anyone see "Young Sherlock Holmes?" Then comes that ridiculous chase on the edge of the cliff. That entire sequence was so lame, it's beyond description, but I'll try. I was about to slit my wrists during the prairie dog scenes, but put the blade away. Then during the monkey training scene, I was about to jam it up my nose, right into my brain ! (thank god for peanut M & M's to keep my hands occupied.) Then...I slapped my forehead watching "Mutt" amazingly become a sword expert while having balance that Spiderman would envy. And If the director is going to insult my basic intellect again (3 waterfalls) at least try & add a little suspense, no matter how ridiculous that would be. Let's see.....maybe someone breaks a nail at least ? Or maybe an arm ? I know this is far-fetched, but maybe one of the supporting characters could even die ! Afterall...It was only an armored vehicle plunging off of 3 waterfalls.
I care so little about this absolute train wreck of a movie, that I can't even bring myself to bitch anymore. Congrats Lucas.....you've managed to turn Indiana Jones into Jar-Jar
P.S. I want my 7 bucks back & the 2 hours you stole from my life. -
They don't even give it a chance. Just like the Star Wars prequels. Since Jar-Jar, it makes no difference whether or not anything he does is good, they hate it and make an effort to get others to agree. Sorry, hateboys, we saw the movie. We love it.
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May 22, 2008 7:34:13 PM CDT
Herc, you're insane. WORST of the sequels, but still a decent fi
by behemoth
But, as so many have said, "Decent" is a big disappointment with this franchise. Sure, there were some wonderful moments, but also some horrendous Lucas-influenced moments. My biggest disappointment is how hollow Marion's character was here. So lacking in any depth whatsoever. Still, it was worth it just to see the two of them together again. I was there in the theatre for the original Raiders. I knew there would be no comparison to that magical time, but I expected more from Spielberg here. As with all bad things, I can only blame the creator of Aunt Jar-JarMimah.
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Sorry dude, you're one of the people I mentioned who like this movie: you guys are just ignorant and don't know any better.
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...this film to the other Indy films, thats such a joyless way to watch a film. 20 years later, and about a million fake Indy titles ridiculing Harrison's age, I knew going in this was not going to be in the same realm as the other films. I accepted that, which is why I think I enjoyed the movie. Despite that, it was still Indy, but they weren't trying to pretend that it was an Indy several years older was the same man he once was. I think that would have been more ludicrous. There were numerous plot and dialogue flaws, but I forgave them because it was still enjoyable to go on a ride with Indy. 20 years from now, none of you will be the same people you are now, nor will you be posting about movies in talkbacks anymore (hopefully). Thats the cruel reality of time and life. I don't think a sequel, especially one that picks up 20 years later, has to be a carbon copy, or superior of the previous ones. This was Indy, but an older, changed Indy, in a new era. I am totally okay with the two beards taking the series in a new direction if they choose, and making more movies, and I'd be totally on board, and it wouldn't taint the prior movies in my eyes.
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... as to the abundence
of overwhelmingly glowing reviews
on this site, prior to today,
regarding this latest Indy flick.
Lets get a few things out of the
way. I am a healthy well adjusted
adult who in no way, shape, or form
believes his childhood susceptable
to rape, fondling, or so much as a
leering glance. Walking into the
theatre last night for the midnite
showing, there was no expectation of the "second coming" or
perception that the fate of the
free world hung in the balance.
So it is with clear eyes and cool
as a cucumber level-headed
rationality that I can say that
"Indiana Jones and TKOTCS" was a
thuddingly underwhelming experience. Near as I can surmise,
the problem boils down to the
overall tone of the film. The
prior 3 Indy films certainly weren't through and through solemn
and stoic affairs. They all had
there fair share of shticky levity
and absurdist fantastical derring-do. The brilliant innovation of
this series, the hallmark, was that
it took the slam bang unabashed
over the top aesthetic of the old
b-level matinee serials and combined it with the storytelling,
characterization, and dialogue
of a movie that took itself seriously. To my mind, the previous films struck the perfect
balance of these two elements.
"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull",
however, tone-wise, is a 100% solid block of Velveeta. A, to its core, wall to wall cheeseball campfest from start to finish.
Not an outright stinker, just not
for me a genuine "Indy" film. I
might as well have been watching
"The Mummy", "National Treasure",
"Tomb-Raider", or any other 2nd rate knock-off. It was a by the
numbers effort totally lacking the
depth of storytelling,
characterization, dialogue, and
even simple wit and charm of the
series. Also, I have no axe
whatsoever to grind with young
sir Shia Labeuff. But I am
likewise mystified as to all the
"the kid really nailed it" claims
stated in prior reviews. I'm not
for one second saying he brought
the film down, simply that he
brought nothing whatsoever to the
table. It was his standard twitchy smart-alec motormouth
oddball shtick. His character
couldn't have been more forgetable. Again, I don't place
the blame for that solely at his
feet. It's just another aspect of the overall failings of the film. -
I gave it a chance. I stood in line for 5 1/2 hours so I could see this thing in a decent seat. I gladly coughed up my money for this movie, giving it a chance, thinking, "maybe Spielberg and Lucas got it right".
I gave it a chance, it failed. -
saying "well, that scene will be good enough." His directing was just, good enough. I expect better action scenes from him. They didn't have the imagination of other Indys. They were ordinary. Lots of Directors could have directed the action in this movie.
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Not the corny space cloud of the movies, but the awesome coolness of the Kirby era EATER OF WORLDS!!! That would be great. If they do make Indiana LeBeef's Ungroovy Temple Of The Brown Acid Bummer, it should totally end with GALACTUS, eater of worlds, pulling a face melting guitar solo over the entire worlds collective psychic libido. Then there should be a scene where Lucas' neckfat becomes sentient and starts talking like Jar Jar Binks.
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It isn't lucas bashing after the man spend two hours insulting your intelligence. It is self-defense. This is perhaps the sloppiest, slapped together production I've ever seen. The stupidest continuity errors and slips in simple logic take you out of the film again and again. This isn't a matter of suspending disbelief, it is a matter of ignoring lazy, slipshod writing, direction, and production. The crap starts with the first scene of the kids in the hot rod racing the lead car in the military convoy. First, I was shocked that the kids in the car had nothing to do with the movie and the whole thing was a waste of time, but when the "race" ended, the lead car wasn't a mile ahead of the army trucks it was leading. The trucks were right where they were when the race began. WTF? Was it a dream sequence? Slips in continuity happen like this every few minutes, especially in the chase sequences that seemed to take up most of the movie. The cars seem to jump around the landscape magically from shot to shot. Marion's car is behind the bad guys. No, now it's Indy's car. WTF? If you people don't care about sloppy production, I guess the director and producer were right not to worry about such silly little details.
In a good movie, you can believe in any magic because the characters act as if they are really in the situation in which they are put. They remember what happened in the last scene. They act as though the last scene really happen and had some effect on them. In this movie, you are constantly aware that the actors (you can't ever think of them as characters) are just doing what the script tells them to do, whether it makes sense or not. Chased through a college campus by KGB goons trying to get a letter you have and barely get away? What do you do next to protect the letter? Go back to your house, of course, where they will never think to look for you and you won't ever worry about them coming looking. Like that actors, we are suppose to forgot that the KGB was just tearing up the countryside for that letter. It wasn't real. It was an excuse for a chase scene. Cool?!?
A good film pulls stupid stuff and you don't realize how unlikely it is until the drive home when you are taking about it, but this stuff was so blatant and so frequent that I am shocked that so many here got lost in the "story-telling." I wouldn't watch something this bad on TIVO.
Okay, I can certainly hate McCarthyism when the movie is actually showing how pointless it was, but when the communists were just killing people and stealing government secrets in the last scene, how are we supposed to boo and hiss the evil FBI and army are for hunting them, as if they were, you know, real and dangerous? Maybe Hollywood has mastered that level of political doublethink, but doesn't anyone care if movies make emotional sense any more?
However, the biggest tragedy to me was that this movie required us to think of Indiana Jones as stupid and unobservant. It was Mutt that has to point out that magnets don't attract gold cause, you know, a university professor wouldn't notice that right away. Someone dropping little flashing/beeping devices to lead the bad guys to you? Well, someone who is half awake might notice that, but not the zombies in this movie. These were the cleverest plot devices the geniuses who made this movie could come up with? Forget the fact that Indie and Marion looked old and tired. It was Spielberg and Lucas the REALLY looked old and tired. I feel sorry for everyone involved with this mess and sorry that the people at AICN who I normally respect cannot tell a bad movie from a good one when it has some claim on their childhood. -
YUB YUB DANCE 4 EVER!!! FOLTUNE AND GRORY!!!
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super lesbian robots
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I haven't seen it yet but this is a timeline question. I was always under the impression that Temple of Doom was a "Prequel" and took place before the events of "Raiders" Sometime in the early 30's, when Indy the adventurer was just really getting going, that's why there was no grand prize to capture/find. I heard that at some point in my childhood and held onto it because the second movie is so out of step with the other 2. Am I right in that or does Temple take place between Raiders and Crusade like we see it?
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I agree with you 100% that they lost the tone of the originals. The originals took themselves seriously in a FUN way. This one was making fun of itself.
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just when you think it couldn't get worse..
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Pretty much dropped her knickers and pulled up her skirt within 2 minutes of seeing Indy, the chemistry was unforgettable in Raiders, the one thing she did was put up a bit of a fight!!!! A bit of conflict would have been nice. Instead, she wonders around with this freaky grin, bends over, takes it and next thing you know they are up the isle! Huh? I wouldn't have been shocked if the creepy grave keepers had turned up as fucking bridesmaids! They would have made more sense then!
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...the shot where Blanchett's gripping the sack that holds the crystal skull with the words "IT'S... MY... HAM!"
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To me it went like this: The aliens became the gods for the indians while being here. They helped them, and decided to remain here collecting objects, etc. They were suppose to leave earth and never be heard from again when all of them died. That was going to be possible because of their skeletons, who still had some sort of power when combined... But someone stole one skull before that happened, making the return home impossible. The other aliens were here on a rescue mission... So when all the shennanigans were over, all the skeletons were together, and the spaceship went home, as it supposed to do. A couple thousand years later than it should, thanks to human greed.
Does that make sense to you, whoever the fuck wanted an answer to the spaceship? -
You stood in line for 5 1/2 hours? Why?
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May 22, 2008 7:48:42 PM CDT
nbakid2000, it is ok, you are not capable of liking good movies
by razorback
You probably thought The Matrix was good. That is because you are an idiot.
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I'd still see a mutt movie.. I might not enjoy it, but I'd see it.
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In about 5-10 years, when everybody has calmed the hell down. People on both sides, myself included, are too biased to be rational just yet.
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That may all be well but regardless, it was shit writing.
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So yeah, it was a prequel. Maybe the first prequel? But Godfather 2 was both a prequel and a sequel. Wow.
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I'm actually not a big Matrix fan. Sorry to burst your reality.
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Temple DID take place before Raiders...and I went last night- I liked it,despite the heavy hand of George-I think Harrison, Karen Allen and Steven all had their hearts in it-and it's a fun movie-felt like Indy for me-hated the Tarzan shit-loved Indy and Marion's "happy ending"-Ford's performance was nuanced and a little sad-Cate was great-she can do no wrong in my opinion-the one to blame for all that's wrong w/ it(and there's alot) is George. George, George, George!
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I stood in line for 5 1/2 hours so I could get the seat I ALWAYS get for blockbusters when I go to theaters - top row, dead center.
If I'm paying gas and driving 20 or 25 minutes to a theater and then paying for the ticket, I demand the best seat in the house. If I'm not going to get it, I might as well get 2 or 3 DVDs for the price of one movie ticket at Blockbuster and STILL get the best seat in the house - my couch. -
Plan on seeing it tomorrow. Is there a Chewie cameo during the spaceship scene????
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Lucas and Spielberg lied to us about the end product. Will we ever trust either of them again?
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May 22, 2008 7:56:39 PM CDT
I think indy must wear a piece of th seal around his neck
by ironic_name
thats how he survived a nuke.
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Probably my least favorite, but it was fun.
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What happens if you don't get your seat?
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A couple of days ago I saw a girl working at Wendy's who had arms like Chewie...I almost vomited when she handed me my bag.
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Just came back from my second viewing. I liked it a lot better than the first time. Giddyup.
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Just came back from my second viewing. I liked it a lot better than the first time. Giddyup.
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Just came back from my second viewing. I liked it a lot better than the first time. Giddyup.
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If I don't get my seat I become incredibly pissed off and can't enjoy the movie and make vows never to come back to that theater.
But since I don't really have a choice on that one, I just generally stay pissed the entire night and I really can't enjoy the movie. -
I've never been so disappointed in a filmmaker.
Yours,
THE AQUARIAN 1 -
my bad.
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They gave away a free Indy 4 poster last night by a ticket taped underneath a chair...I won it.
What should I do with it...frame it, destroy it, or give it away? -
that movie kicked ass!!! every complaint people had on here was extremely exaggerated. it was enjoyable, smart, funny and the new effects were awesome.
it seems to me that people just can't hang with change or new ideas. i hope this is the start of a new era in indy films. with different themes and mysteries. bring on the restof the series!!!!!! -
I know a guy (honestly) that loves his women hairy. If there is a female Chewie out there please give him a call.
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...and the 3 originals have numerous flaws in logic too, if you want to nitpick. They are nowhere near as perfect as you all have mysticized them in your minds. Here are a few that come to mind:
1) The conclusion to Last Crusade where Indy retrieves the grail has numerous flaws. The bricks spelling 'Jehovah' in latin are held up by pillars, but the rest of the letters are not. So what's holding them up? Also, how can they all be in perfect place? Did no one else try to get the grail, or does the Knight keep replacing the bricks?
2) After Indy goes through all the trouble to get the grail, Elsa and the Nazi dude simply follow him because the blades were disabled after Indy passed? What the fuck? So then all the nazis could have simply followed and come to the grail room, and that Nazi archeologist dude could have had the nazi soldiers test the cups by drinking from them instead of testing it himself and disintegrating.
3) If the grail offers eternal life, that means Indy and his Dad should live hundreds of years, or at least 150. Walking past the seal doesn't change that fact, because at the start they tell the tale of a knight who first drank from it, and lived to that age and whose story was recorded.
4) The Well of Souls in Raiders is buried under the sand, but when Indy escapes, they walk out by pushing a brick out of the wall of this elevated brick hut. Why didn't anyone ever explore that brick hut before to see where it led?
5) There's no way you can jump out of a plane using only an inflatable raft, and land without a scratch, and then fall off a waterfall as well.
6) At the end of Raiders, how did Indy know that they could save themselves by simply closing their eyes and not looking at the phantoms? Thats never explained.
7) Short-round practically falls backwards when karate-kicking the thugees, yet they fall down like they were hit by a sledgehammer.
8) Why was the Holy grail, a Christian relic, being protected by Arabs?
There are numerous other flaws in the originals, but most of you forgave them because they are just fun movies.
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anyone pick up on that? When Indy's exact line was..."I've got a bad feeling about this..."
Parts of it reminded me of The Mummy 2-which isn't a good thing-and why couldn't "Oxley" have been Abner? I'm sure at some point he was based on his unexplored connectuion w/ Marion and Mutt. (Both Indy and his son-both named Henry by their parents-changed their name to that of their family's dog-cute little touch,eh?) -
Surprisingly enough, in his haste to cobble together a script that sufficiently "borrowed" from their previous works, Lucas left this information out . . .any ideas?
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would be plausible...except Han Solo existed "a long time ago..." before Indy was born....sorry can't believe I wasted time addressing that.
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to be seen a second time....b/c we all go in with expectations...good/bad whatever....and after 19 years we are ALL gonna come out shocked for better or worse....so once we know everything and nothing is new....we gotta go back and watch it again (just like we have all done with Raiders, Temple and Crusade). Kingdom needs more viewing...to let it sink in as part of canon and part of Indy. I was 10 when I saw Crusade (the only one I got to see in the cinemas) and as being my first exposure to INdy Crusade WAS Indy for me. Then I watched Raiders and found it boring in comparison to Crusade and then I watch Temple and just found it way too different from Temple...but I was a teenager so I liked them. BUT, with further viewings of each I realized with age that Raiders was the best made of all of them and had just as much action as Crusade if not the humor that I loved. It climaxed with the famous chase and then just kinda took a long descent to credits...a good descent mind you...but different than Crusade's climax actually being the finale (which is more common). I ended up placing Raiders first sometimes b/c of execution and originality, Temple out front b/c of just having more balls than the others to be so dark, different, and giving a rougher cut of Indy, Crusade sometimes is out front b/c it was my first intro to INdy and I am fondest of it. I am sure as Kingdom gets canonized in my mind with more viewings it will find its place just like Raiders and Temple did for me. So I will see what I think tomorrow now that I can thankfully say I have a new Indy movie to rewatch :D But HEY no arguments here! It has flaws and great stuff just like every Indy movie for the reasons I said above. I can completely UNDERSTAND how people fall on both sides here...as people do with Crusade and Temple too.....I am just glad it was an INdy movie! IN the end that is what the beards promised and that is what we got! I just hope they make the promise again!!!! ....and yeah...leave the aliens out....in favor of Atlantis, Excalibur, or the Garden of Eden...like some old ideas had. That's my two cents until i see 'er again :)
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but I Like it a LOT!
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related to hairy women with big bushes, even lots of armpit hair
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I can guarantee that most of the people that HATE this movie posted one of those wonderful and thought provoking titles that bashed the movie just based on Ford's age. I love how people complain about the UFO and logic... yet forget about the box that melts faces. Or the rocks that help grow crops. Or how about the cup that gives eternal life. Better yet... let's get into jumping from a plane and using a rubber raft to land on. Or coming face to face with Hitler. Maybe the animals on the train (weren't those giraffes so cute). Wait... don't forget the "Uh oh" monkey. Maybe pulling a heart out of a body while that person still lives is logical and I know nothing of biology. Perhaps drinking bad blood makes you evil. I wonder if I makes lots of noise... it will match the librarian stamping books so he will never hear it. Hmmm... took one man to discover the lost Well of The Souls while hundreds were digging in the wrong place.. but who knew the Well of Souls had a back door right next to the German Cargo Plane? There were hundreds of mothers and fathers that lost their children, and yet they rely on one man to save them from the Thugees? Maybe if I drop a lighter on a rug it will burn so quickly that my house will go up in flames in 1 minute. Or... if I open my umbrella with tons of birds around... I can send them into a plane and blow it up. Do I need to continue with this?
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The fact of the matter is, they pulled off the flaws a lot more plausibly in the originals than in the new movie.
It doesn't matter if they WEREN'T more plausible in theory, they just pulled them off a lot less corny in the old ones. -
between far fetched and a cartoon. theres a difference between suspension of disbelief and goofy silly shit. the films have always been full of unrealistic escapes and set pieces but they were never goofy or silly. and you alwasy felt there was a sense of danger. no one seemed to fussed about anything happening to them here. no one seemed worried about anything. It was awful and I wish I had never seen it.
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The other movies weren't complete shit, so we were more forgiving of the flaws.
This one was just all around bad, so we don't forgive the errors. -
but when things start off bad (CGI groundhogs) get worst (jalopy drag race for no apparent reason) and slink even further (haphazardly edited fight scenes and shitty CGI), at some point, you just throw up your hands and quit fighting it and have to admit that it sucks. I was trying to trick myself saying "It'll get better", but it didn't. Now that's not to say it's all bad. The parts I was most apprehensive actually turned out to be my favorite thing about the movie and that was Shia. He really stood out from the rest. Other than the occasional well written line ("They weren't you, honey") everything else seemed cobbled together on a Smith Corona the night before. I would love to love this movie, but I can't. It just sucks that bad.
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I should hook that chick up with Krullboy's friend. haha
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May 22, 2008 8:15:37 PM CDT
I want to love this film so bad I am really upset that I don't
by slappy jones
It gets worse the more I think about it and I am fucking sad about it.
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Beginning: Awesome.
Mayan Ninjas Beatdown to Jungle Car Chase: NOT AWESOME, HOLY SHIT, THIS IS LIKE MOST OF THE MOVIE.
Ants: Kind of okay... maybe.
Last bits to Credits: Okay.
END OF MOVIE. -
I think that I have been really fair with my reviews of this film and I am trying so hard not to say anything mean to anyone. Having said that, if I see one more post saying that this is better than the first three films, I'm going to flip out. This was not a good film. End of story. First twenty minutes had potential, but after that it was a disaster and not in the good fun disaster way. Anyone saying otherwise is on Lucas' or Spielberg's payroll.
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comes out! I got the weathered Raiders jacket from wested.com, the new Temple jacket (longer cut), weathered Crusade jacket (longer cut and buttons on the storm flaps with bigger collar) and now I get to get a new leather version of the Kingdom jacket! Noticed shorter cut, no buttons on storm flaps, but bigger collar a la Crusade jacket and the new additon of an extra third fold on the back..... Yeah I noticed. hahahah I love my INdy jackets. Some of my favorite things....they let me wear my film geekness around for one of my favorite films while actually being allowed to look really cool wearing a nice brown lambskin leather jacket :) www.wested.com check it out people....great folks there
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comes out! I got the weathered Raiders jacket from wested.com, the new Temple jacket (longer cut), weathered Crusade jacket (longer cut and buttons on the storm flaps with bigger collar) and now I get to get a new leather version of the Kingdom jacket! Noticed shorter cut, no buttons on storm flaps, but bigger collar a la Crusade jacket and the new additon of an extra third fold on the back..... Yeah I noticed. hahahah I love my INdy jackets. Some of my favorite things....they let me wear my film geekness around for one of my favorite films while actually being allowed to look really cool wearing a nice brown lambskin leather jacket :) www.wested.com check it out people....great folks there
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Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues seem like subtle, dignified and thought provoking entertainment next to this drivel.
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Maybe we'll get the whole (original) 140 minute version on the DVD?
....nah. -
I'll give you that, they were less corny to a degree - but everything gets cornier with age. You have to give a little bit of corny leniency. Even if you just compare Crusade with the first two, where you've got Indy pretending to be a Scottish artist who wants to look at tapestries, or while making love to Elsa, he stops to look up and say, "Ahhh, Venice", that was pretty freakin' corny.
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I hate suburb boys, Jock, I hate 'em!
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I imagine she is 19 year old, 4oo pound mother of 3 that wears Lenscrafters perscription lenses, has every Wendy's "flair" pin imaginable on her uniform, and tends to sneak licks of excess Frosty that drips over the edge of Frosty Cups while passing food through the drive through window
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This wasn't the first Indy film to give nods to Star Wars. Temple of Doom had a couple of nods, with Club Obi Wan at the start, and then at the end where Indy goes chasing one of the thugees with a sword, only to run into a whole swarm of thuggees, just like the scene from Star Wars only with Han and stormtroopers.
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Yeah, we all went to see "Episode I: Meesa Racial Stereotype".We shook it off and went to see "Episode II: The Senate Dithers".We swallowed hard and ran screaming into "Episode III: You Already Knew All of this in 1983".Well, not this time, George! There's an admantium chastity belt locked around my childhood!Can you blame people for recoiling at "Indiana Jones and the Meet the New Boss"?
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in the presence of the gratuitous Dan Aykroyd cameo...
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Crystal Skull 0/10
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I just watched that the other day! Man that was one of the most BORING scripts of that series. It wasn't *bad* just BORING. lol
You are correct though, Mystery of the Blues was loads better than this thing. They actually did a warehouse scene properly in that one. Not that the one in Kingdom was bad, but kinda disappointing.
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...was an imperial officer who drove one of the At-ats in the snow (is that what they're called?) in Empire Strikes Back.
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Yeah, this didn't seem so much like a movie as it did Indiana Jones the Video Game. The first part at the nuclear test site felt like an Indy movie, the rest simply had wayyy too much CGI, it ruined the movie for me. Half of the coolness about the originals for me was getting to see the wonderful exotic locations each film was shot at. This whole movie just looked fake. It was sad because Harrison Ford wasn't bad in it and niether was Shia. I didn't even mind the new characters in the movie, I just wish they were actually given something to do. The script felt like it was really afraid to break new ground or do anything new for fear of backlash from fans. So it stayed safely grounded in middle of the road, boring territory. The alien plotline could have been interesting had we been able to explore what the aliens were or what they did. Instead, we were treated to a nonsensical mess at the end. The ants could have been great, maybe even the best creepy crawly scene in all of the Indy films but instead of being real, the were a fake looking computer effect. It just felt like there were a few missed oppurtunities. And Indy talked wayyy too much. It felt more like I was taking one his classes at the college than actually being on a real adventure with him. There were a few good things about it but the whole affair felt half-baked to me at best. It was by no means Spiderman 3 terrible, it was just a mediocre movie that Indy wasn't needed in. They could have just as easily put Nicholas Cage in and titled it "National Treasure 3: Nicholas Cage Needs More Money" and I wouldn't have minded. I was too young at the time of the original three to see any but Last Crusade in the theater but this is the first Indy film I've ever seen where I found myself wanting to look down at my watch during the movie. As an Indy film goes, it wasn't the best.
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I was wondering the same thing about the mummified remains in the warehouse...I can't figure out why they needed to see it and how it related to the rest of the story.
BTW, there were a couple of Young Indiana Jones references in that movie that I caught...so you are correct. -
Are you people insane? Is the geek gut reaction to hate so strong that you couldn't enjoy this movie? This kind of hate isn't "cool" nor does it give you "geek cred." It makes you all seem desperate to be hip. That was a damn good summer popcorn flick, as good as any of the sequels.
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in CL (Walter Donovan sounds like a porn name), and walso played General Veers is EPSB
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I've seen this from more than one person, so I'm guessing it's not a joke. Even Spielberg admitted he made Last Crusade to make up for Temple of Doom.
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The original story about the runing time came from a John Williams interview, and he was mistaken. Spielberg doeswn't do "director's cuts" - he considers his original cut of the movie to be the definitive one. (close encounters only has multiples because the tv network asked to add stuff to fill a certain running time)
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I thought it was bad when Ford blew the sour note on the sax that caused an avalanche to fall on the bad guys. Then I saw the monkey scene in this movie. Man, when do we get The OLD Indiana Jones Chronicles. I want that one-eyed wheelchair bound geezer to go on some damn adventures. It HAS to be better than this crap.
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Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. They really didn't get much out of the warehouse. Just an alien body that they really didn't need. Of course, they MIGHT have thought they would find the crystal skull there. Not sure. You're right about the Soviets skipping over the contents of the warehouse. Spielberg and Lucas could have actually had a LOT of fun with the possibility of looking through the warehouse. All kinds of interesting stuff could have happened. I guess it all boiled down to time and purpose. Not enough of either. ;-)
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May 22, 2008 8:36:48 PM CDT
I'm sick of SPielberg/Lucas apologizing for Temple/Doom
by shiftyeyeddog2
I love it - my 2nd fave of the series behind Raiders. I don't understand all the hate. YES, it's darker - that's a good thing. Raiders/Temple - 10/10, Crusade 9.5/10, Crystal Skull 6/10
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The Indy movies were about the popular pulp fiction at the time of the movies. Pre World War II the far east tales and blood cults of "Temple of Doom" filled the stands. During the World War II of "Raiders" and "Crusade" intrepid Americans v. Nazi treasure hunters dominated such books. In the 50's of "Crystal Skull" books about grey skinned aliens psychic commies filled the pages of Fantastic Stories. Indy's just keeping up with the pulp times. That's what the movies reflect, the pulp of the time in which they are set. The aliens fit perfectly with the Indy mythos.
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I liked it. Some parts I loved, some parts I didn't. I feel the movie didn't really kicked in for me until about 25 minutes in, but during the times it did kick in, I found myself getting a little misty-eyed. And yes, like the other Indy films, it's full of over-the-top (i.e. unbelievable) setpieces and comes complete with a nonsensical, effects-driven climax.
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I give it a solid 8/10. Not a perfect movie - but it has many perfect moments.
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Dude, it's uncool to stereotype Wendy's workers in the same way that Applebee's employees are, what with the mention of flair. Not EVERYONE has to wear that stupid shit at their work.
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That and Tarzan Mutt have ruined the good name of Indiana Jones to me for life :(
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of "all" the people that "hate" this movie on here, i keep seeing the same names over and over and over. it seems like there are more haters but that's because they keep posting and posting and posting and posting and ....
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I'll try to be brief. This is one good movie, like only Steven can provide. His touch, his flair, his filmaking genius it's all there. But, alas, too much time is passed since this movie was due, and even in Steve's eyes and therefore ours it has become sometimes a parody of itself, in the best meaning of these words,(the scene when the car is falling into the river, and its fall is slowed by the tree, would have found meaning in the others?) and being originally thought as a parody-homage to a certain kind of pulp stories, it has lost a litte focus. It's not a film to nitpick with, because that's not the point of lame fx, scenes that look fake, but it's for the spirit, and it's all here. The point is: now maybe it is not the time anymore for an Indy movie but the heart of it is all here and it gets away beautifully with it, showing all those Mummy-national treasury-tomb raidery colleagues who holds the whip and the hat. I will say that in my opinion, Spielberg wasn't meant to do this film. Sure, it's good(btw, here is my preference list: raiders-crusade-skull-temple) but as he said once this was going to be a movie for the fans, but does it satisfy HIM as a filmaker? And a movie that Steven would have made to satisfy himself, would have been a better one even for us fans? I like to think so. Thanks Steven for the thought, then.... As a fan, it's a wonderful gift! And I'm willing to wait another 20 years (figuratively speaking, of course), if Steven promises to get behind the camera to make Indy V only if he really, spiritually, artistically needs it! As for this one, I really really liked it and I will see it again at least two times! Cheers!
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I thought the best and funniest part was where Indy grabs the main dude's gun and learns it's empty. The look on his face of a mixture of "oh shit" and total shock was CLASSIC Indiana Jones (and the scenario).
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poor attempt at humor. . .judging by your name, who do you like for the NBA Finals?
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Is that my therapist told me it's good to vent in a public forum so I don't end up prone to fits of psychotic rage.
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Good observation. Sounds like Indy V will be set in 1975, and have Mutt rescuing Bigfoot from the Bermuda Triangle.**Cue the "In Search of" theme synthesizer**
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I was joking as well. ;D
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May 22, 2008 8:44:49 PM CDT
BOBOVISION - DAMNIT LISTEN PEOPLE! INDY/DAD NOT IMMORTAL
by shiftyeyeddog2
yes the passing the seal thing DOES negate the immortality. The grail knight who leaves and tells his story? He stayed for a long time with his brothers, and then LEFT at 150+ years old. As soon as he left he began to die of extreme old age. they CLEARLY state this in the movie!
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Your description of Wendy's employees is right on the mark.
For the finals? Hmmm...Lakers? -
I also had an audience who was laughing and clapping throughout (I never get those) so it only heightened the experience. The Tarzan Mutt scene was a little much, but it was on par with the sequels as far as the campy moments.
The sci-fi elements were interesting. I disagree with those who claim they were just coasting on nostalgia, they were actually trying to expand the Indiana Jones mythos a little. It worked for me. I would love for another Indiana Jones film set in the fifties. -
When was the last time you saw a great action scene that had real geography? Don't give me Bourne - they threw random shit like cars going down stairs and piers into it so that it seemed cool. Bond had a footchase up a crane because, well, why not? Transformers were in Hover fucking Dam for no apparent reason. Every setting in this movie made sense within the plot - a warehouse, college, and the Amazon. Here you got long takes so you could see the moves each party was taking, especially in the motorcycle chase scene. That was classic, and every move by each party made logical sense. Everyone who complains about Michael Bay quick cut action (I'm guessing some of this films detractors fall into that) needs to sit back and watch the chase choreography in this movie. The long takes allowed us to see what was going on and not just see "punch, kick, gun, cliff, punch, kick..." with no idea where we are heading going.
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Lakers Celtics for old times sake, but we will see. . .the Spurs or Pistons could still easily get there as well, will have to see. At least the Bulls will get Derek Rose!
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Well, if thats the case, there's still an enormous flaw in logic there. If the Nazi archeologist told this tale and knew this, then why the hell would he and the nazis want the grail????!!! Its no use to them if they have to stay within the seal - they can't really achieve world domination from within that tomb. Eh?
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That would make sense. I, personally, want the Loch Ness Monster, or maybe a haunted castle.
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I am happy to see some of my fellow TBers give some love to TOD. That flick, while I acknowledge it is not superior to ROTLA, remains my favorite of the series. Granted, it was the first of the series that I able to see in the theater. What that film did (and this new one failed to do), is establish Indy as the badass archeologist that he is. The opening moments of TOD need no introduction to the character. However, this new film expected the audience to be familiar with the character and bring that knowledge to fill in the blanks that Koepp was too lazy to do. We were required to do all of the heavy lifting. It all boils down to the "nostalgia" factor that everyone involved with the film seems to use as an excuse. By trying to please everyone, they failed to stay true to the character and make a great movie. It should not be up to the audience to fill in the blanks.
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We didn't have a fucking alien body and a fucking CG alien and a UFO at the end. If the aliens were only a subtext to the supernatural power of the skull (as I was hoping) if the alien technology was only seen in some long abandoned form - if more was left to the imagination. That is one of the biggest problems - they had to SHOW us all this shit. At the end of Raiders we didn't have to see god reaching down from a cloud with a white beard smiting all the Nazis.
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the action choreography or the way it was filmed. He DID let us see EVERYTHING that was happening, and NO SHAKY CAM.
My problem is the way the action was handled, with CGI and unbelievable stunts. -
I went in with an open mind and absolutely hated it, and I love the other three. The problem was that while the others had some supernatural elements and a few eye rolling coincidences, for the most part, they were grounded in some sort of reality. This one was way too over the top to the point of being a cartoon. Any suspension of disbelief was gone when he survived an atomic blast in the fridge. Terrible movie.
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...eh... the only "iffy" part of the movie.
It wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't good.
Shia was UNBELIEVABLE though. Give the kid a medal for the shit the Talkbackers have put him through. I actually would have enjoyed a Mutt spin-off. The character was great, Shia's portrayal was great. I enjoyed the Mutt scenes. -
I do not know where to begin with this heaping pile of crap of a movie. I grew up with Indiana Jones... I loved Indiana Jones, and now they've served it to me witht he thoughfullness of a McDonalds' Happy Meal. I wish AICN talkbacks let you do stuff in list form cause i think it'd work better for this movie. Too many things streaming in my brain right now to write in paragraph form.
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In the old films you were never taken out of the film when the action was somewhat corny...
In this one, my mouth was open the entire jungle scene in disbelief and shock at what I was seeing.
Most people seemed to love it though in the theater...but then again, the guy who was going NUTS beside me in the theater chewed me out for not liking the prequels as well, because "The prequels made sense! Everything made sense! You find out where Luke and Leia come from, and who their parents were, and you have a mommy and a daddy and they make babies...and now you know why Leia was a princess!"
Moron.
I think I spelled Leia wrong, but I'm not sure. -
If this post seems a little scattered - sorry.
So, I saw it. I cannot decide yet wether I liked it or not. Never has this been the case with any of the Indiana Jones movies. I may not have liked them as much as Raiders but they were still serviceable. Surely, seeing Harrison back in the old fedora was worth the price of admission. Its fun. Its Indy...how could it not be. To merely utter the phrase "Now Showing" in the same breath as "Indy 4" is exhilarating and, honestly, I never thought I would see the day when I would walk into a theater and see a new adventure.
Harrison Ford is pitch-perfect in this latest installment. Older, yes, but still Indiana Jones. (I must take a moment and admit that I have a bit of a man crush on him. I mean, he's Han Solo and Indiana Jones! Give me a break. The same man played my childhood heroes...how can I not have a soft spot in my heart for him.)
But, I realized something today. They've made four films. Raiders of the Lost Ark was what started it all, but they have never made a sequel to that film. Sure, the same character continues on - fighting the Thugee cult, finding the Holy Grail and - now - returning the Crystal Skull to it's owners, but not in the same way. The style changed in each successive outing. They became more camp, more over-the-top. But the tone, the writing, the sheer lightning of the first film has never been duplicated.
Listen, I'm not asking for a conclusion to Raiders, just a true sequel. The Indy that uttered the line "Trust me" to Marion inside her Nepalese bar has never been revisited. The "in-over-his-head" weary Humphrey Bogartesque character that captivated me when I saw the film in 1981 has never been put on the screen since. There are moments in each film that nearly get there...but they each fall short. There are little scenes in each that hold the possibility within them: the opening fight within Club Obi Wan in Temple of Doom, the "Leap from the Lion's Head" at the end of Crusade. Wonderful, but still pale in the glow of Raiders.
I've gone to each film with supressed excitement. Will I see Jones again? Will they finally bring him back in his Raider's glory? Honestly, I've given up that hope entirely now. I don't think they can. They don't seem to understand what made Jones so wonderful in the first place. Action is fun, but action without story is painfully boring. Will Smith has proven this over and over again - though box office results show that I may not be able to prove this opinion.
I've grown tired of the caricature of Indiana Jones that dominates these flashy installments.
But, as long as Indiana Jones is brought back to cinematic life, I'll go. I'll go to be disappointed, but - somewhere in the back of my childhood - I'll be hoping that I get to see the real Indy again.
Maybe, they should ask Lawrence Kasdan to pen the next chapter. I'd be a little less wary if he were back in the mix. -
We love to rip Lucas, but look at Steven's recent work. AI, Minority Report and War of the Worlds. Loved AI, but I HATED the tacked-on, screen-tested alien ending. Those second two just sucked.
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So unbelievable, unlike the other movies which held up to an extent in some sort of reality. Im a big Indy fan, and i was very much dissapointed by the whole movie. There was one thing I did find redeaming and that was Harrison Ford. Surprisingly, I dont blame him for the quality, I blame the plot all the way.
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what was so bad about the swinging monkeys?
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so many bad choices. terrible use of CGI when he went out of his way to tell fans he was "doing it the old fashion way"?! wtf? I guess the Mummy meets National Treasure is the old fashion way
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Crystal Meth ?/10 (Haven't seen it yet. Don't really have a burning desire to see it either, but I'm sure I will eventually.)
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The motorcycle was stuntwork and bluescreen. People did what you saw there. Aside from the aliens the temple was model work and practical effects. The Amazon chase was CGI monkey and plants to the crotch, but other than that it was blue screen and practical. The warehouse was all practical effects.
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That atomic blast scene really, really, really, suuuucked. I also didn't like how the skull kept away the red ants, but I can accept it.
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My opinion hasn't changed. Still about a 6 out of 10. My daughter (age 9) really liked it, but I had to whisper a lot of explanations to her because the story is WAY convoluted. And I surprised myself by coming up with a fairly short explanation: Thirteen aliens came to visit earth hundreds of years ago. Although there were 13 of them, they thought and acted as ONE. But when it came time to leave, one of them went missing. So the other 12 sat tight and went into a kind of alien hibernation, "waiting" for the 13th alien (the skull) to come back. All that other crap about conquistadors was the stuff that transpired in the interim, during the aliens' prolonged wait. And it served only to provide "footprints" for Indy and Mutt to follow. Or rather, they followed Oxley's lead, since Ox had done most of the work. This story was WAY more complex than it needed to be. But again I should say, it's a FUN movie. But not a GREAT movie. The first twenty minutes were close to great. As for the soviets' need to get in the warehouse and examine the mummy, I can only surmise that Spalka may have thought she'd find the skull there--Indy does realize later that Ox put the skull back with the conquistador's body because he (Ox) knew the russians were after it.
On second viewing, I was intrigued more about the allusions to Indy's service in WWII, and how apparently he was a hero. Makes you wonder what adventures he had between 1938-56. And I wonder if the mispronunciation of noo-cue-lar was intended. You have to think it was; as if all this atomic crap is very new to Indy, and over his head, so relatively new tech words like "nuclear" haven't been said too often. Back then, I think the word more often used was "atomic." After George Bush became infamous for his mispronunciation of noo-cue-lar, you gotta think Spielberg asked Ford to say it wrong, because it sticks out badly.
During the sword-straddle fight, I realize the second time around that Marion (who was driving) was shouting fencing instructions to Mutt. I didn't catch that the first time. Too much other commotion onscreen. As for the Tarzan bit, it still stinks the second time around. It was just too much, after having given us SPOILERS chuckling gophers, the snake-rope, a greaser fistfight, a glimpse of the ark, etc. An overdose of hokey stuff. Which is fine for one or two little laughs or self-conscious nods. But when they come as punctuation to every other sequence, it's just silly. Sigh... -
...it was fucking awful and you all know it deep down. Okay I’m gonna make this quick cos I just have to get it out. I shall post a more measured and thoughtful review in time but for now…
RANT∙AHEAD∙∙∙RANT∙AHEAD∙∙∙RANT∙AHEAD∙∙∙RANT∙AHEAD∙∙∙RANT∙AHEAD∙∙∙
So, first and for the sake of argument let me get the good things (or at least the not-so-terrible ones) out of the way. Firstly, Harrison Ford. Bless Harrison Ford – I love him – and he really tries his best here. He is perfectly fine as Indy – sure he doesn’t have as much energy and is a little bit fatter and greyer than he used to be, but he is still Indy. Don’t let anybody tell you the problem with the movie is that Harrison Ford was too old – he may be a little – but that is not the problem.
The problem is that the movie is just terribly written and poorly directed to boot. It has no spark, no life, no wit, subtlety or invention that marked all of the previous Indiana Jones movies. The plot is asinine and incomprehensible, the characters spend half of the movie just talking about the plot in clumsy exposition that is about as interesting as attending a real archaeology lecture (apology to any archaeologists in the room). The characters are beyond one-dimensional and to make up for this there are about twenty of them all as uninteresting as the last. Spielberg seems to have got caught up with the idea of Indy having sidekicks as the series went along, so it’s gone from one/two in Raiders, to two in Temple of Doom, to three in Last Crusade, to four in KotCS (not counting the villain who spends all her time with the heroes). Because there are so many characters and none ever get time away from the big group to develop on their own each is given about one line every ten minutes which is usually something expository and dull. Marion is completely wasted – she turns up and what could be a really interesting subplot just turns into nothing. She and Indy shout at each other for a bit as Shia looks on bemused then kiss and make up for no reason and Karen Allen spends the rest of the film grinning inanely. No character arcs at all.
The visual effects are terrible, everything has that blurry look you always get with bad CGI. The entire movie looks like it was shot on sets with greenscreen (apart from establishing location shots) all the backgrounds look fake, nothing looks like it was shot for real. The cinematography is washed out and completely lacks the rich colours of the previous films. The musical score is entirely unmemorable. The editing is all over the place, there appears to be no planning of set-pieces or intricate marriage of image and music like you would find in Raiders (take the map-room sequence as an example), it is as if Spielberg decided that storyboards were for chumps – let’s just make the movie in the editing room! The dialogue clunks, Cate Blanchette devours the scenery and the movie sucks. I have so much more in me but I just wanna go to bed and cry now, so all I’ll say is…
Don’t go.
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The Rocket sled in the movie was typical of the kind the Air Force built to study G forces on pilots. .. remember, jets were a fairly new thing then, and the effect of flight that fast was still being studied
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Actually, many animals are sensitive to magnetic and electric fields. Sharks, for example, can detect eletrical currents. Animals have many heightened senses that people don't have, which is why they seem to sense disaster before it happens, so I totally buy the ants avoiding the skull, since it seems to have some type of electromagnetic quality, in addition to its supernatural whatnot.
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The thing that's bad about swinging monkeys is that Shia was swinging with them. And they collectively and consciously attack Spalka and her men in her jeep. So in order to buy into all that, you must first buy that 1) Mutt has the arm strength and coordination of a trained gymnast; 2) Mutt can somehow communicate with monkeys and tell them to 3) attack the Russians, who are in THIS jeep, and not the good guys, who are in the "duck." Craptastic sequence. Guess they felt like they had to add it, since there weren't any giant robots to paint flames on
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I remember doing that back when I was younger. I didn't read reviews back then and I had a better time.
Anyway I don't know why it received negative reviews. If they scored this as an average film overall then all Indy films should score the same minus Raiders. Crystal Skulls is just as good as the latter 2. -
I regard as CGI. It had no place in this movie's fight scenes and was OBVIOUS from the get-go.
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The movie is lacking a good story. I loved the actress who played the Russian commander, she was hot, and sould have doubled as a love interest for Indy along with Karen Allen.There were too many character in the form of good guys. John Hurt and Indy's Double aent friend got in the way. And Karen Allen's character could have provided all the story exposition that we needed...there was no need for John Hurt. And the Tazan monkey swinging sequence was too over the top as well as the waterfall sequence.The movie also stalled in the middle with lot's of talk of missing Spanish Soldiers and the missing archeologist. You could tell that 6 or more writers worked on this film because it had no real point of direction..it was just choppy..and many scenes were copied from the original movie...just not executed as well. There was no real chance for romance here and no real bonding moment or the characters...and the CGI became an excuse to show off to the point where it felt like I was watching a cartoon due to the over the top actions, from the ground hogs to the ants to monkies. All animated, and all with a cartoon based wink of te eye...nothing realistic.No one, at least the heroes, was in any real jeopardy and the ending, save for the last big reveal, a retread of the X-Files Movie, was a near duplicate of the original. I was disappointed...and bored. You could feelthe movie lose itself as soon as Indy enters the Faux test range town. At the point, it was over...and that was near the beginning of the film. It's about story. Joss Whedon should have been given the writing assignment for this movie. He would have delivered smart laughs and great drama...as well as real threats to the characters. Lastly, Lucas and Spielberg were trying to teach us something about out secret history as humans and about the Crystal Skulls. For that I thank them, bt the film just didn't work as it was missing real emotions and real world drama!!!
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you missed the part where I said that one or two inside jokes are okay, but adding them onto each other gets old. Plus, because we'd already gotten a referential nod to the ark in Crusade, you think they'd have "nodded" to something else. Like say, put the Hovitos fertility idol on Indy's desk at home. HOW FUCKING COOL would that have been? You KNOW it!
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And the movie turned into Aliens vs. Predator vs. Indiana Jones vs. Lucas' Neckfat vs. El Spielbergo's Waning Directorial Abilities vs. Diminishing Returns vs. Fond Childhood Memories Being Torn Asunder vs. You Should Have Seen SPEED RACER Instead vs. Lapband Catastrophe vs. Etc. Et al. And on and on and on amen A WOMAN GRINDIN' HER NAUGHTY BITS ALL UP ON ME THROBBING SOUL-POLE TILL IT SHOOTS HOT DNA ALL OVER THE COSMIC LIBIDO TREE IMPREGNATING IT AND LETTING LOOSE THE GHOSTS OF COSMOS ZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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because it was unnecessary, and it made it feel like that whole warehouse scene was written just so they could get in that little nudge nudge reference. out of all the fucking crates in the warehouse, that is the one that got busted open? give me a break. I didn't want to know where the ark was, the beauty of the closing warehouse scene in Raiders was the mystery. Please, leave some shit to the imagination
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I didn't think they were gonna do it because of Sean's recent retirement, but man was I shocked when he stepped into frame. Great way to end the movie, I thought.
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The purpose of the space ship was to show off special fx -- it's a friggin' summer popcorn flick, dude.
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The purpose of the space ship was to show off special fx -- it's a friggin' summer popcorn flick, dude.
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Thanks dude, I thought that was right.
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May 22, 2008 9:23:10 PM CDT
Best way to watch the film is watch it like it's in the 1980's
by damien chowder
People should stop applying off screen science to films!
If you do then don't watch films and go stalk somebody in real life.
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they were an evolution of humanity/robots
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was correct, about having it get too "crowded" with good guys. In fact, the only time Indy is alone in this is after SPOILER Mac turns on him (for the first time) at the warehouse. All other cave spelunking and grave investigating is done with Mutt, Ox, Mac, Marion, or a combo of all of the above. The "true" Indy seems to have become lost among them. Too many people. But also, he's "lost" because there really isn't a whole lot for him to do alone. Ox had done most of the work. Now Indy and Co. are just along for the ride.
Plus, it makes you wonder whether Indy believed all the "magic" of the aliens and the power of the skull. Because if he truly believed it, he'd have stopped Spalka from putting the skull back in place and prevented her from possibly getting all those great psychic powers she was dreaming of. Unlike say, in Crusade, where the knight warns that choosing the wrong cup will kill you, there is nothing here that suggests that if an EVIL person puts the skull back, they will be burned up instead of truly rewarded with knowledge. There was never any "tip" to Indy or the group that said, "Never fear--if the bad guys put the skull back, it'll be fatal for THEM but not YOU." But instead, Indy backs off, saying "OH I believe sister, that's why I'm down here," and they jump out of the main chamber when the shit (literally) hits the overhead fan. COnfusing. -
May 22, 2008 9:24:02 PM CDT
They Should Use The Ark To Shoot Face Melters At The Aliens!
by laserpants
TAKE THE WRATH OF THE MAD SPACE GOD YHVH-1!!! TAKE IT AND MELT WITH IT!!! HE STOPPED THE WORLD AND MELTED YOU!!! OMG!!! GET IT?!?!?!? OMFG!!!!! YEEAAAHHH!!!! SHIA!!!! SHE-RA!!!!
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The movie is lacking a good story. I loved the actress who played the Russian commander, she was hot, and should have doubled as a love interest for Indy along with Karen Allen.
There were too many characters in the form of good guys. John Hurt and Indy's Double agent friend got in the way. And Karen Allen's character could have provided all the story exposition that we needed...there was no need for John Hurt. And the Tazan monkey swinging sequence was too over the top as well as the waterfall sequence.
The movie also stalled in the middle with lots of talk of missing Spanish Soldiers and the missing archeologist. You could tell that 6 or more writers worked on this film because it had no real point of direction..it was just choppy..and many scenes were copied from the original movie...just not executed as well. There was no real chance for romance here and no real bonding moment for the characters...and the CGI became an excuse to show off, to the point where it felt like I was watching a cartoon due to the over the top actions, from the ground hogs to the ants to monkies. All animated, and all with a cartoon based wink of the eye...nothing realistic.
No one, at least the heroes, was in any real jeopardy and the ending, save for the last big reveal, is a retread of the X-Files Movie, and was a near duplicate of the original Raiders. I was disappointed...and bored. You could feel the movie lose itself as soon as Indy enters the Faux test range town. At the point, it was over...and that was near the beginning of the film. It's about story. Joss Whedon should have been given the writing assignment for this movie. He would have delivered smart laughs and great drama...as well as real threats to the characters.
Lastly, Lucas and Spielberg were trying to teach us something about out secret history as humans and about the Crystal Skulls. For that, I thank them, but the film just didn't work as it was missing real emotions and real world drama!!! -
See, Shia, when he first sees that one monkey, they stared into each others eyes. Remember? They had a moment. Plus, the other monkeys picked up on the vibe Shia was putting out there. The vibe of someone who grew up without his real Dad, so they want to nurture him. To adopt him as one of their own. It was an instant bond between Shia and monkey. Totally logical. AND, the monkeys represent our genetic ancestors, so there's a historical and archeological bond there between monkey and man. That scene represents how we are one with the monkeys historically. Its the linchpin scene of the entire quadrology. Don't you guys see that?
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did it even fly away? or did it just like disappear above all the debris?
kinda reminded me of x files :/ -
If so, I didn't see him.
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Saw it at midnight last night, and, like many of you, I loathed it.
But that didn't sit well with me -- at all. How the hell could I possibly loathe an indy film. So, I slept on it, thought about it, and saw it again today. And, upon further review -- it's awesome.
We all let our expectations and crappy memories get the better of us. Nothing in this film -- save the tarzan crap -- is worse than the sequels.
It's MUCH less slap-sticky than LC, and it's not nearly as absurd as temple of doom
And, more importantly -- it's a LEGIT part of the indy universe.
Temple of doom is a total stand-alone flick. It doesn't fit in with raiders or LC, and it had a totally different tone. Crystal Skull fits with LC and RAIDERS.
This isnt the die hard 4 or T3 of this series.
Our memories are short.
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Indy "I have a bad feeling about this"
in the alien chamber room -
He's dead in the film. Forgot.
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May 22, 2008 9:26:42 PM CDT
for a second there i thought they wouldnt make mutt indy's
by ironic_name
son, but no such luck.
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Marion's presence, alone, puts this film ahead of TOD. I love TOD, but willie scott sucks the big one.
THe connery factor makes up for marion's absence in LC -- barely. -
May 22, 2008 9:28:57 PM CDT
Joss Whedon Yes!!! Lucas And His Army Of Writers Delivered A Bad
by media messiah
The Script Was Missing Emotional Moments And Smart Plot Twists And Smart Dialogue And Humor. Joss Whedon Could Have Delivered That--And If Not Joss, Somebody Needed To...But Didn't!!!
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It's in the universe. It's canon. What are you talking about dude? Because it has a different feel to it? So Young Indiana Jones isn't in the universe because they're not part of the movies? That's why they referenced it a couple of times in Kingdom, because ALL Indy on film is part of the universe.
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is it really that hard to figure out?
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No offense to John Hurt, whose work I love, but Oxley here was merely a tool, a tool used to link Mutt to Indy, and then Indy back to Marion. I guess they couldn't think of any better way to tie all those people together, so they have Oxley be the "old colleague friend" of Indy's, who also happened to serve as an "uncle / mentor guy" to Mutt along the way. And in order for Oxley's presence to not seem forced, they write him in as being "the" expert on the skull, and have him be lost, and serve as the conduit / link to Akator Etc after Indy and Co. find him. Mac was also a one dimensional tool, because I guess simply having Indy (good) vs. Russians (bad) would have seemed too, uh, remedial. But they were wrong; Mac was an asshole, no matter which side he was on, and his accent drove me nuts. I couldnt even understand half of what he said, and had to really listen hard when I saw it again tonight.
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he wasn't telling them to do anything. maybe they just followed him? i don't think he convinced them to fight russians.
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I really sweetened to the picture during that second viewing. I was more into it; more accepting of everything. This movie really does kick ass.
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I really sweetened to the picture during that second viewing. I was more into it; more accepting of everything. This movie really does kick ass.
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May 22, 2008 9:35:12 PM CDT
I wanted short round to appear as a jilted lover/abandoned son
by ironic_name
Node32774 is a dumb piece of shit.
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anyone who thought anything in this movie was good is a moron. its tired lame lazy shit. lawrence kasdan would never have written anything this bad. it had no plot. it was boring , it had zero tension and mentioning his age didn't forgive anything. I hated temple of doom and this movie made that seem like a picasso.
the one thing spielberg is great at , introductions , all the introductions are completely lousy. the villain was boring, how do you get such a great cast and saddle them with this dog shit of a script. please somebody stop lucas from ever making another film again. spielberg obviously just gave in. and what was with the long boring conversations, full of useless exposition. if you're going to give me that shit give it to me on the run. then endlessly sit down somewhere else like a freaking cafe , then the college so you can have another pointless conversation. I think henry jones snr committed suicide so he didn't have to be in this shit movie. I'm so angry. I want my two hours back. nobody expected raiders, but shit a movie has to be entertaining. it didn't even manage that -
When I say "crowded" I mean five protagonists (or four, plus one double / triple agent) crammed into cave passageways looking for clues. Take Star Wars, for comparison. That has four or five main good guys, but they're usually split up doing their own things, and the scenes bounce back and forth (ie Luke on Dagobah, Han and Leia at Bespin).
I mean, I'm not a mental midget, I CAN follow stories with lots of people, especially if they're given their own things to do--meaning a PURPOSE. But here they all kinda seemed to fall into the same jeep, same boat, same cave, and they're all really just following Ox / Indy around.
At that russian camp where they "hypnotize" indy with the skull, they should have brought Ox (John Hurt) in from the camp festivities and had him eat ramen noodles, then have a baby alien pop out of his chest -
First, she acted as if she had Darth Vader powers. Then she thought she was Moscow Zorro. She didn't have any soul until she was at the lost city, asking to know everything...and did in the worst way. She was the KGB version of Belloq, nothing more. After all, who would have been the main villian in the piece if not her? That would have been possible if Oxley's insanity was fake like the CGI animals. This movie just fulfilled a need...whatever happened to Indiana Jones after the last movie.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:08 PM CDT
shortround vs mutt in mutt jones and the something of somewhere!
by ironic_name
å∂´ß˙∆∆µ®¥©ç˜≈∆¨§¢®∑¬•º–æ¶∞®≥∆˚®ß∑˚≤¬y
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May 22, 2008 9:39:15 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:41 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:45 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:46 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:46 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:47 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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was When Sean Connery grabbed the crystal skull from Indy's hands, and Indy says "Daaad, I was playing with that" Then Connery slaps Indy's hand away. I laughed for a full minute.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:49 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:49 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:53 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:54 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:54 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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May 22, 2008 9:39:56 PM CDT
piece of fuckin shit. they should all be ashamed of themselves.
by future help
really. no, REALLY.
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I dig what you're saying, but wouldn't you agree, even a LITTLE, that it's asking a lot to have us (the audience) believe that ALL the monkeys FOLLOWED Mutt as he TARZANED his way expertly through the forest, and they ALL fall on the RUSSIAN vehicle? Especially after the grocery list of little nudge-nudges we'd already gotten (eg snake-rope, glimpse of the Ark, photo cameos of "Dad" and Marcus, etc) It just really took me out of the movie for a couple moments
Again, I want to stress that while I don't LOVE the movie, I DID enjoy it a lot. I'm nitpicking because 1) it's INDY and we expected a lot with this and 2) we're all movie geeks on this movie site discussing movie stuff, because that's what it's for -
Is because thats how monkeys show their love to someone their enamoured of, and it was a silent nod to the song "Jungle Love" by Morris Day and The Time. Jungle love, oh weee oh weee oh, I think I want to know ya, know ya
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I have just returned from seeing Indy IV for the second time. I saw it at the midnight premier, and once again this afternoon.
Last night, I was entertained, but was feeling empty when I left the theater. I didn't quite grasp what I had just seen, but what I did grasp I didn't feel was true. The more I thought about the movie, the more I worried that it had, in fact, let me down. This should not be the feeling I had gotten leaving a movie I had been waiting for since childhood.
As today wore on, I started thinking about the scenes I did enjoy. There are plenty of great, enjoyable moments in the movie. So, I went to see it again. I was still "in to" the movie last night at the end, but it was because I had no idea how it would end. This time, however, I did know the ending, so ... would the movie hold up of its own volition? Would it be a worthy, well-made movie that could entertain me over and over again like all the other (even Temple of Doom) Indiana Jones movies did?
Sadly, that is a resounding -no-. The second viewing revealed all of the terrible feelings I had felt last night, and revealed them all to be even more apparent the second time around. All of the good moments come in the first hour and the second hour was full of moments I despised.
Like many people, I was worried about the alien aspect. But, I found it to be quite well set-up and was buying it all the way up until the Akator scene. Why the hell did they make them "Inter-dimensional" beings. What the fuck does that even mean? I know what it implies, but why does this fit here? They could have just made them "Saucer Men From Mars".
The dialogue is terrible in some parts, and I found myself embarassed for Harrison Ford. There were so many scenes that made me cringe and think "My God, what did they do to Indiana Jones?"
The CGI itself was not an issue for me, and I think that anyone who blames this is either making something of nothing or copping out. The script...sucks. The feel of the movie just isn't right, yes the CGI had a part in this, but they could have made it fit into the right feel. But they didn't. This movie could have placed any number of people in the role of Indy and it wouldn't have changed. It felt like a story contrived first, then suddenly Indy was inserted as the main character.
This physically hurts me to write. Indiana Jones was almost reverent to me and my brother while growing up. Last Crusade was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. I was Indiana Jones for 3 Halloweens in a row and A Indy poster hung over my bed until middle school. I had followed this production since the advent of the Internet and was cautious, but very, very optimistic.
After the Cannes reviews came in, I was ecstatic. I was thoroughly excited and expecting a good movie. All I wanted was another adventure with Indiana. I got an hour of that, and then an hour of tearing down the character I loved. They didn't treat him with respect, he was weak and submissive. Mutt makes a fool out of him countless times, and it would have been alright had the humor been funny. The first viewing I enjoyed, but the second I loathed. I wanted to leave so I would be spared the Russians being pulled into another dimension.
People claim we fans hate this because of the increased absurdness, but point to the absurdness of the first three. I agree, they are absurd, but there was never a point where I said "Oh my god, what are they doing." They treated the character with respect and quickly pulled the viewer back in after the insane moments.
Ultimately, Indy I-III were good movies with a few bad parts. Indy IV was a bad movie...a bad movie with a few good parts.
How could the critics have seen the same movie as I did? AICN Reviewers - I am astounded by the fact none of you warned me at what I was about to see. This wasn't Indiana Jones.
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With all the negative Shia vibes going around, I was wary when I read he was cast in this last year. But he really held his own and made the most of his character. He did NOT mess it up and I can't think of anyone who could have done Mutt better (then again, I can't think of ANY good 20 something actors at all). As for the Tarzan thing, that's the faultof the writers/directors
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It wasn't spectacular. But it was damn fun. These people spewing hate are doing so just to hear themselves rant.
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This is a tough movie to review. It's hard to see Harrison Ford playing Indiana as an old guy. Your mind keeps trying to reject what you're seeing. However, it's a damn good movie. I need to see it a few more times but at first viewing I'd say better than Crusade, not as good as Doom (which I love). Raiders is untouchable so it's not even going to be compared to it.
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I've spotted a fair amount of bitching on this talkback. Out of curiosity; are the same people complaining about this movie the ones who liked transformers? If so, I've got your number. I'm just trying to figure out a way to control the masses.
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While it's okay to dislike something and have comments on why, but fuck, you know coming into this article that talkbacks will be like "FUCKING SUCKED" and be empty messages or just like "it was hella lame, fuck the beef". Grow up people.
Haven't seen it yet, I wasn't really anticipating it that much (gasp) so I'll make my way to the theatre in the coming weeks maybe. -
That's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. And this piece of shit will open to HUGE numbers I'm sure!
I actually dug the Star Wars prequels more than this turd... and that's saying a lot. -
Mutt tells him his mom's name was "mary williams". Not "marion".
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At the diner, Mutt says his mother's name is "Mary," as in "Mary Williams." I don't know why just Mary. And I don't know why Marion would have had her son believe her name is anything other than "Marion" or have her son know her as a "Mary." It's a writing speedbump. Mutt CAN'T say his mom's name is Marion, because then yeah Indy would know right off.
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That's why you should always ask the geeks first. We'll let you know if something is shit or not.
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the gophers monkeys and aliens were awful. the jungle scene was well done. the only good things i can say are indy grabbing his hat at the end, the diner fight, the jungle chase and the shot ofthe care in the hubcap.
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...apparently it fixes every scene or moment where characters are trapped in the movie.. .maybe it would've worked on the writing process
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Aside from indy's revisited fear of snakes, it has NOTHING to do with the three other films. Raiders, LC, and Kingdom are a LEGIT trilogy.
Talkbackers, bring on the hate..... -
If you actually read what I wrote, I didn't know how I felt about it after the first viewing. I had been waiting for this movie for a decade and I wanted to make sure I had fully grasped it before I made my decision. And I never said it sucked. But, if you consider the movie itself, think about the story telling, the cinematography, the acting, the dialogue. It is not a good movie. I could have even lived with this, had it been the Indiana Jones of my childhood romping through this bad movie, but it wasn't. It took me a while to accept this fact. I think I was probably in denial.
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I understand where you're coming from, but I personally cannot say it was SHIT and nothing but SHIT. Because for me it wasn't ALL shit; a lot of it was fun. Just not enough to push it ahead of the other movies in the series. So yeah, as far as a golden-orgasm sequel to raiders goes, I can say NICE TRY, LUCAS CHE
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Actually, I enjoyed Transformers a LOT. But I don't make excuses for the major gaping flaws in that film. But I do very much enjoy that film.
I'm not like the people on here completely ignoring the bad things about this film. -
http://tinyurl.com/2uqh6g
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considering you actually thought you'd fool people into waiting for henry jones to show up when everyone has known since before the movie went onto production he wouldn't be in it, i don't think you have anyone's number.
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And you realize that they didn't make indy spider-man, or wolverine, or bruce willis in die hard 4....they aged him, appropriately.
He knew when to pick his battles in this one, and that's simply awesome.
Watch them a few years from now, and aside from the CG, there won't be any dropoff between the films.
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that the entire movie was shit. There were parts I did not mind at all.
I said the storyline was shit. I actually enjoyed a lot of the dialog. The acting was solid all-around.
What I DIDN'T like was the over-the-top action sequences, the BAD RIP-OFF ending, and the use of CGI (not the fact that CGI was in it, but what they USED IT FOR), and the jumbled storyline that never got resolved. -
I liked it a lot, but man if they didn't pace it way too fast for me.
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Standing on speeding cars while swordfighting... swinging on vines, and actually overtaking speeding vehicles... the bad guys climbing down a rope that they had no business climbing down, JUST so they could get knocked off by the flying car. No, really... where the hell were they going? They got out of a perfectly good truck and started climbing down ropes for no reason.
AND... The bad guys in this flick are worse shots than all the COBRA goons and all the A-Team guys combined. They were like six feet away.. with automatic weapons..
JESUS CHRIST THIS MOVIE SUCKED. STAY AWAY. Let Lucas know that we won't watch SHIT just because it has the same name as something great from our past. Hey Lucas, If I shit out a juicy turd and called it a double cheeseburger, would you eat it?
At least Rambo kicked ass! All of our childhood heroes are not dead yet. -
is a pussy. Way to support the "cliche" and make an ass of yourself. I'm happy you left because your post contributed nothing. Wasted space.
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Whether you liked the movie, or hated it, does anyone have any suggestions/ideas on why they made the Akator deities inter-dimensional beings? Why couldn't they have just made them aliens? This would have been easier to swallow for me, although the entire movie reeked of half-assedness.
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Was williams' lazy score, truth be told.
the rest of it was fine.
we cling to the past, and it's absurd.
if CG was around in the 1980s, it would have been used extensively in these films, and we would have still loved them. -
-inadvertently coin a new phrase? The Suckquel? I like it! Well done.
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A little bit of a rough start that moves into an hour and fifteen minutes of indy joy that lives up to and even betters its predecessors. The motorcyclye chase, the 50's diner scene, the nuclear test, that damn red line, the quicksand/snake rope bit, KAREN ALLEN!!!!, Jim Broadbent, these are great things.
The movie loses it in the last act. From basically the second that Indy uses a bazooka on, the movie is everything you hoped it wouldn't be. Aside from the crazy ants and the entertaining waterfall sequence, the last part just didn't do it for me.
But, I could complain all day, and praise this thing all day. In the end, I get to only one conclusion and it's that I had a damn good time and I want to see it again. Hate on it all you want, love it if you have the inclination. I, for one, loved it.
Enough said. -
Great movie-- I would place this at number 2 with Raiders of course at #1. I was entertained the whole time and that is what matters to me.
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I like your style. Let's fuck.
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That was Ernie Reyes Jr. You know, the philipino-looking dude from "Red Sonja" with the kung-fu moves. He was in "3 Ninjas Kick back" too. When he sweeped the leg, and I saw his gaping nostrils, I was saying to myself, "Thats totally Ernie Reyes Junior". I called it. *grins*
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This movie was simply just not as bad as people say. You may not have liked it...but shit?
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What are the haters expecting?
Even if Raiders is the best one they are all as good as each other!
CRAZY CRITICS AND HATERS!!! CRAZY!!!
To be honest critics lately have been shit! E.g. Atonement= 90% boring. No Country For Old Men... It was Cohen time so they would have won even if they made a film about coke can.
I don't understand!! -
CG gophers, nuclear retardant refrigerators and Russians battling monkeys. At least Sean Connery had the good sense to stay away from quite possibly the only adventure movie worse than The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Unlike Sallah I'm not so pleased to see that Indy is not dead.
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I completely forgot about Indy being at ground fucking ZERO for a nuclear blast, and flying for miles inside a refrigerator, only to step ride out as if he were getting off a roller coaster. Connor Mcleod couldn't have walked away from that!
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May 22, 2008 10:07:08 PM CDT
the young howard the duck chronicles:jarjar shortrounds revenge!
by groothewarrior
it would make a few hundred mil
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Yes if it was around in the 80s we still would have loved them, because they were good movies. This was a bad movie, it starts with the script. It is the movie, everything that happens is in the script. And aside from some of the questionable timing of the dialogue, the script is what killed this movie. It did have bright spots, but those were from Jeb Stuart's script. I have no idea what Koepp has been working on these past couple of years.
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that all nonwhite peoples in the film are KILLED?! I guess if you are not Captain Katanga and are not white, you must DIE in Jonesworld.
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Good stuff. Everything after is fucking piss poor. Comparison to League of EG is spot on. Piss poor. Piss poor.
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Yes if it was around in the 80s we still would have loved them, because they were good movies. This was a bad movie, it starts with the script. It is the movie, everything that happens is in the script. And aside from some of the questionable timing of the dialogue, the script is what killed this movie. It did have bright spots, but those were from Jeb Stuart's script. I have no idea what Koepp has been working on these past couple of years.
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You posted:"FORGET ALL REVIEWS AND JUST GO WATCH IT.I remember doing that back when I was younger. I didn't read reviews back then and I had a better time. Anyway I don't know why it received negative reviews. If they scored this as an average film overall then all Indy films should score the same minus Raiders. Crystal Skulls is just as good as the latter 2."Well, I did just that, because I too like to go in unspoiled, without my thoughts being guided by others. And - it sucked... period. From the first view of Indy trussed up like a pig in the trunk, to the last, completely painful wedding kiss. I knew it wasn't going to be that great from the way-too-long drag-racing opening, to the stilted dialog, to the nuclear refrigerator bit. I just wasn't prepared for just HOW bad it was gonna get. Take your Indy blinders off people! The Mummy and National Treasure were better adventure movies than this!!
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May 22, 2008 10:13:48 PM CDT
Would you trust Karen Allen when she says 'trust me' now?
by ribbitking
Trust Me! i know there is a tree on the side of this cliff we are going to drive off which will not only brace our fall, but then perfectly counterbalance us to the ground ably to drive off. Trust me!
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that all nonwhite peoples in the film are KILLED?! I guess if you are not Captain Katanga and are not white, you must DIE in Jonesworld.
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This felt purely driven by nostalgia. What's worse, though, was that it felt desperate at times. I saw some glimpses of Indiana, but on a whole the character seemed like the shell of his former self. Marion, on the other hand, came across as maniacal at times. The relation between the two felt forced and awkward. The rest of the cast didn't fare much better, but that had more to do with the script I think. Spalko wasn't menacing enough; more of a caricature than anything else, with no real purpose plot-wise. You'd expect the villain to be someone you enjoyed Indy triumphing over. Not here. In fact, at no point did it seem that the Soviets posed any obstacle to Indy and his gang. *** Mac's triple-crossing and Indy's reaction carried no pathos, while his death was just a cliché. So yes, the script was terrible. And so was the dialogue. Indiana's quips all fell flat, while the scenes felt like they were made up on the spot. The warehouse scene robbed all the mystique that had characterized it in Raiders, which is quite sad, since I always felt that was one of the best closing scenes ever made. Now I will know that it is located in Roswell New Mexico, and that's it pretty easy to get in, since only a few soldiers seem to guard the entire complex. *** The scene where they entered El Dorado was devoid of any mystery or excitement. The indians posed no threat; whats more, it was poorly executed, since we knew that this was supposedly the second time Oxley showed up wielding the power of the [grey]skull. Stupid indians indeed (so much for being civilized by aliens; they were definately better off being conquered by the spanish). The contraption locking the entrance was redundant, meant more for the sake of having a cgi set-piece than because it made any sense in the context of the story. Then again, I still don't understand what those aliens were doing there in the first place. And what's the point of building a flying saucer if you are an interdimensional being that can travel "inbetween spaces"? Lame. And no, the nazca lines are NOT in Cuzco; Pancho Villa was mexican, so did not speak Quechua. And the Maya culture existed in central america; they did not hang out in the amazon region. Small and typical Hollywood mistakes for some. Proof that the script was a hack job to me. I expected more from Spielberg and Lucas.
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Maybe it refers to some very specific mythology that we are unaware of. I didn't know what a crystal skull was before I saw this, but apparently crystal skulls are a real thing. Psychics really were employed during the cold war. So maybe the inter-dimensional god business is from some story of myth that we don't know about.
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and YOU WILL HAVE THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!!! *Fanboy apologists guarantee it.
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and YOU WILL HAVE THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!!! *Fanboy apologists guarantee it.
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One AICN talkbacker nails the single Most Blown Moment in the film:
"Watch for the scene where Russkie bad gal Agent Irina Spalko falls into a Jeep right behind Marion: you're expecting something funny to happen, ANYthing to happen, but nothing does."
The audience leaned forward waiting...and nothing. We were all expecting a punch to the face. Nuthin'. -
Just wanted to say hello to the Ladyciple
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Crystal Skull is a great Indy movie. It is better than Temple of Doom, I liked a lot of it better Than Last Crusade... its a fun film with some classic Indy moments. People screaming about the aliens and believability? Its a fucking Indiana Jones movie, not Schindlers List. Ford is great, Shia does a good job, the action sequences are great.. stop with the crying about the friggin CGI, its fine. The people who wanted to hate this movie are going to nit-pick it to death. Obviously the majority of the critical reviews completely disagree and are giving it 4 star reviews. This movie did not suck, and the people that say that wouldnt know a good movie it if bit them in the ass.
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Just wanted to say hello to the Ladyciple
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Won't see it. I treat it like the first two Star Wars prequels, they don't exist. Star Wars to me is a brilliant 4-part series starting with Ep. 3.
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inpression in the beginning of the film. his delivery seemed weird to me at first, like a cheesy john wayne, but it soon went away.
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inpression in the beginning of the film. his delivery seemed weird to me at first, like a cheesy john wayne, but it soon went away.
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What made this a good movie? I'd like to know. The story was not original and that's fine. But not when the dialogue is stilted and the characters are all static. STATIC FUCKING CHARACTERS. Nobody changes in this movie, can anyone tell me about any character development? No one is changed. If you notice, I haven't once drawn into the "too unbelievable" well for my opinions. Though, there certainly was a great deal of this.
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Is it silly? Yes, in places.
Is it good? I still say yes.
All of the times I wanted to start criticizing it and pick it to pieces, I just thought to myself that this was an Indiana Jones movie and I immediately became happy again and completely enjoyed it. -
inpression in the beginning of the film. his delivery seemed weird to me at first, like a cheesy john wayne, but it soon went away.
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What kind of fucked up bullshit is that? Why should I leave it, so I don't realize it SUCKS! Great reccomendation! If you have no capacity for thought, and are just a fat, drooling, idiotic receptor for whatever inane garbage floats in front of your eyeballs, you'll love it!!!
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And I stared in horror, wondering, "did I hear that correctly?" But I did.
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You should see it, if only for the small chance you'll enjoy it. I don't think it's shit as many people have said. I found myself enjoying it right up until the end the first time I saw it. But it is definitely not a good film, in any sense of the word. It's a pastiche of good scenes summed up by a terrible conclusion.
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nobody would even know who IJ is because nobody would've watched the fukcing thing. Please don't peddle your bullshit in here like that because quite frankly, you're trying to tell us we're all stupid and that's why this fucking movie sucks ass the way it does. Just shut the fuck up already and get over that fact.
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the movie was fine . the beginning was classic Indy but the end got a little whacked out . listen ...all that cg monkey shit isn't directed at most the folks on here . yeah , you all wanted a pure Indy flick but they had to appeal to everyone and that means the rugrats too . why'd you think there was so little real violence ....hmmm . for what it was it was a thrill ride and for all the haters out there i know your already on amazon.com trying to preorder your Indy IV blu ray dvd so quit your crying please . face it you don't make this market go around as much as you'd like . sucks cause i'm with you on wanting the more fan based flick but its a matter of mass appeal .
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May 22, 2008 10:32:56 PM CDT
C'mon, don't use guys use your skull as a doorlock too? geez
by ribbitking
Funny thinking of 13 alien guys sticking their heads inside that door to unlock it....
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I saw Raiders as a 7 year old. I left the theater wanting to be Indiana Jones and that feeling hasn't really left me for the past 25 years. I loved Temple of Doom even with the less than interesting Shorty and Willie. I loved Last Crusade even with the over reliance on comedy and the clunky way the plot moved along. And I love this movie as well. Yes, the whole Crystal Skull mythology just feels like an excuse to send Indy out on an adventure, but who cares... anyone who's going to these movies looking for a deep or insightful plot is simply going in with misadjusted expectations. Sure, there were a lot of scenes that felt silly, but Temple and LC had those too (walking through a petrol river with a torch anyone? and, umm... why exactly did Belloq open that Ark? come on, given where they found it, was there any chance it wasn't the one true Ark?). These movies are riffs on the old republic serials and those movies were exactly like KotCS.... nonsensical excuses to put the hero in danger and see an adventure. If i have any complaints about this 4th movie, it would only be, again, an over reliance on comic relief (a la LC) and i could have lived without actually seeing that alien in the end. But i can get over it. This movie is a fun time. Indiana Jones is like my religion and I've been sweating this movie out since 1989... It's not Raiders, but I can finally say, i'm glad they made it. Go see it.... and have fun.
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How's it going? Glad you daughter enjoyed it at least! The key is if she's still talking about it days later ;) Or humming the theme song. And your simpler story line is WAY better than the current one. Kudos. I honestly think any Indy fan could have written a better plot and dialog than what we were given. Oh well, at least I didn't have to pay or wait in line for my screening. Yes, the beauty of Raiders was it's simplicity. Watched it last night to wipe the taste of KotCS from my lips, and boy - those scenes where there's not even a word uttered, only soaring music and incredible discoveries, are SADLY lacking in most modern films. Makes me sad :(
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thats what i'm getting from everyone here . the movie was fine .the beginning was classic Indy but the end got a little whacked out...so what . listen ...all that cg monkey shit isn't directed at most the folks on here . yeah , you all wanted a pure Indy flick but they had to appeal to everyone and that means the rugrats too . why'd you think there was so little real violence ....hmmm . for what it was it was a thrill ride and for all the haters out there i know your already on amazon.com trying to preorder your Indy IV blu ray dvd so quit your crying please . face it you don't make this market go around as much as you'd like . sucks cause i'm with you on wanting the more fan based flick but its a matter of mass appeal .
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What made it a good movie?? Just the mere fact that it IS A GOOD movie... This is an action movie based on Saturday morning serials... if you are looking for an in depth character study... this isnt it. Its got classic Indiana Jones feel... its better than the temple of doom, which certainly didnt have Oscar winning dialogue... There is nothing in this movie that is more unbelievable than Indiana jumping out of a plane with a life raft and landing safely, or jumping tracks in a run away coal cart yet everyone ate that stuff up. This is a good Indiana Jones movie.. Ford does not miss a beat. It accomplishes exactly what it set out to do.. bring back a great character to have some fun with. The Indiana Jones series has always given us high quality sequels.. and this fits in nicely.
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nobody would even know who IJ is because nobody would've watched the fukcing thing. Please don't peddle your bullshit in here like that because quite frankly, you're trying to tell us we're all stupid and that's why this fucking movie sucks ass the way it does. Just shut the fuck up already and get over that fact.
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he said "mary". an indy said there's been a lot of "marys".
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not only did you acknowledge Jungle Love, but you also know who Ernie Reyes is!!! That is the bees knees man. And he was in that movie with the Rock too. Whuppin ass capoeira-style!
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http://tinyurl.com/3nc8hp
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And just for anyone who missed it, I think that opening dissolve, where they turned the Paramount mountain into a mole hill.... that was a message for us.... Indy movies are "huge" in a sense... but at heart, they're glorified B movies. Anyone expecting something monumental is making a mountain out of a mole hill.... it's just supposed to a fun adventure movie. Enjoy it for what it is.
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May 22, 2008 10:46:52 PM CDT
Even the Family Guy Manatee writers could have written a less ra
by sigmachi04
Yeah, I know I wrote a positive preview earlier saying you haters have no life but that was before I actually went and saw the film, I apologize so here's my rebuke.
They should have let the guys who made the raiders adaption as kids write this script and direct with all the resources Lucas and Spielberg could muster. Or at least the Family Guy writers since they are fans too. My biggest nitpick is that there was NO character development or MYSTERY involved. Hear me out, how they could have made even the worst scenes golden. Here's a CGI free lesson Lucas and Spielberg can take into the afterlife on CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: The whole movie can be summed up in how RELATIONSHIPS are authentic. For instance, Shia could have befriended one of those monkeys earlier on in the Soviet camp while detained/bored giving it some food and taming it a little before it went and rallied it's friends to all out Ewok attack only the soviets and Spalko all Tarzan style. I mean seriously what prevented them from going all ape-sh*t on Shia and Indy and gang? Do they LIKE IKE TOO? OH here's something FUNNY they could have used for musical Comic relief since they BARELY used any John Williams film score for any scenes that were new and unique. When Indy opens the fridge unscathed from the nuclear blast and that Caddyshack gopher looks up him they should have blasted Kenny Loggins "I'm Alright, nobody worry 'bout me" instead of the raiders march! I have never hated on Lucas or Spielberg before but I think they should win gold for this film...if the special Olympics had a category for them. -
If you love Indy, you'll love this movie. What a bunch of whiny dorks in here. I could watch Harrison Ford play Indiana Jones on the toilet for three hours cracking diarrhea jokes and still be entertained. This movie is great, and don't let these whiners deter you from enjoying it.
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May 22, 2008 10:47:14 PM CDT
eople whom come on this talkback to complain about haters...
by future help
are simple dumb. the movie was shit.
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Yeah, I know I wrote a positive preview earlier saying you haters have no life but that was before I actually went and saw the film, I apologize so here's my rebuke. They should have let the guys who made the raiders adaption as kids write this script and direct with all the resources Lucas and Spielberg could muster. Or at least the Family Guy writers since they are fans too. My biggest nitpick is that there was NO character development or MYSTERY involved. Hear me out, how they could have made even the worst scenes golden. Here's a CGI free lesson Lucas and Spielberg can take into the afterlife on CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: The whole movie can be summed up in how RELATIONSHIPS are authentic. For instance, Shia could have befriended one of those monkeys earlier on in the Soviet camp while detained/bored giving it some food and taming it a little before it went and rallied it's friends to all out Ewok attack only the soviets and Spalko all Tarzan style. I mean seriously what prevented them from going all ape-sh*t on Shia and Indy and gang? Do they LIKE IKE TOO? OH here's something FUNNY they could have used for musical Comic relief since they BARELY used any John Williams film score for any scenes that were new and unique. When Indy opens the fridge unscathed from the nuclear blast and that Caddyshack gopher looks up him they should have blasted Kenny Loggins "I'm Alright, nobody worry 'bout me" instead of the raiders march! I have never hated on Lucas or Spielberg before but I think they should win gold for this film...if the special Olympics had a category for them.
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Why not give Spalko the power and have her end up growing into a 50 foot woman (wink wink another b-movie film from the Cold-War era) like they had the voodoo girl at the end of Pirates 3. That would be ultimate power her turning into a goddess. Only to have Indy in the cockpit of the flying saucer shooting her down. "I didn't know you knew how to fly Junior" Fly yes, land? NO!!! What an acid trip of a travesty this movie was.
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This movie is the equivalent of Spielberg and Lucas introducing "deep blue sea" as a sequal to "jaws". Loaded with special effects, cheesey dialogue, and...no you know what. I won;t even comare this to deep blue sea because I actually liked that movie. I can't even begin to express my disappointment(s) with this film. Please for the love of crystal skulls do not go and see this movie. Make a stand against holloywood before its too late.
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Your complete argument is "BECAUSE ITS A GOOD MOVIE". And yes, I think landing on a tree that miraciously bends like rubber a few hundred feet and doesnt break any limbs is more nonsensical than jumping an 8 foot gap in a coal cart. Oh...and also...BEINGS FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION. Seriously, I am hurt over this movie and I understand how you could have enjoyed it. I did, for quite a large portion of the movie. But it wasn't a good movie...period. And all these people who say "Don't scrutinize it, it's just Indiana Jones." I say, "Indiana Jones is higher than most movies and should be scrutinzed more deeply." How can you defend a movie when you have to ask other people not to think about it. The line between Art and Entertainment is supposed to be disappearing, apparently Lucas and Spielberg didn't get the memo. This was pure, adrenaline-pumping drivel. It was nothing more than shit shovelled to us in an interesting/visually appealing way. But I, like most of the longtime Indy fans on this board, realized that under the glossy coating, there was really nothing there.
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We have four prints and each one has practically been sold out all day long. This is nuts.
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bow chicka wow-wow i have come to clean the pool..
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You are bang on re: Indy's dilemmas. I accept you as my saviour.
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Thanks for recognizing my awesomeness. You're alllllllright!!!
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no time for ruv docta jowens!
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the gopher should have it's own movie.
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was that bob dylan's first band?
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...This was Indiana Jones in a movie that didn't feel like an Indiana Jones movie. I always hated the goofy tone in Last Crusade, but this made me appreciate Last Crusade more. Because it could have been this. It's not that I hated it either. I just watched it not giving a shit. And I guess that's worse. I left thinking "Lucas won. Spielberg and Ford made his shitty idea."
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Here's my review from http://www.cinephobia.com
Man, this is some bad movie.
And keep in mind; this is from someone who managed to enjoy some of the Star Wars prequels.
I didn’t expect Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to be at the level of its predecessors, but I did expect that Spielberg would at least deliver an enjoyable or halfway competent movie. I thought I would probably get a whole lot of stuff that didn’t really feel like classic Indiana Jones, but which had, say, a few really good action sequences in it, much as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade feels half-baked for much of its length but then has that awesome tank chase. We don’t get to see Spielberg do full-on action very often any more, so I would have been happy with that. But Crystal Skull just sort of sits there; it never comes alive.
The flame flickers for a while: Spielberg, along with cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, does a decent job of reproducing the look and shooting style of the original films. Harrison Ford is okay without being great; he isn’t helped by a lot of lazy, pre-fabricated joke lines (“That can’t be good…” and the like). But when we get into the first of the film’s action scenes, the editing isn’t very crisp, and the pulse never gets going. Spielberg has made much of his attempt to return to the style of editing he used on the originals; and as I have said several times elsewhere (most notably here) the Indiana Jones films were notable for a more measured construction than most other action films. Yet here that just becomes a kind of slack flabbiness to the editing. You can certainly read the action clearly – always the strength of the way Spielberg shoots and cuts – but we seem to be getting into shots too early and out of them too late. (This is really mystifying, since Spielberg’s veteran editor, Michael Kahn, is one of the few key crewmembers he has retained since Raiders of the Lost Ark). The gears never click, and you start to become conscious of how badly Harrison Ford moves.
For the first hour and a half, the film actually reversed my expectations: I had expected good action, but that the film wouldn’t feel like it was in quite the same Indiana Jones universe as the originals. Instead, the expository scenes actually did a pretty good job of placing us back in the series’ milieu, but Spielberg just hasn’t brought his A-game to the action. Neither the early chase in the warehouse, nor the motorcycle chase around campus, ever hit high gear: they reminded me of the little throwaway second-order action scenes Spielberg would toss into the earlier films almost as a bonus, like the sidecar chase in Last Crusade. Other sequences, like a fight in a graveyard, seem to be over before they really start. By the time Crystal Skull got to its centrepiece jungle chase, I was growing impatient, but was still eager for my big pay-off: but that sequence doesn’t deliver either. People leap from car to car and punch each other, but Spielberg never finds anything more interesting to do, and squanders obvious opportunities. Why, for example, having established that the villains have a giant tree-cutting machine covered in whirling blades, does he have Indiana Jones almost immediately blow it up? In the original films, characters would have been jumping on and off it; having to race against time to get out of the way of the blades; using it dispatch villains in gruesome style; and so on. Instead, we get some very unconvincing staging: most notably when Indiana’s sidekick Mutt Williams (Shia Le Bouf, who is fine, incidentally) ends up doing the splits between two cars while being whacked in the groin by passing trees.
It isn’t that this is fundamentally more implausible than anything in the original films; but it’s all about how the filmmakers sell the gag. It has to be either made plausible through careful staging (think of the way in Raiders it is somehow convincing that Indiana Jones can throw a fully grown man through the windscreen of a truck), or at least pulled off with a showman’s flourish (like that over-the-top moment in Temple of Doom when the minecar flies across a chasm and lands perfectly on the rails on the other side). Here, Spielberg holds moments like these too long, plays them too broadly, and shows no instinct for which jokes are funny enough that the audience will grant him some licence. It also doesn’t help that the whole setting for the jungle chase looks so phoney, obviously done largely in front of green-screens in computer-generated surroundings. It’s bewildering that Spielberg has talked in interviews about keeping the effects largely practical: the film is chock full of CGI, much of it terrible. There is a scene where Mutt comes to the rescue swinging on vines Tarzan style, accompanied by an army of CGI monkeys. It is a bad idea badly realised, with awful effects and not even any zip in the execution (ditto regarding another moment involving a car, a river and a tree). The use of computerised effects also robs the signature Indiana Jones creepy-crawly sequence of any menace: a sequence involving a colony of giant ants should have sent a shiver up the spine, but instead comes across as a pale imitation of the much better use of a similar idea in Peter Jackson’s King Kong.
What about the stuff around the action? (Spoilers start here, for what it’s worth). Well, people are going to walk out complaining about the use of a science fiction conceit, which doesn’t really fit into the rules of the series thus far. I didn’t mind that so much, in principle. George Lucas - and it was his idea, one with which Spielberg and Harrison Ford were apprently never terribly comfortable - has justified it on the grounds that the setting has shifted to the fifties, so he thought it appropriate to use a conceit from a 1950s B-science fiction movie. As an intellectual rationalisation, this is fine, but it doesn’t actually work that way, because nothing in the film ever actually evokes the iconography of those movies: it’s just regular Indiana Jones, but with aliens. Again, though, that wasn’t my problem per se. I was more bothered by the tediousness of the set-up. There’s always a back story to the mythology in these films, and a process of following clues, but all that stuff is particularly long-winded and clunky here. What’s more, there are elements to the plot and dialogue that suggest nobody even tried to make it hang together properly. For example, the treacherous character of Mac at first appears to be purely out for profit; he then convinces everyone he’s a good guy working for the Central Intelligence Agency. Yet when they walk into mythical lost city at the end, he complains loudly about the lack of treasure. Why does nobody ask him what happened to the CIA?
The whole thing is mystifying. Not just because Spielberg’s work here is so anonymous (this doesn’t even feel like bad Spielberg; the action scenes, in particular, feel like they could have been shot by anyone). No, the real mystery is that this has gotten decent and even enthusiastic reviews. I’m a big fan of the series, a registered Spielberg apologist, and have even been known to enjoy and make excuses for George Lucas’ lesser films. And I just cannot see what others found to like here. Could it be that there are two versions of the film out there? My sense of disconnect from those who have given the film good reviews is that profound. I walked out shaking my head, wondering if Spielberg’s only agenda was to ensure that nobody ever pestered him for another Indiana Jones film ever again. -
Jack Williams, a pilot in the RAF? Could he be the same Jack from the opening of Raiders? I couldn't find a name for him on IMDB.
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May 22, 2008 11:10:43 PM CDT
I just got back from it. Basically, IJ & KOTCS=JP2: TLW
by orbots commander
I went with a group of friends to see it and everybody came out kind of shrugging, saying it was okay. The theater that I saw it in was dead silent through most of i, not nearly the good time it was seeing Iron Man in a theater.
The movie wasn't terrible; it just wasn't something I'd pay to see again, in theaters or DVD, kind of like a goofy Roland Emmerich movie.
This just didn't FEEL like an Indiana Jones movie. It didn't even feel like a Spielberg movie. It came off as Indiana Jones, as interpreted through Rob Cohen or Brett Ratner aping Spielberg.
The WORST part? Definitely the alien and the saucer. Terrible ending. That's where it went south for me.
I still enjoy the previous three Indy movies, ALL three, whenever they re-run on cable.
The re-watchability factor on this one though is nil. -
of pure genius...The opening sequence, the ants, even the alien revelation. The plot in Indy 4 seems far fetched, but its just as fantastical as the first 3 films. Only this one is much much different. I love the story, its truly original, yet taylor made to fit an Indy movie formula. There were also moments of not-so-greatness in this film. Indy's reaction to seeing Marion the first time, the quicksand scene, and to me the scenes that Indy and Marion shared together felt like a TV citcom, not like the Indy\Marion scenes of Raiders.
The good of the film far outweighs the bad. I loved this movie for what it really is, a great adventure, truly epic, and fun as hell to watch. Picking this film apart is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Just go to the theater and have fun people, life is too short to nag and whine about every negative thing, your missing the big picture. If you can make a better movie than Indy 4, then go ahead and make one. -
I am a huge Indy fan. I don't know what the hell that movie was. Clunky, retarded. Looked like the entire movie was shot on a studio lot. Crappy cgi. Etc. Etc.
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of pure genius...The opening sequence, the ants, even the alien revelation. The plot in Indy 4 seems far fetched, but its just as fantastical as the first 3 films. Only this one is much much different. I love the story, its truly original, yet taylor made to fit an Indy movie formula. There were also moments of not-so-greatness in this film. Indy's reaction to seeing Marion the first time, the quicksand scene, and to me the scenes that Indy and Marion shared together felt like a TV citcom, not like the Indy\Marion scenes of Raiders.
The good of the film far outweighs the bad. I loved this movie for what it really is, a great adventure, truly epic, and fun as hell to watch. Picking this film apart is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Just go to the theater and have fun people, life is too short to nag and whine about every negative thing, your missing the big picture. If you can make a better movie than Indy 4, then go ahead and make one. -
The theater was dead silent except for an old couple who kept talking and laughing.
What a mess of a movie. I thought TOD was a bad movie but this makes TOD look like Casablanca. The movie had a ridiculous story (this was the script they all finally agreed on?), Harrison looked more tired and constipated than usual, and the constant "hey it is a reunion" theme Spielberg kept ramming down my throat was tiresome. They should have stopped with the trilogy (hmmm...kinda like Star Wars) -
How's it going? Glad you daughter enjoyed it at least! The key is if she's still talking about it days later ;) Or humming the theme song. And your simpler story line is WAY better than the current one. Kudos. I honestly think any Indy fan could have written a better plot and dialog than what we were given. Oh well, at least I didn't have to pay or wait in line for my screening. Yes, the beauty of Raiders was it's simplicity. Watched it last night to wipe the taste of KotCS from my lips, and boy - those scenes where there's not even a word uttered, only soaring music and incredible discoveries, are SADLY lacking in most modern films. Makes me sad :(
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That could be the same Jack who flew the plane at the start of Raiders. I thought his accent sounded kind of Aussie: "Thats just mah pet snake Reggie!!" But it could have been British.
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May 22, 2008 11:32:38 PM CDT
Harrison was the backbone of Indy 4, but Shia was its lifeblood
by chishu_ryu
Seriously, for me, the movie comes alive when he was on screen. He is the best thing about this movie. I was a bit surprised. He holds his own up there with Harrison Ford really really well. Never thought I'd think it, but I could actually see Shia being able to carry his own Indy-style movie.
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May 22, 2008 11:33:30 PM CDT
I have finally see it. First, let me say that I'm very happy
by proman1984
It was Great Wonderful film. The action sequences were amazing. The only flaw was in the screenplay but it was to the movie's credit that I'm willing to overlook it. This was a wonderful film.
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were george lucas's way of saying fuck u for hating on the ewoks and shia is f u for hating jarjar.
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Hey retard - get your facts right before you throw stones. Mutt said his mom was Marion Williams... not Marion Ravenwood when he chats with Indy at the table.
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Hey retard - get your facts right before you throw stones. Mutt said his mom was Marion Williams... not Marion Ravenwood when he chats with Indy at the table.
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So, far this summer hasn't gone so well for me on the moviegoing front. I'm probably one of the only people on the planet who hated both Iron Man and Indy 4. I am really looking forward to Dark Knight though. Nolan can do no wrong right now. I really wish Fincher's Benjamin Button was coming out this summer. That looks really good.
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I mean really now.
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Did Lucas/Spielberg get their script mixed up for X-Files 2?
The plot was far fetched...even for Indiana Jones!
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Again, people coming on here telling other who have been fans of the series for two decades to just view it as another movie and not to be critical, who the fuck do you think you are? I'm sorry for the profanity, as it usually makes arguments uncredible, but I couldn't think of any better way to put it. These movies were so, so important to me growing up and even now. Then we get a mildy-entertaining, absurdly produced, terribly written movie and we're told to just sit back and watch. Why? We obviously are the key demographic, and if casual fans like it, so be it, but we deserve as much say as anyone and probably more. I can honestly say I did not feel like I was watching an Indy movie, and that's the most damning thing of all. I'm furious at the unholy trio who spawned this atrocity, obviously Jeb Stuart's draft wasn't as bad as they said. Granted it has a worse title, all the good scenes in this (almost all of Act I) were ripped straight from Stuart's draft. I'm embarassed this is what they've sunk to. Whereas the first three were beloved and rewatchable to a fault, this movie was "okay" and will be forgotten in six months...Unexcusable.
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I mean really now.
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A lot. Shia was great in the movie. All you haters can go back to damning Michael Bay or bitching about how people raped your childhood or some shit. In other, words, go and drink your haterade.
I grew up in the 80's. This movie truly made me feel like a kid again. At no point was my childhood or my favorite series of movies raped.
What I loved: The Ark being shown in the warehouse and making us think that is what the Russians were looking for. The greaser/jock fight was pretty great. The motorcycle chase and the end to that wonderful. "If you want to be an archeologist, get out of the library." The shot with Indy standing in front of the atomic bomb blast was fucking iconic. The ant scene was creepy fun. The jungle chase was badass. The temple itself was really well done. The almost passing of the torch at the end of the flick. Shia was great in the movie. Would love to see what they do with his character in future movies. The waterfall scene was actually quite entertaining. The quicksand scene was really funny. The atomic test town and fridge were unexpected and handled really well. The Janitor from Scrubs as an FBI guy. Didn't see that coming. Gently downplaying the absence of Connery and Marcus Brody. John Hurt. 'nuff said there.
What I didn't like: The monkey scene was unnecessary if only to show that the kid was like his old man but that honestly could been shown in a better way I'm sure. Cate Blanchette's accent was kind of lousy. Marion was not given enough to do. Would have loved to see a little more of her. No Sallah! You'd think that since Indy and Marion are getting married that Sallah would have fucking been there. Making Marcus a bad joke. Then again that was done in Last Crusade. Pretty much eliminating the chance that Connery will make in appearance in future installments.
For the most part, I'll put this one over Last Crusade. Maybe even Temple. I truly liked a lot of the movie and might even consider seeing it a third time. The alien aspect was not a big issue for me as I had heard to go in with this movie with the mindset that it was supposed to be a throwback to the 1950's sci fi flicks and not the serials of the 30's and 40's. With that in mind, I think I enjoyed the movie more than I expected to. The series has potential to continue if they were to put Shia's character into the hero role over the course of the next two movies... -
It was awful! Fucking awful! Yeah it kind of looked like Indy, with the hat, and the whip, and the name and all. But it was not Indiana Jones. I'm sorry Harry, and everyone else that loved this, but it just wasn't good. How can you steal from a Mummy movie (And not even the good one, but the second one), which is exactly how the ending went when the jungle disappeared, and the fire ants? Wasn't that just a version of the scarabs from the first Mummy movie? And also thigns were stolen from from Stargate? Seriously, it felt more like a fucking Sci-Fi Channel movie than it did Indiana Jones. I kept waiting for Shia to yell something lame like "Hey, Mansquito!" or some shit, and yes people, he did not disappoint. And when he started crying? LAME!!! Indiana Jones fighting aliens? Hell no! There were plenty of better stories they could have used. The Spear of Longinus which was used in the comic book would have been better. Hell, I'd have rather seen Indiana Jones and the Holy Hand-Grenade of Antioch than I would this piece of crap! I agree with the earlier post, there are moments that are brilliant, and classic Indy. Using the snake as a rope, beautiful! IT felt like Indy of old. But those moments were too few and far between. And plus, not just the Alien story, but the pacing felt wrong. Normally there is a beginning to a story. Here they just throw you in, like they couldn't actually think up how to begin. And when did Indy become Marcus Brody? It's like someone just said, let's take the Denholm Elliot character and give his traits to Indy. Fuck George Lucas for taking another franchise that worked, and screwing it up! Why he wants to destroy what he creates I don't know, but fuck him to for shitting on the memory of Indiana Jones just as he did with Star Wars.
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The first NATIONAL TREASURE movie was a better serial-adventure movie than KOTCS. Again, this just did not feel like an Indiana Jones movie. What a dissapointment. Will not be recommending this one to friends or family.
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the ant/big guy fight. it was pretty brutal. he dude had a bunch of blood in his mouth.
my audience also had a lot of kiddies with their paents. and despite a couple of eww!! gross!!! moments they were totally digging it. and they laughed at the prairie dogs and monkeys.
i loved the scary lightning graveyard scene but it's scary for kids. if you think about it that's a genius move to include something as innocous as monkeys/dogs because it turns a violent scary movie kid friendly for a few. genius. -
Actually, I REALLY liked Mummy 2 rather than Mummy 1. Mummy 2 was just a really fun thrill ride, because of the rules the universe had.
However, I didn't like that Indy 4 felt like a Mummy movie. Indy 4 did not follow the rules of the universe. -
INDY 4 is a mixed bag - a huge overflowing mixed bag - some good elements, some bad.
I think the main problem is that these elements never gel into a cohesive story.
The family plot + the crystal skull story feel like to two different movies.
In contrast, say what you will about Last Crusade, Connery's lifestory is inseparable from the grail.
INDY 4 is a blatant patchwork of bits + pieces of discarded scripts - and the pieces don't often fit. -
Never has a truer word been written:
'The Indy that uttered the line "Trust me" to Marion inside her Nepalese bar has never been revisited. The "in-over-his-head" weary Humphrey Bogartesque character that captivated me when I saw the film in 1981 has never been put on the screen since.'
I've never heard anyone capture that truth so well. Thanks man. -
Actually, I REALLY liked Mummy 2 rather than Mummy 1. Mummy 2 was just a really fun thrill ride, because of the rules the universe had.
However, I didn't like that Indy 4 felt like a Mummy movie. Indy 4 did not follow the rules of the universe. -
There were great moments, and there were terrible moments. So while I didn't love it, I was still entertained, which is pretty much how I felt about Temple of Doom, my least favorite of the series. That said, this still had SLIGHTLY more of a sense of fun than TOD, so I'd probably place it just barely above that. Oh, and the aliens weren't what I had a problem with. It was the clunky exposition about them, the terrible CGI, and Kaminski. Kaminski's horrid cinematography damn near ruined the movie all on its own. Not only did I not believe any of the CGI scenes for a second, but thanks to him, much of the stuff that was 100% real and tangible looked totally fake. He was a BAD fit for an Indy film. That said, I actually enjoyed Shia in this, more than Karen Allen. And I really liked the aliens angle, and I really liked all the Indy backstory we got. I pretty much loved everything up through the motorcycle chase, and then it started to go WAAAAAAY downhill.
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May 23, 2008 12:00:24 AM CDT
The worst parts were when they were trying to repeat themselves.
by jonquixote
Most of the new ideas - specifically tapping into the 50's Sci-Fi & McCarthyism paranoia - were actually pretty good. Those, as well as the beautifully choreographed chaos saved the movie from being a dull, self-aware clone (which it is at its heart). Indy's back (yay!), even if he's a little creaky.
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It wasn't nearly as bad as some of you make it out to be. I didn't even mind the snake bit, in context. At least all the jokes were aimed at other characters in the movie, instead of the audience. It's by no means on par with the Phantom Menace.
All that being said, I don't think it's a great movie either. I think it's about on par with Crusade. Also, unlike some reviews I've read, I thought it got stronger as it went on. I didn't even mind the end, like some. I mean, these movies deal with the Ark of the Covenant as really being the hand of god, and the Holy Grail really giving imortality, so how is this any different? -
I'm fairly worried about this movie, after all the negative reactions here. It sounds like this was as unnecessary as Die Hard 4.0.
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IK my friend, I've gotta say, you're all that is so very wrong with much of the film world today. You don't get cinema. You just don't get it because you have this arrogant and elitist mindset.
You're 100% totally wrong with whatever restaurant metaphor you were speaking about. Not everyone likes filet mignon. OR, sometimes you're not in the mood for fucking filet mignon, even if it's 1/10th of the price you'd normally pay... sometimes you're in the mood for a fucking McDs Fish Sandwich with extra tartar sauce, large fries, and a fucking coke. Even though you know it has zero nutritional value. Even though it may give you the runs on a bad day. But for that moment, when you're sitting there chowing on it, you're happy and having a good time. THAT IS WHAT CINEMA IS ABOUT.
Someone liking a movie like this, or any popcorn flick, isn't inferior. They aren't idiots. They enjoyed their time. They were entertained. Yeah, there might have been some cheesy implausible moments, but fuck it, who cares? It's not going to matter in the daily lives of everyone. It's not health care, taxes, war, hunger, etc. It's entertainment.
You hated the movie? Fuck do I care? Fuck does anyone care here? Others liked the movie? Good for them. They had a good time. Some LOVED it? Great... even better. Who the fuck cares? No one in this scenario is "right" or "wrong".
It's great to discuss what you liked or hated about it. Nothing wrong with that. But to say or imply that those whose opinion differs from yours have low standards or whatever is just ASININE.
There are great films that will always come along and stand apart from the rest. They are few and far between not because of the low standards of the film going audience, but because such films are difficult to create. It's so hard to have all of those pieces come together in the right way at the right time.
But damn IK, what don't you understand about cinema... why don't you get it? Why don't you understand that films are subjective? Each and every individual brings their own experiences, desires, etc. with them into that theater for each and every film. It is IMPOSSIBLE for a film to be great to everyone. Impossible. And that is not because some people are a step above others, and some are a step below. It's because we're all individuals.
I haven't seen it yet. I look forward to going. I'll decide for myself. I only have one expectation... to be entertained. If it doesn't entertain me then oh well. I won't piss and moan and say that Lucas and Spielberg "fucked up" because they didn't make the movie I wanted to see. How could they? Why would they? -
Felt much like Die Hard 4. Sapped the violence out and made it PC for kids.
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The Ark and The Holy Grail are legends that have been around for 2000 years, told in every culture. Both have been the center of countless wars and centuries of searching. The Crystal Skulls, however, were entirely created for this movie by, in my opinion, an idiot. Seriously? A dead alien's skull, no! A being from another dimensions skull? Come on. They didn't even use the mythos of the real crystal skulls (even though they were revealed to be forgeries.) Lucas is a fool, and Spielberg and Ford are too, for agreeing to this movie.
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Saw it twice today. Liked it. Fun, funny, adventurous... Indy and The Beef both did pretty good. The alien (inter-dimensional being, if you want to be p.c.) was awesome! Blanchett and Winstone could have been better, but overall it was good!
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Let's face it, most career critics don't want to piss off the all powerful Spielberg and Lucas...so you really have to rely on the fans on this one. Above are some of the most creative and hilarious reviews and comments i've read, and my theory is that it's because its fueled by real passion, and a genuine disappointment....mutt boy swinging like Tarzan? WTF...i don't think i have any more temptation to watch this film, in fact, I'd like to keep my admiration for the Indy series and his character intact, because Last Crusades was a perfect ending. Instead of ending up disappointed on a Friday night, I recommend you check out Prince Caspian, or, if you can't resist the temptation of possibly re-living that feeling of seeing an Indiana Jones film, then when it ends in disappointment, and you need to see a real adventure film, that draws you in, check out Prince Caspian. If all the fanboy hate has deterred you check out this new international trailer and it might change your mind: http://tinyurl.com/5gkj4o
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It was just badly executed. Anyone remember why they got stuck in "Akator," or why it/they decided to kill Spalko? And man, that stupid line they had Indy say, "The greatest treasure is knowledge"... how ironic, when you consider that the script confuses Peru with Mexico on several occasions (hearing mexican ranchero music at the top of the andes was particularly hilarious). And couldn't Lucas, Nathanson, and Koepp quickly look up Pancho Villa on wikipedia before making up that story about him teaching Quechua to Indy? Here you've got the most famous filmmakers/producers getting together to write the script to one of the most anticipated and best-loved films in the history of cinema, who've got access to all necessary resources, not to mention free knowledge at available to anyone with a computer and internet connection, but they are too lazy to use it. Result? A stupid story about decapitated aliens with magnetic craniums that travel inbetween dimensions with flying saucers. Please explain.
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Seriously, ILM, Lucas, and Spielberg melted my mind. It was like showing Jenna Jameson to a kid. What the HELL is going on?? CGI or not it was really in the "space between spaces" as much as sex is really "the birds and the bees"
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It was an ok film, an interesting view of who Indiana Jones becomes after a lifetime of further adventures off screen (despite the hat, he's not the same character we saw 20 years ago). There was a gasp of excitement from the audience when the doors opened to reveal "the warehouse". But when I saw that glimpse of the Ark, the great source of mystery and power, sitting in an unnoticed wrecked box, I found myself wishing for "Raiders 2" rather than "Indiana Jones and the Chariots of the Gods". I have a long list of things I thought did or didn't work, but on the whole I was left disappointed ... for all the artistry, there was no sense of awe. Seeing the Ark lying as collateral damage was somehow symbolic of the lost sense of wonder at the implications of what he was wrapped up in.
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Too little action, and what action there was crossed that suspension of disbelief line and went miles into the utterly unbelieveable. And there was no risk to life or limb excitement; I never felt anyone was in any real danger. The lack of action was replaced with too much senseless and pointless talking; dialogued exposition that seemed to come out of nowhere and lead to the same place (Colonel Jones? WTF). Too much CGI with Shia swinging fakely through a fake forrest with fake monkeys. Too many awkward moments which appear to be a lack of good takes, which makes me believe that the cast and crew were more concerned with having a good time than making a good movie, a'la the Ocean's 12 syndrome. The bright spots were mainly seeing Indy again, and still kicking action. And there were a few good moments peppered throughout.
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The reason it's dangerous for people to like this trash film is because it encourages MORE sloppy film-making.
It has nothing to do with an elitist attitude, it has to do with demanding decent standards (ie, a solid script) for whatever film franchise you're supporting. -
I think it would've been easier for many folks to accept the alien angle had the script better established the aliens as "gods" to the Peruvian cult, making their skulls more in line with the religious artifacts of the previous films. I expected the "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" to be a culture that we would explore - like the Indian sects of Temple of Doom. Instead, the jungle tribes of Peru were just mindless animalistic killers - their belief system was almost a non-issue. Indy translating one of the tribe member's fanatical ravings could have replaced pages of chunky exposition w/ mysterious clues. It would also establish the skulls as objects of religious devotion - in league w/ the macguffins from the rest series.
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It's been an hour since credits rolled for me, I'm actually furious of how terrible it was!
What was the point of the prairie dogs at the beginning? Totally unnecessary! At least Lucas has ran out of cherished childhood franchises to ruin! -
I personally wanted to LOVE this film. And yet I went into it with NO EXPECTATIONS. That should have been the perfect recipe for me to enjoy something. Hell,I've deluded myself into loving crappy films before. This one was just too much. I didnt realize just how much Indy meant to me until I saw him dragged through this shit. I'm gonna go watch Last Crusade now....
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I, personally, believe in God. And aliens, for that matter. But a being from another dimension is just too much for me to take. I was with the alien plot all the way, and including, Spalko's uncovering of the body in the Amazon. I even thought it was clever that the Mayans were worshipping the aliens. But it was just cheesy and lazy to make them "inter-dimensional beings". What could it have hurt to make them regular aliens? After all, I thought we were going for a 50s sci-fi feel. This was just the cherry on top, however, I felt the entire movie was shoddily handled. Amazing it took 19 years to come up with that.
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I honestly loved the first half of the film and was enjoying the ride right up until the ridiculous jungle chase, which had some really sloppy effects work and just got way too silly as it went on (yes, the "vine swinging" sequence with the monkeys is truly terrible and was met with groans from the audience). The movie lost me from that point on, especially the ending, which didn't have the kind of payoff I was expecting and didn't really feel to me like the fate of the world was at stake (extra-terrestrial mind control powers don't seem nearly as interesting as a weapon of God unleashed upon the earth or the quest for the Holy Grail and it's promise of immortality). It wasn't a huge disappointment since there are a lot of moments that genuinely feel true to the series, but it turns into a bit of a mess towards the end. I did enjoy it for the most part but the last half could have used some retooling.
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against Ford sounds more like an indictment against Fords old tired ass and less like TheQueef was able to do something different than what he's always done. And this train wreck is being compared to National fucking Treasure way too much. These two fat fucks need to be retired ASAP.
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I DONT LIKE INDY 4 WHAAAAAA
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I have a feeling we're going to see a colossal nose dive next weekend in BO after word of this incredible shitfest gets out. Fuck Spielberg and Lucas.
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Just watched them all and it's clear that nostalgia is fucking with many of you. Even Raiders has some terrible lines, implausible action sequences, etc. Hell, perhaps because I've seen it so many times, Raiders seemed pretty slow paced during the second act... with a little jump here and there maybe.
Temple of Doom's script is TERRIBLE. The action set pieces are implausible. Many of the effects are worse than any CG could possibly be.
Last Crusade is much of the same, BUT WITH A BETTER SCRIPT than Doom. .. and with more of a lighter feel to it.
That said, I love those movies just the same. They exist in a whole separate realm. They exist to entertain. To make you cheer.
But hearing what people are saying of their favorite Indy movies and then what they are saying about this new installment's "flaws"... I can't help but think that yeah, nostalgia be fucking with you. Temple of Doom comes out today, you people would have a shit fit. Last Crusade as well. Regardless, our childhoods have nothing but fond memories of not just Raiders, but the trilogy as a whole. Despite their flaws. You can't argue that one macguffin is more plausible than the other because they are all collectively implausible. -
Paraphrasing the quote from Henry Sr. in Last Crusade. Seriously, make a film that gives us hope, not one that makes defies our senses in the "space between spaces" of reality. 19 years for this dump? Even a drunk off of 12 year old Chivas could have written a better script without seeing any of the trilogy.
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Really wanted to like the movie, but the script was pretty shit. There was no set-up whatsoever. Some of the set pieces felt really pointless. The directing and acting were what you would expect from Spielberg, but the story... shucks. I guess I liked it okay. It would have been easier had I not ended up sitting next to a guy who basically decided to do calisthenics the whole movie. I could take it and did actually tell him to cut out the "display of footwork" after half an hour of him constantly kicking his foot around at eye level.
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George Lucas must be stopped... of course I'm sure he will sell enough legos and Indy Happy Meals to fully justify Indiana Jones 5: Attack of Greaser Ninjas
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May 23, 2008 12:34:20 AM CDT
This is NOT an Indiana Jones movie . . .
by adiehardfanwithalethalweapon
Saw it earlier today and have had the time to digest it. The entire film felt forced. The story just did not fit into Indys mythos and it felt like a bad episode of the X-Files (starring Indiana Jones) more than anything. I left the theater simply upset. I was not what I had hoped for.
I can honestly see why Connery wanted nothing to do with it in the early stages. I think Lucas has jumped off a cliff and has sadly strapped Spielberg to his waist. For shame.
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I DONT LIKE INDY 4 WHAAAAAA
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The original trilogy was flawed, I'll give you that. But they had flawed MOMENTS. This movie was flawed as a whole. As I said above they were great movies with a few bad parts. This was a bad movie with a few great parts. And that makes all the difference. Also, like scotsman750 said, people were audibly angry at the implausability of events. I've seen the original trilogy dozens of times with dozens of new people I've forced to watch the movies. It's actually a barometer for new girlfriends/potential friends (along with Pulp Fiction, The Graduate, and American Beauty.) No one has EVER audibly voiced their distaste for the implausible events in these movies, because they were handled well. There was a brief stupid (yet usually funny) moment, then it was immediately reeled back in to reality. This whole movie kept veering off course after Act I (which was good). I've seen it twice and both times left despondent and questioning whether I had given it a fair shot. Two times in two days is enough. I'll give it one more chance to win me over...but I sincerely doubt it.
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GL and SS are so old and out of touch with reality anymore it boggles the mind how they could even begin to put this project together. And if this is what all 3 of them got excited about then someone should start sneaking Alzheimer medicine in their coffee.
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May 23, 2008 12:40:49 AM CDT
This is NOT an Indiana Jones movie . . .
by adiehardfanwithalethalweapon
Saw it earlier today and have had the time to digest it. The entire film felt forced. The story just did not fit into Indys mythos and it felt like a bad episode of the X-Files (starring Indiana Jones) more than anything. I left the theater simply upset. I was not what I had hoped for.
I can honestly see why Connery wanted nothing to do with it in the early stages. I think Lucas has jumped off a cliff and has sadly strapped Spielberg to his waist. For shame.
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GL and SS are so old and out of touch with reality anymore it boggles the mind how they could even begin to put this project together. And if this is what all 3 of them got excited about then someone should start sneaking Alzheimer medicine in their coffee.
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Its gotta be the easiest job in all the world...I don't suppose anyone is reading all the way down here, but...The problem with this movie, isn't Ford's age or Shia or even the alien thing I would say...its just, and it has been said before, the freaking script is a mess! And the really sad things is, it feels totally like there is a good (even a really, really good) movie here and it isn't even that far removed from what they shot. Here, just off the top of my head a few easy things they could have done with the writing, the direction, or the editing to make this movie much, much better: One, slow things down some...what was really needed was some more time to develop relationships, especially where Indy and Marion are concerned. Basically they just rely on our knowledge of their past relationship, and their "falling in love again" just feels really fake and forced. It really makes Marion seem like a really shallow chick, because she basically forgives Indy walking out on her (again) because of a cornball line ("They weren't you"). 2: No freaking Tarzan. That scene took freaking everyone right out of the movie, it is just ri-fricking-diculous. It would have been much better to show Mutt struggle out of the vines, fall on his ass, struggle to get up, and then try to haul ass to cut off the cars (him dashing through the jungle to head them off isn't any less believable then him catching up by swinging on vines). 3: One and only one water fall - you can keep the whole it drops three times thing, but have them get off the river after the first one, when their car/boat thing is toast, and everyone is next to dead. 4: Establish the presence of the natives much earlier, which could be part of slowing things down (making seem the trip through the jungle took days, instead of just a jaunt). I mean freak, just imagine if they had played up the city being gaurded, and after they go over the waterfall, they get off the river and setup a camp somewhere, while the russians setup a seperate camp higher up river (cause they don't have a boat). While they are setting up camp, Marion and Indy could have some dialog, a little bit more bickering, a little bit more flirting (with mixed reactions from Mutt). Then they show both camps getting attacked, but Indy's group has the Skull, and it Ox holds it up and it keeps em back, meanwhile the Russians are in an all out fight for their lives, but they manage to fend them off with their superior weopons. Then we go back to Indy's camp where Ox is still holding the skull and muttering oddly, but their is no sign of the natives, at which point Indy and Mutt can have a conversation (first real one after they realize they are father and son), where they feel each other out somemore, and also get some exspostion out of the way (eg Mutt: "Think they'll come back?"
Indy, glances at Ox and the skull, "No, I think they fear that thing to much."
Mutt: "Who are they?" Indy theorizes on the gaurdians of the city, a lost tribe living for hundreds/ thousands of years protecting their Gods. The thing that really, really hurts this though is that it feels more "kiddie" and that smacks of Lucas. The moment I heard Lucas refer to Star Wars as a kids movie I knew he had totally lost touch with his audience and his original intent...and unfortunalty it feels the same here with Indy. Not that I hated the movie, I didn't, but I don't have near the love for it as I should, and it is all the more sad because it seems to me that just a little bit of tweaking on the script would have saved it (like my small suggestions). -
May 23, 2008 12:41:48 AM CDT
WTF? The site just refreshed itself, hence the empty post.
by motoko kusanagi
Wtf is going on here?
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It seems reasonable that aliens, as we "know" them, would travel between dimensions. Why not? The technology in the movie was supposed to be "5000 years in the future", and we're not that far off from identifying conduits between our known dimensions.
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he says to marion "JACK williams? the pilot? i introduced you two!"
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Enough of this bashing the movie crap....GEEZ...if you didnt like it GET OFF the talkback for goodness sakes! WE that liked it (and no I am NOT an apologist! I gotta defend it b/c of fucktards like you people who gotta put it under fire and turn a talkback about an Indy movie that should be for people who liked it into a rant after rant after rant of the same thing that you didnt like. OK! we get it! Now LEAVE!!!!! That said let's take our 4 Indy films by the numbers shall we? Raiders: Jungles of Ecuador to Chicago to Tibet to Cairo, Egypt to an island off France's coast to Washington, DC. Bad guys Bellog, Nazi captain guy, cool as heck German mechanic. Sidekicks Sallah and Marion Ravenwood. Action great, Humor ok, story great, maguffin great. Temple: Hong Kong to central India to north central Indian and back to central India. Bad guys Lao Che Mola Ram and that evil prince's assistant and the cool Pat Roach as muscle. Sidekicks Short Round and Willie Scott. Action wonderul, humor wonderful, story pretty good, macguffin sucked. Crusade: Utah desert to ship off coast of Mexico to Chicago to Venice, Italy to northern Germany castle to Berlin to the countryside of southern France to Paris, France to Jordan and Petra. Bad guys, guy what stole the cross of coronado, much better than Raiders Nazi colonel, Walt Donovan and Elsa Schneider (kinda). Sidekicks Henry Jones Sr. Marcus Brody, Sallah and Elsa Schneider (kinda). Action the best! humor the best! story pretty great, the macguffin more cliche than the ark but pretty great. Kingdom: Nevada desert to Chicago to Cuzco, Peru to mouth of Amazon River to Iguacu Falls in southwest Brazil back to Chicago. Bad guys psychic Russian Spalko, tough as nails Russian colonel (kinda the film's muscle and second in command together) and Mac. Sidekicks Mutt Williams (Henry Jones III) Marion Ravenwood (now Marion Jones...hey...aint that the name of the female olympic track star what took steroids?) Prof. Oxley (and the head of Marcus Brody's statue...kinda). Action better than Raiders and on par with Temple but not Crusade good, humor better than Raiders but not as good as Temple or Crusade, story good, macguffin great in any other movie but not a fit for Indy. So that's my summary hahaha I now bid adieu to this talkback to enjoy the 4th Indy film with the rest of them and say farewell to al you bloodthirsty jackals that just wanna ruin the talkback by not keeping to themselves. SERIOUSLY, write a letter to SPielberg or Lucas if you wanna rant and have it count for something other than hearing yourself rant! GEEZ
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1) Whoever mentioned A.I. - how many times do we have to go over this? Those were not aliens at the end. They were mecha. Congratulations - you completely missed the entire point of the last act and message of the film.
2) Those of you that think I'm "writing to hear myself rant" or that all the "haters" must be idiots who made Indiana Jones and the [Insert Geriatric Joke Here] titles. Wrong. Never made one up. And I'm not writing to hear myself rant. I'm writing because I'm upset, and rightfully so. Ever consider the possibility that someone who abhors this movie isn't "wrong" and that they have good cause to abhor it? I don't think you're wrong for enjoying it. I just think you have terrible taste.
3) All my points about why this movie sucks so atrociously have been made above by others. So I'm not going to rehash them.But I do want to pose this one question. All you apologists dismiss us who dare to compare it to Raiders. How could it compare? Raiders is untouchable, after all. My question is this: why is Raiders untouchable? If you enjoyed this dreck that is Crystal Skull, seriously think about that question and answer it for yourself. I think you'll discover that it's not because Raiders came first. It's because Raiders took time to breathe and treat its characters seriously amidst the madcap action. There was actual weight to Indy's and Marion's relationship. Holy fuck, there was actual acting going on. Can you seriously imagine the Indiana and Marion that we met in Nepal - both imbued with regrets, apologies, passion, pensive undercurrents, etc. - trading the lines and the quick reconciliation they do twenty years later in this crap? And to a lesser extent, that statement about seriousness is true of both Doom and Crusade too. There wasn't a damn bit of that going on in Crystal Skull. O.k., maybe a few fleeting moments. But they were gone so quickly as to render them powerless. If you enjoy Crystal Skull for what it is, fine. Again, you have horrible taste, but fine. But don't even try to tell me with a straight face that Crystal Skull even begins to approach the resonance of its predecessors. And that's why it's a failure.
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I DONT LIKE INDY $ WHHHHHAAAAAAAAA
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They went straight after Cate in the truck. The Skull controlled the ants and talked to INDY. The Skull has the " POWER " to fold space and more than likely saved them during the waterfall ride. INDY was at ROSWELL and found the aliens set to Area 51- another INDY movie right there. His WW2 adventures hinted sound cool too. I'm more surprised people are not commenting on the movies anti-red subtext when America is about to elect a socialist to power this year.
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I DONT LIKE INDY $ WHHHHHAAAAAAAAA
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I DONT LIKE INDY $ WHHHHHAAAAAAAAA
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this a movie discussion thread, we are allowed to hate it. fuck off.
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his a movie discussion thread, we are allowed to hate it. fuck off.
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May 23, 2008 12:58:30 AM CDT
Dogmatic, good review! but you can't really ask ppl not to opine
by ironic_name
glad you liked it.. if spalko had've survived, I could forgive the movie it's foibles.. but she.. um.. got transmuted into a higher form of life, or died.
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Shouldn't it have been called: Indiana Jones and the TEMPLE of the Alien Stuck in this Side of the Space Between Space? Besides, there was more than one crystal skull, and at no point do you see any of the indians idolizing any of them. Instead, they cower in fear when Oxley brings it forth. And again: Mayans come from Central America. NOT South America, and certainly not close to the Amazon city of Iquitos. Interesting to note: I read somewhere (e.g. wikipedia) that Indiana Jones may have been partly based on Hiram Bingham, the Yale professor who has been (wrongly) credited as the first to discover the ancient Incan city of Macchu Picchu. Many in Peru consider him a thief who illegally took many of the archeological artifacts he found back to Yale. To this day, Yale has not returned all these pieces to Peru.
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Was pretty amazing by the way, felt nothing like Fincher.
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I dare you to name a scene (outide of Raiders) that has the suspence and brilliance of the suspension bridge scene at the the of TOD. You can't. And when you remain speechless, I'll challenge you to name a scene better than the mine carts. And again, to name a scene better than the cabaret opening of TOD. You can't. Because these three scenes tower above any of the shlock offered from Crusade and this latest abortion. All of the TOD haters REALLY need to re-evaluate their standards.
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Alright, so there were some terrible moments, like the Mutt Tarzan bit or the swimming away from the waterfalls like they just jumped off a diving board bit, but really it feels like "a tale of Indiana Jones".
I mean, the Roswell crash and aliens are really the most sought-after relics of our time (or at least that time), and tying them in with El Dorado was fine. And what better place to find our favorite, old, unflappable archaeologist then stuffed smack dab right in the middle of an evil superpower going after those treasures? They belong in a museum!
I think this movie will stand the test of time, once repeated viewings start happening. -
Raiders: Jungles of Ecuador to Chicago to Tibet to Cairo, Egypt to an island off France's coast to Washington, DC. Bad guys Bellog, Nazi captain guy, cool as heck German mechanic. Sidekicks Sallah and Marion Ravenwood. Action great, Humor ok, story great, maguffin great.
Raiders starts in Peru, goes to an unnamed American college-town, goes to Nepal and the island is off the Italian coast. Belloq not Bellog is his name. And its MacGuffin. You really don't know the Indiana Jones series, so I have to discount your opinion.
I agree with everything you say. I can tell that you, like me, desperately wanted to love this film. I even reserved judgement until my second viewing and realized I was trying to defend it to myself. I shouldn't have to defend an Indiana Jones film as being decent to myself. It was an average movie with a below average script. And that is not what Indiana Jones should be. -
when Sam Jackson showed up and asked in to join the avengers
...what... wrong movie... oh, and the sequel should be called Mutt Williams and the Quest for the GED (with monkeys)
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May 23, 2008 1:10:38 AM CDT
gotham_night, I hate to be the bearer of bad news ace...
by poeticwarrioriii
but people everywhere hate this fucking POS. It's not just here. If you enjoyed it fine. But quit trying to convince the rest of us that have taste that it didn't suck ass.
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I HATE TO HAVE FUN WHHAAAAAAAAAAAA
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May 23, 2008 1:11:35 AM CDT
Would've been 100 times more entertaining if Jones' kid was a bo
by ribbitking
Tell me what's more intersting... a 'bad boy' greaser kid turning into a hero... or a bookworm type who is smart but Indy would have to teach to come out of his shell physically. They gave the kid nowhere to go, so when he's balancing on two cars in a swordfight...it's not so impressive.
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My wife and I left the theater so underwhelmed...
So much wrong with this, some of which others have mentioned. Most of my issues can all be traced to the structure of the script.
The previous three all had the equivalent of a James Bond "pre-titles" sequence, a mini-adventure that didn't necessarily tie into the main plot of the film. And certainly didn't introduce the main villian so early.
The warehouse sequence could have been a pre-titles sequence and worked without the main Soviet villian introduced in it. Indy could have been trying to retrieve something from the warehouse for other reasons (unnecessary to spell out to the audience--like being dropped into the action mid-way, similar to Bond pre-titles and Indy's previous entries), but was prevented form doing so. The act put him under suspicion by the US gov't, but only because the warehouse contained something in it they didn't want the Russians to obtain.
Having Indy's main quest be conducted with both US and Russian questioning his motives would have been different from earlier films. (It would also reinforce the theme of being older and alone--having those who trusted him, his dad and Marcus, deceased. In Raiders and Last Crusade, Indy needed to keep the power/object out of a U.S. ememy's hands; no one doubted Indy's loyalty. Crystal Skull raised the question of loyalty--especially fertile ground given the time setting of late 1950's--then does nothing with it. The McCarthyism red scare plot point set up early then goes nowhere. I would have liked to have seen a more overtly paranoid environment. Just having the Mac character turn good and bad when ever the script called for a reversal was lazy.
As an aside, showing the audience the Ark but Indy not knowing it was there was a waste. Had the plotting been that he discovered it, but couldn't do anything about it because he was too busy trying to escape with his life... I think that would have been more satisfying. Having it slip through his fingers and his old age preventing him from having his cake/prize and eating it, too/ escaping.
The dialog. Much of it was just awful. It didn't capture the character traits we know and love, didn't have the snap that exchanges in earlier films did. I keep reading other posts saying, "Lucas didn't write this script, just the story outline. If the script's bad, blame Keopp." Fine. But even if Keopp isn't in the league of Lawrence Kasden (who wrote Raiders' screenplay from a Lucas story) or even Frank Daramont with his unused script for Indy IV, much of the cringe-worthy lines just scream Lucas. The tin ear he has for dialog infected this film, too, I'm afraid.
Ford's lisp-- Just as Connery aged and his dentures changed the way he sounded when he spoke, so now Indy's voice is different. I don't blame age alone for the change. I think it is the new teeth. The lisp gives it away.
Stuntman agility vs. Ford's agility: much like watching Roger Moore's last two or three Bond films, every shot from the back showed the character moving much faster than the close shots with Ford. I understand keeping the star out of danger, but the stuntmen (actual and CG) should have still moved like a character in his 60's, even if Ford himself couldn't do the stunt for whatever reason.
Very little whip or gun action from Indy. That's like no hot babes or martinis in a Bond film...
John Williams' score was a major disappointment. Nods to the ark theme, Marion's theme, and Indy's Dad's theme were nice, and the Raider's march of course was welcome, but everything new is instantly forgettable. Williams is closing on 80 years old. Does anyone know how much Williams' son is responsible for/involved in his recent scores? I wonder...
CG animals: If one had burped or farted... I would have walked out. And I never walk out of films.
Marion wasted: the series most beloved felmale character. If she hadn't driven the truck, why bother bringing her back at all? (I know, I know--for Mutt.) For that matter, all the other supporting actors were given little to do, as well.
Photos of Brody and Indy's father on desk. Clunky, lazy and ham-fisted. College dean delivers a great line about life at a certain age taking things away, but emotion cheapened by "picture of dead loved one on desk" lazy script device. And Ford's acting...
which I think is maddeningly uneven throughout the film. It was like seeing an elderly person that only has occasional lucid moments. There were flashes of the recognizable Indy character, but surrounded by many more line readings that just didn't ring true. Again, the dialog as written didn't help, but Ford's delivery made me think he's forgotten how to play the character. He's been quoted as saying the character came back to his as soon as he slipped into costume. I wish that were true. Maybe he needed to wear the costume a few more days before shooting commenced. Or they should have done a few more takes and used later ones, instead of the stilted early ones.
How much was written in articles during production about how restrained the use of CG was going to be? How much was promised that they would employ old-school film making techniques? I guess I have a different idea of restraint.
No real villain. No ticking-clock urgency to the quest. No sense of globe-hopping. And I continue to miss the fast, cheap and dirty quality to the production of Raiders that brought a pacing to the storytelling that all three sequels lack. The financial success of Raiders meant bigger budgets, production values, more leisurely filming schedules--all of which tainted the look, feel and tempo of the resulting films. With the added reality of Ford/Indy being 20 years older, the plodding pace is hard to ignore.
Aliens: Ugh. Look, I like the sci-fi classics of the 50's as much as the next guy. But I always thought Indy adventures work best with religious artifact quests. Seeing Crystal Skull confirmed my belief. They could used the actual mysteries that archeology still can't answer about how some ancient civilizations achieved what they did when they did for the storyline, without actually having a flying saucer rise out of the temple ruins. Previous posters were right--those type of endings are for Moulder and Scully.
I'll stop here, as I've depressed myself. I went in wanting to like it, cheering for its success. I was burned three times by the Star Wars prequels, but still held out hope for Indy IV. I think Spielberg did what he could; imagine someone else trying to do this sequel 20 years after the last one, with this script, Ford's age, etc. I think it is as good as it is because of Spielberg, but as bad as it is because of Lucas' involvement, and to a lesser extent Ford's uneven performance. -
The other are fun fluff, but TOD takes it seriously, like Empire. I agree with Twinkie - "All of the TOD haters REALLY need to re-evaluate their standards." Hard-core stuff, and it really shines on the big screen. If you ever have the chance, see it in the theater again. Mind blowing.
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CHARIOTS OF THE GODS was a popular book and movie that tied archeology and UFOs together. This New INDY movie takes it cue from that and other 70's SUNN CLASSICS so I'm not sure where the UFO hate is coming from. Some of the shots in CRYSTAL SKULL are right out of IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS.
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I HATE EVERYTHING WHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
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you guys all sound like plants from Paramount, seriously. I can't bring myself to see it again. I'll see it on video - see if it feels any different in a different context. But I'm not wasting any more money to punish myself at the theater. I nearly walked out the first time.
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You're a human cum dumpster that enjoys being anally raped by huge black dildo's and then having your ass sewn back together again WHAAAAAAAAAAA
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May 23, 2008 1:18:45 AM CDT
BrightEyes: do you have any actual defense of this flick?
by hamster factor
or do you just like spamming nonsense over and over. I'm not hating on anyone that liked it, I just strongly disagree.
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I GOT MADE FUN OF ONLINE WHHHAAAAAAA AND I HATE INDY 4 WHHHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
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Last Crusade has better action than Raiders? WTF? TOD is 'serious' while the others are 'fun fluff'? Sorry, but Raiders is the only one to take itself seriously. TOD is massively schizophrenic, ranging from very dark / bad ass to very cartoonish / childish. TOD does have some awesome moments, don't get me wrong, but Raiders is perfection.
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May 23, 2008 1:22:39 AM CDT
Aw, CRAP. It really was terrible. After all these years.
by markjamesmurphy
I'm so let down. KOTCS blew. It made me feel so old. All I could think, constantly, was "crap. They shouldn't have done this. It's way too late. He's WAY too old."
In the original trilogy, the heavily storyboarded action scenes took my breath away. In this movie...just...aw, crap. Why even bother trying to explain. It just doesn't work. History will bear me out - folks, this is simply a bad movie, filled with bad clunky crap, and I never want to see it again and I really wish it had not been made. Spielberg's worst film.
Raiders: 9.8
Temple Of Doom: 9.7
Last Crusade: 7.1
Crystal Skull: 1.8 -
BPetta1 I own and have read all the Indy novels, seen the movies a million times, conquered the video games and have enough Indy memorbilia...including jackets from all 3 previous films made the people who tailored them for Harrison Ford. I made a freaking TYPO with Belloq's name...and yeah it has been awhile since I saw Raiders so I jumped the gun saying Ecuador before rechecking my facts. And you should check your facts...every book about the films and the film itself alludes to the island being off the coast of southern France...NOT Italy. Belloq was French for frak's sake. SO, yeah I think my opinions count....jerk....was frikkin typo. and to DarthCorleone (cool name I gotta say though) and you too BPetta1....I wasnt attacking your views of the movie....I was just saying that the rants get old after awhile....and that if you are upset take it out where it belongs...writing letters to people that made it. That's your riht. But talkbacks should be for people who either wanna talk about why they liked it and why, talking about the movie as though it were real like we fanboys talk about the other Indy movies, or just leting ourselves flow and talk about other great stuff in this or the other movies or the books or games etc. THAT is what an INdy talkback should be....for fans to just enjoy talking about Indy....that's the beauty of having an Indy film. ANd this WAS an Indy film whether you like it or not. Harrison couldnt have been MORE Indy doing INdy type things!
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I like the cut of your jib, good sir... specifically the 2nd point. I'm also loving those who hyperventilate when anyone actually says something honest and truthful(i.e. negative) in here. I can imagine people, fingers in ears, rocking back and forth saying "I'm not listening... NOT listening...!"
This is an open forum, Dogmater(no offense!), like it or not, and the reason we won't shut up is because we love Indy Jones just as much as you or anyone... and that's why we're pissed that these guys tried to sell us Harrison Ford and Scrappy Doo as Baby Brando in National Mummy Treasure 2: Trans-Dimensional Boogaloo as Indiana Jones. It's a joke at best... and I think most people will realize it once the goggles wear off. At least... god, I hope so.
I think all I really have to say is... it's an Indiana Jones movie... that starts with a cartoon gopher...(Anybody else think "Hoobastank"?) And I'll admit, it's my own damn fault for not getting up and walking out right then and there and asking for my money back. -
That is where we massively disagree. This did not feel like an Indiana Jones movie to me, and apparently the majority of people on this board. I am very envious that you felt a true Indy movie experience and I respect your opinions. But as angry as I am, the many inaccuracies in the recounting of Raiders made me think otherwise. And it is off of Italy, maybe even as far west as Greece. Go watch it again and it has an "Airplane sequence" with the map, except they are in a boat. Glad you liked it, but I didn't. And I and the many others want to vent and this is the only place to do it (I've already grieved with all of my friends and family).
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Pure crap. No two ways about it, its god awful. Anyone who says different is either lying to themselves or just doesnt know Indiana Jones. Thanks for nothing George Lucas.
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May 23, 2008 1:31:04 AM CDT
Movies this big deserve at least 2 theatrical viewings
by the crystal skull
I mean, seriously. This is INDIANA JONES!! How much bigger than that do you get? Star Wars? I've seen Spped Racer IMAX twice, Indy 4 twice (so far), and will likely see The Dark Knight a couple times, and will probably be ready to declare those the three best big-budget movies of the year!
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Raiders--classic, Temple--letdown, Crusade--damn good fun, Kingdom--pedestrian
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May 23, 2008 1:33:30 AM CDT
Folks who hated it and feel betrayed by KotCS deserve it...
by chishu_ryu
...for taking the Indiana Jones series so freaking seriously. If you're going to invest the very core of your being in a kiddish movie franchise that got more kiddish and slapsticky with each subsequent sequel, than you had this letdown coming.
Just remember we're talking about a Hollywood movie about a whip swinging archaeologist with more lives than a dozen cats who talks to God, recants Hindu magic, and hangs out with 800 year-old knights. -
I'm, sorry.
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I HATE HAVING FUN AT MOVIES WHHHHAAAAAAAAA!
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Quote..."Movies this big deserve at least 2 theatrical viewings
by The Crystal Skull May 23rd, 2008
01:31:04 AM
I mean, seriously. This is INDIANA JONES!! How much bigger than that do you get? Star Wars? I've seen Spped Racer IMAX twice, Indy 4 twice (so far), and will likely see The Dark Knight a couple times, and will probably be ready to declare those the three best big-budget movies of the year!"
I could barely sit through this shit once...I'll be damned if I pay to watch something I love pissed on again.
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The poor monkey that was so wronged in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" has now been officially vindicated and redeemed.
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that's why he keeps posting inane bullshit because his soul has been cracked by the dynamic duo. Don't worry he's in shock right now but soon, the suckage that is IJ IV will sink in and he'll be committed to a really nice home.
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clones to every multiplex in the country to give hummers to every fanboy in a fucking brown fedora and we'd still get troll talk-backers in here.....
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We don't hate having fun at the movies. We didn't have any fun at the movie, that's the whole point. You haven't actually made an intelligent point, or any point at all. At least most of the people who liked it gave a reason.
If you are mentally challenged I apologize...because it's a very real possibility. -
...make up for the fact that original fans of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" were robbed of a potentially cool sword fight when Indy shot the swordsman...
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I have to read your comments so you have to read mine.... or not. WHHHAAAAA I'M ONLY MAD CAUSE I LOVE INDY SO MUCH SO THIS NEW MOVIE KILLS MY EXISTANCE WHHHHAAAAAAAAA
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rolls on.
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the answer's pretty simple. Watch one of the first three, then just try and picture that Indy doing any of the stuff in KoCS (besides the first 10 minutes and the motorcycle chase). Monkeys? UFOs? Nope. 30 minutes of good movie, the rest just wasn't an Indy film. I think that's all that's left to be said, and it's more a criticism of a weak plot device and a story that went astray. I think I would've loved to see them play up the anti-Indy US government thing that began in the beginning. Maybe then it would've gone somewhere?
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You aren't making comments. And if that's your idea of satire, then god help us all...
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I DONT POST TOPICS WHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
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May 23, 2008 1:42:52 AM CDT
Steven Spielberg has been trying to make up for his early films.
by chishu_ryu
...where the hero always deserted his family for an adventure. If Tom Cruise in War of the Worlds was the anti-Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters (a father trying to keep his family together instead of abandoning it) then this new family conscious Indy is the anti-freewheeling irresponsible Indy of the 80's.
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I think you summed up all that I'm feeling right now without resorting to the "raped my childhood b.s." I agree Spielberg was in a tough position having to honor an agreement with his friends, Lucas and Ford. After all, he wanted to do the Darabont script. I have to imagine its better than the Koepp one we saw.
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The direction they chose was honestly not any less valid than the idea of going after another Judeo-Christian artifact if you consider the source of inspiration for Indy himself. The pulps of old. The heroes of those stories could find themselves facing a nefarious mystic persian one day, and yes aliens another. The only dogma that ever needed to be followed was does it get the heart racing and inspire wonder in the reader/viewer. You can't argue about credulity being stretched on the one hand with this and just dust your hands off as you watch faces being melted off by the Ark and the Holy Grail forever sealed away with its medieval ghost protector while a Nazi dame falls to her demise. It becomes a matter of taste at this point. I'll take Shia anyday over the little Asian Ewok. The Russians seeking to have psychic dominance over the US and the world is a perfect mirror to Hitler's lust for occult in predecessors. This may have been mentioned, but the crystal skulls aren't entirely a fictional conceit. There was a skull found in a Mayan temple in Belize in the mid 1920s, and there are supposedly only 13 worldwide, and allegedly gave one the ability to scrye or have insight psychically. Someone might have mentioned that already in a previous post. There are problems in the movie definitely, but it succeeded in shifting the mythos forward and firmly trenching Indy into the fifties milieu. I do wish the guards in the cemetery and the temple felt less arbitrary, but most of the action is great and the majority of the movie is terrestrial. I hope Lucas spoke in jest though about a fifth and as much as I thought Shia did a fine job in this, I don't think he should be the heir apparent. But the loudest voice in movies is green so time will tell.
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Sweet, Dogmatic. So... CAN we get a talkback for those of us who actually watched the movie? Because that would be great. Get right to work on that.
Sure, in a rainbow candy-land sugary dew drop world, this SHOULD be a giant circle jerk about how great Indy IV was. Instead we live in a world where George Lucas futtbucks us with Indiana Jones surfing an atom bomb on a frigidaire with cartoon gophers and Shia of the Jungle's balls getting more face time during the tree-branch slap n' tickle psychic sword-fight scene than Indy had in the whole f'n movie. Oh! I forgot the almighty aliens who - as powerful as they are - couldn't stop some asshat 500 years ago from pulling the ol' five-finger discount on their OWN HEADS.
Again, the other Indy movies had rules. One fantastic element/plot device, and the rest is fairly grounded. This movie... hell, even the classic scene of Jones on the plane, pulling his hat down over his eyes was butchered. See the old guy grin he had the whole time, like, "Hey, remember this scene, do ya? Well... I'm doing it again!" Horrible, horrible film. And I'm angry because I love Indy Jones. And I am writing a letter to all involved. And I'm writing here, too. Deal with it! Heh. -
Thought Marion was the weak link. Don't blame Karen Allen, just the script and direction of her character and relationship with Indy. Didn't buy it. The rest I really dug especially the first half, truck chase and ants. It's an enjoyable flick. Kind of reminded me of a Tin Tin book funnily enough.
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...then Mutt one-ups him by swinging from vines, with fucking monkeys, no less...
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for the record, Crystal Skull didn't ruin my life. It was just a BAD, disappointing movie. My DVDs of the classic trilogy are not going to be magically replaced with shittier versions with CGI aliens and ground hogs.
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He, you can hate if it´s bad. It´s that simple. Compared to the other Indy-films this one was just lackluster, no heart, no soul, not enertaining. Sorry, I don´t go into a movie to "turn my brain off" for 2 hours, I like to enjoy what I see. And I didn´t enjoyed that one. Come on, It´s Spielberg, Lucas and Ford and that´s all they had to offer???
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Me and my girlfriend just saw it, and we both liked it. The only part we didn't like was the vine swinging...it was a bit much. But we were both able to overlook it.
Overall, is it the best Indy film ever? No. It is the worst? No. I'd put it second to last (with TEMPLE OF DOOM being last on my list). My only complaint is, I wish Sir Sean had been back as Indy Senior. Oh well, enjoy retirement.
A-bomb test was freakin' sweet. -
*as reposted from Capone's review
I haven't seen the new one last night but i watched raiders for the first time yesterday and was thoroughly underwhelmed. a best picture nominee, really? then i watched the first half of temple of doom before i shut it off. unimpressed. same old shit. williams' incessant score was making my ears bleed.
i know this is blasphemy round these parts but this series is just not for me. not my cup of tea. i just can't suspend my disbelief. it's too much of a silly cartoon for my liking. i can't get into it and connect with this hero. i do not plan on seeing the new one, which is a shame because i really do love Spielberg and Shia but I wasn't psyched up before and I was actually surprised by how negative my reaction was to the first half of the original trilogy.
I realize i am about to get fileted here but i had to be honest. there have to be other people like me out there. (cue the jokes) i haven't seen any of the harry potter movies. i thought the best bond movie was the last one. i resisted seeing the first two LOTR movies in theaters but really enjoyed them when I gave them a chance on the DVD and I thought Return of the King was great. The only Star Wars movie I've seen in the theater is Revenge of the Sith, which I liked despite not having seen Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones or really being a fan of the original Star Wars. I hated the first Pirates movie and boycotted the other two.
The adventure genre is kind of a tough sell for me. When it works it's great, like Jurassic Park (see, I DO love SS) but when it fails for me, it fails miserably. Everything I'd heard about Raiders made me think it was going to be the best movie of the 80's but I hated how corny the humor was and how it was grounded in reality the whole time (to an extent, considering its utter preposterousness) but then at the end there's like spirits and shit flying around and melting people's faces off (in a PG-rated movie, no less).
Part of me really wishes I could appreciate all these geek masterpieces and be 100% devoted to fanboydom but part of me is glad I'm not. I mean, I know I'm sort of a fanboy too, but does that mean I have to go along with every single thing fanboys are supposed to like? there's a poll coming to a website near you and it's going to ask which is your favorite Harrison Ford movie and the choices are going to approximately be the Indiana Jones trilogy, the Star Wars trilogy, Blade Runner, The Fugitive and a movie to be named later. Now I think it's safe to say most people in this TB would vote for either Star Wars or Indiana Jones (after all, that is who this thread is dedicated to) but I wouldn't hesitate for an instant before saying The Fugitive. Fuck Indy and Han Solo, Dr. Richard Kimball is a fucking badass.
I'm going to go finish Temple of Doom because no matter how dates it feels, I owe Spielberg the benefit of the doubt, and then I'm going to watch Last Crusade because well, I like Sean Connery (even as Bond, I suppose). I'm going to wrap this rant up now but while the name Connery lingers on my fingers, here's an example of what kind of moviefan I am. I would take Michael Bay's The Rock over Spielberg's Raiders any day, and if you think I'm alone in that sentiment, ask Criterion which one they chose to release on DVD. And how many other action films do you see on that label? I'd take future classics like Speed and The Professional over Star Wars any day. Maybe that makes me crazy or maybe that's just who I am. -
Lucas is a bastard, no doubt about that. But quit giving free passes to Ford and Spielberg. Harrison Ford WAS a hero to me growing up. He WAS Indiana Jones. So don't think I'm just criticizing without thought. Both Spielberg and Ford agreed to this script, and should be held accountable. Yes, Lucas commissioned it, but they both - read and agreed to make that SHIT that we all just watched on that movie screen. - Remember that.
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I still think it's France...I am looking at a couple of resource books right now that say it is off France. BUT, you have obviously seen Raiders again since me...but I was thinking the plane map to the island kinda faded out so as to not give us the exact place though sourcebooks later say it is...anyway of course I'll rewatch it! hahahha Im in an Indy mood anyway! I'll check it out. Use the board to air your grievences then. That's fine. I gotta get off this board anyway. Maybe I'll check out a fansite to test the waters there....but anways peace to you and to all and to all a good night.
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I must say that despite Spielberg's ridiculously high cinematic ability, Indiana Jones failed for me. While he nailed the tone and atmosphere of the films we know and love, there just wasn't that visceral thrill this time around. The action scenes were filmed brilliantly, and were amazing to watch but they didn't carry any of the excitement gained from the high stakes scenes of say, Raiders, or Temple.
In addition, the introduction of Shia LaBeouf's character, quite honestly ruined what could have been a near-perfect Indiana Jones movie (example being the first 20 min. of the film before he's introduced.). It just seemed to me that after we see Mutt, the film becomes nothing more than a setup to begin a new franchise. -
Seriously, all the joy has gone out of your life. PS, George Lucas is counting your money right now. See you in line for Clone Wars!
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...as the Original Trilogy was epic and mythic in nature. But the Indiana Jones movies have never taken themselves TOO seriously, and moviegoers shouldn't either. And if you have, then I feel very sorry for you this day...
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Saw it again with a friend and enjoyed it a lot more. First half, despite clunky exposition scenes, is really good fun. Jungle onwards is pointless, flat and lifeless.
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it was just perfect! I found no flaws! It was all that I could have hoped for! Fuck all of you haters! 'Nuff said!
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If you honestly didn't enjoy it, you have some serious issues you need to work out. You can't tell me that this wasn't a fun movie. If you do, you're either a bitter bastard, or just plain lying.
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then Mutt one-ups him by swinging from vines, with fucking monkeys, no less.. this needed to be posted again, haha
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no, not yet. Lucas, Spielberg and Ford all made special deals on this one. The movie has to break $400 million before they start making the big bucks on it. Here's an article on it
http://tinyurl.com/5qf5lw (LA times) -
No they didn't take themselves seriously...but much more seriously than this. Anyone who watches them has to, undeniably, feel that little unexplained something extra that make them great. This movie had nothing of the sort. Put on your critic hats guys, and view this not as an Indiana Jones movie, but a regular movie. And try to tell me its a good film. You can't, because it's not. If Indiana Jones hadn't been the main character this movie would have been horrendous. With Indy, it was ... bearable. And I don't know about you, but when my favorite movie hero has his first movie in two decades, I expect more than just bearable.
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Up to that point, the film is just an aged geriatric Harrison Ford walking around in a Halloween costume of Indiana Jones.
Shia LeBaeiouf is the pulse of this movie. -
The Indy movies are ALL very fun (I didn't mean to casually refer to 1 and 3 as fun fluff- that point was only to emphasize that TOD was great), and this one is no exception. You watch. If this is truly something you "love", then you would have no problem in giving it the benefit of the doubt that maybe your expectations were out of whack. This movie could have been better; it could have been worse; but when you look at the entire breadth on the Indiana Jones stories (including the Young episodes), this movie fits in perfectly. (And if you can't appreciate the work of art that Speed Racer is, then your movie critiquing skills are epically insufficient to warrant any further serious consideration of what you try to pass off as an intelligent analysis).
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The Rock over Raiders? Justifying it with the Criterion excuse? By that logic, Michael Bay is, what, twice the filmmaker that Scorsese is because he's got two films on Criterion and Marty's got one? Bay on Criterion is a remarkable blunder, nothing more. Speed or The Professional over Star Wars? Love Jurassic Park (good enough flick) but don't like Raiders (masterpiece)? God have mercy...
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May 23, 2008 2:04:23 AM CDT
dude, you keep comparing Indy 4 to fucking speed racer...
by hamster factor
there's your problem
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Too jokey, no tangible sense of actual peril, by the numbers direction, muddled storytelling, lousy villain, egregious miscasting of pivotal offspring character that creative forces clearly fancy as spinoff darling, too many Indy tagalongs, no memorable action set pieces outside of serviceable opening scene...I now know of the outrage that many of the prequel and Matrix sequel detractors felt after being dismayed by their initial views of those relative to others in the series. The more I think about Indy 4 the more inescapable it appears that it's utterly indefensible unless one decided beforehand that they were going to give it approval no matter what so they went in with a biased prism of perception that filtered out the garbage elements that sunk it.
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ALIENS IN INDY 4 WHHHHAAAA!!!!
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You know this to be true.
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'I would take Michael Bay's The Rock over Spielberg's Raiders any day, and if you think I'm alone in that sentiment, ask Criterion which one they chose to release on DVD." Um, yeah. As if Criterion doesn't have to negotiate with Paramount and every other studio to get its hands on licensing releases and such.
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Jesus Christ, what were they thinking... the more I reflect on it the worse it gets. I think it was a process of shock and awe and I'm still recovering.
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So the quick review?
Raiders is still my favorite, but all FOUR films are fantastic.
Now, the long review...
I was 13 when Harrison Ford last donned the fedora. That kind of wait between films is a lot of movie water under the celluloid bridge. Film making itself has changed, and a new generation of film makers, and film goers, exist now that didn't then. It's a changed world...A cynical time.
And this is why it feels so appropriate to allow Indiana Jones to also have aged; to let the character broadcast Harrison Ford's actual maturity, to show him as he'd be in 1957 after the same 19 years we've waited to see him again, and to show him feeling the weight of those changes.
I will not discount there are some problems with the movie. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will not be winning any Oscars like Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is a pure popcorn adventure yarn. But to say the film has no heart is to misplace all concentration on the movie's titular plot device.
Harrison Ford's acting ability has always been sold through his facial expressions. There's a scene when Indy is at home, seated at his desk, and you can see his age in his face, and he recounts to a colleague what he's lost in his life as his eyes dart from framed photo to framed photo.
He's surrounded by antiquities, decorating his home and office, and pays them no mind; what he treasures most is not the boons of his adventures, but those he experienced them with. Fortune and glory no more; it's friends and family. You see, Indiana Jones has grown up.
The start of the film includes a rather outlandish sequence that borrows from an alternate version of the original Back to the Future shooting script. It feels startlingly appropriate in its use here as a metaphor for Indiana Jones trying, and failing, to shield himself from this new Atomic Age.
There are images in the film that echo Jones' past adventures. I absolutely adore the opening introduction shot of Indy; the hat grab, the shadow, the turn to the camera as the theme soars. I also love his silhouette atop the crates as the Russians work below. Pure homage to Raiders.
I also greatly appreciated the nod to Raiders' giant rolling boulder; now there are a million tiny rolling balls of metal, and rather than Indy running from them, he's following them to the prize. It's a pretty smart wink at the audience that I'm not sure everyone picked up on.
Cate Blanchette's Irina Spalko feels like a Bond villain more than an Indiana Jones one, but I prefer her to both Mala Ram from Temple of Doom and Donovan from Last Crusade. She reminded me of Toht and Belloq from Raiders, making her my favorite Indy sequel villain of all.
What's lacking are the sidekicks; there's no Sullah, no Brody, no Henry Sr. Instead we have Ray Winstone's Mac, who, in all honesty, is Nedry from Jurassic Park and Benny from The Mummy rolled into one...Although I did laugh hard at his repeated warning, "You don't know him!"
And despite Spielberg and Lucas' specific explanations that this Indy film would contain little CGI and be shot just like the original films, Kaminiski's photography is still full of over-lit color-devoid glares, and there's enough CGI to make The Mummy Returns look like The Godfather.
There are also scenes and sequences that don't fall flat, but feel out of place or built on rather flimsy foundations to begin with. It's true, one of our heroes literally depends on an army of CGI monkeys to assist him in his battle with the Russians. Lucas and his Ewoks be damned!
Additionally, the climax of the film and the fate of the villain are no where near the quality of the closing moments of Raiders, though this is clearly the film this portion tries desperately to emulate...Though there is one sci-fi image from this finale that I can't get out of my head.
So after all these complaints, why is it I emerged from the theater with glistening eyes and a broad smile on my face? My friends, unlike the Star Wars prequels, this film delivers on the promise of Indiana Jones and does not tarnish, only augments, what came before.
The moment Karen Allen arrives on screen as Marion Ravenwood, and she and Jones begin to bicker, it literally felt like seeing family or good friends for the first time in years; you want to rush up and hug them. The nostalgia factor is that enormously strong.
The bonding between Harrison and Shia sells. It's heavily reminiscent of Connery calling Harrison 'Junior,' and at one point Indy says "This is intolerable!" to Mutt's hijinks, which reminded me of Doc Brown and Marty McFly switching their "Great scott!" and "This is heavy" lines in BTTF 3.
When Jones suddenly decides to take action and get the skull to Akator first, it's magic. It's the rush of knowing Indy is about to go crazy doing Indy things. That moment in the trailer with the rocket propelled grenade? That's the START of the sequence.
And much like the previous films, there are some lines that shine. As much as I love "It tells me that goose stepping morons like yourself should try reading books instead of burning them," I'd have to say Oxley's query "How much time of human life is wasted on waiting" is awesome.
Between that line and the movie's very opening scene, a clever dissolve of the Paramount logo into something much smaller, it shows that Lucas and Spielberg are both very aware it took them entirely too long to bring back Indiana Jones, and shouldn't let their fear of a crappy MacGuffin prevent them from keeping him around.
In fact, the "MacGuffin," the artifact, as this movie shows, is not what's important...
It's the discovery, the search, the journey, the adventure, the KNOWLEDGE, that counts.
Lesson learned, Professor Jones.
And thank you for a most wonderful birthday present...I was 13 again, on the day I turned 32. -
I watched all three original films before seeing Indy 4. I went into this movie just like I did with the first three, knowing nothing about the story. I was 13 when I saw Raiders and it blew my brain thru the back of the theatre and made me realize how much fun movies were. I was skeptical about this sequel from the moment I heard about it. The first three were all fun movies that each worked in there own way while staying true to the series as a whole. Even Temple of Doom, the most disjointed of all four, fits into a certain formula while offering us something new about the character. I'm here to say Indy 4 works, and it works really well. From the moment it started, I felt like I was watching a Indiana Jones movie. And I felt like I never stopped watching them. It felt like there have been several Indiana Jones movies made over the years and this is the latest. I say this because it's been 19 years since I've seen this character in action and the moment he appears on screen, as an audience member, I pick up right where I left off in 1989. There's no awkwardness in this film. Spielberg's confidence in how to make a good Indiana Jones film is so strong I never questioned why this series was brought back. It felt like it never went away. You might not like the plot with the aliens, the Russians, the jokes, Shia, Marion, the monkeys, and who knows what other critiques i've seen and heard, this is a Indiana Jones movie. And it's a fun one. And it's almost 20 years since the last. That's great!
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...because it insults the viewer at every available opportunity. The opening sequence was as horrid as the Phantom Menace opening which is saying something. I agree with earlier opinions that KOTCS feel like a second-rate adventure film (National Treasure, Tomb Raider) and that is absolutely unacceptable comming from a director like Spielberg. And that is the reason for the hatered being voice all over the net. Given that it's Spielberg we DO have a right to expect more than this atrocity. Don't even get me started on Lucas. I will, personally, never spend one more single solitary dollar on ANYTHING that Lucas is involved in.
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So out of character even if he is old. I've seen KOTCS twice already and Indy's character has been changed so much. He would have escaped before being put in the trunk in the first place. Come on! What a bummer. Go back and watch how they open with Indy in the first 3. Indy was so much stronger. That's why he is a hero in the films. There were only a few "Indy moments" in KOTCS. Sad, Sad, Sad!
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...for Indy to reconnect with the family he abandoned years ago. Make no mistake, this Indiana Jones movie is about a family sticking together. Again, I think it's all part of Spielberg trying to make up for his past sins...
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Saw Midnight showing, left depressed(too many drinks?Maybe.)2nd chance, went back 1st thursday showing(alone & sober).Bad idea.This is not a good film (Indy or not).4th best ?Worst?Who cares? Script=Lame, Pacing=c'mon Spielberg you should know better.CGI=WTF?Opening sequence showed promise, I was in, but then disaster. I'm sorry ,but someone should have stepped up ( Ford? Steve? Call Lucas out .Pleeaase!) The shit that was spewing out of every character's mouth, I mean c'mon. Marion was unbearable. Double agents?Triple agents? When did Indy become so Gullible?A F'n Brody statue? Shia of the apes?Blanchett as Natsha?I'm feeling suicidal.Saw Indy stunt show at Disney studios in Orlando on Tuesday and enjoyed it more than this POS. I fell dirty...
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AND IT SUCKS MIRA JEFF WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
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Robert Ebert summed it up best: If this movie were to come out in the 1980s, it would be hailed as the greatest Indy movie ever. However, some of you just can't be pleased.
"Too much CGI!" What, do you want that crappy blue screen crap they used all over the first two movies? Or how about that shitty looking stop motion they used in the Last Crusade? Would that have made things better? Indy movies always made use of the special effects breakthroughs of their time.
"It doesn't feel like an Indy movie." What exactly the fuck is an Indy movie??? All three of the original movies were completely distinct from each other. This movie had the nonstop action of Temple, the nostalgia of Raiders, and the character interactions of Crusade.
"Aliens!? Too over weird and supernatural!" Well, what do you call that ark that made armies powerful or the cup of everlasting life... or that flaming fucking stone? ALiens are more closer to home than that other stuff.
"Shia Lebeouf sucked." Sorry folks. I hate him too but he didn't suck. One of the best Indy sidekicks.
"Too over the top." Every fucking Indy movie is over the top! Remember when he took on a whole temple of hundreds of turban dudes by himself? Remember how he destroyed that whole tank driving Nazi crew? Surviving over the top action is what Indy is all about!
I didn't think this movie was perfect-- in fact, it got some things wrong but overall, this film was GREAT!!! How can you sit here and act like Temple and Crusades were soooo flawless and so much better? Even Raiders was boring at times. THis movie did just fine. Go eff yourselves if you compare this to the Phantom Menace! Thank you for your time. -
Agreed. That is possibly the most assinine post I've ever read on AICN. LMFAO. As if Criterion doesn't sell itself out to the studios for $$$$. ONLY A COMPLETE FUCKING MORON WOULD EVER SAY THAT BAY'S 'ROCK' IS SUPERIOR TO 'RAIDERS'.
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He's not!!!
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But i thought this Indy sucked shit. It was simply awful, from beginning to end. And that is probably all I will post here for the rest of time. Good night sweet industry
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IM GOING TO KILL MYSELF BECAUSE INDY 4 SUCKED SO BAD. MY LIFE IS OVER, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO LIVE FOR , I CANT STAND BREATHING, WWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"Do not expect it to be better than its predecessors—it isn't and this is not great art—".. Box Office Mojo
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I was also at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando on Tuesday! What started out as a gloomy overcast morning turned into a beautiful day, right? We probably bumped into each other...
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was president Eisenhower's nickname the term "I like Ike" was another saying for " I hate communism" aka Russians..Just thought I should clear that up for the "I hate I like Ike" guys
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but is it just me or does anyone else wish they got to see the Indiana Jones in the O.S.S. movie? And I missed the Nazis. Russians just don't make as good a villain.
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Admiral, while you make some good points on how the movie is deeper than eye level, you open your argument with: It is a pure popcorn adventure yarn. Then you state that the movie ISN'T about the adventure, but Indy choosing family over it. Those are polar opposites, my friend. Pick one. But again, you make reasonable points about why you enjoyed it.
No Awkwardness? I felt awkward just being in the same room as the characters. That movie oozed awkwardness. -
C'mon versatol. You're trapped in a loveless marriage as the abused wife. Shia rocked I'll give you that. Maybe I'm just jealous cuz I wish I I liked it even a fraction of how much you did. Phantyom Menace>Indy4.Sorry,hurts to admit it.
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Thats not saying much.
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That's not what I've heard. When was the last time he was seen in public? I want to know who writes his reviews. Believe me It's not him.
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"I, personally, believe in God. And aliens, for that matter. But a being from another dimension is just too much for me to take."
For fucks sake. You people make me sick. -
He's going to live happily ever after married to the only girl that ever really mattered to him, and he gets to be a father to kid who isn't exactly his spitting image, but who is his one and only son, nonetheless. Be happy for him. He deserves it after saving the world for so many decades.
Take care, Indy...and be a good dad... -
Fun day chaparoned my son's field trip.Wish I had the Dharma time machine. Take me back (and my $20 bucks). I feel like I just broke up with my 1st girlfriend except it's not me it's her. P.S. tower of Terror rocks!!!
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Eberts lapband wasn't placed around his frontal lobe instead of his gut before I held that fucking guy out as proof this didn't suck as bad as 99.9% of the people that saw it says it did.
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I, too, have seen the errors of my ways, thanks to the enlightenment I have gained from the films fans. In fact, I will now see this again, following the fans' advice to ensure I get the most enjoyment as possible out of this fantastic, no-holds-barred, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride of a focus group approved film. Therefore, I will:
1.Remember to suspend belief in anything resembling reality. This way anything I see - including the fact that my drink does not float to the ceiling - will be sure to awe and amaze me.
2. Ignore all plot and dialogue(and, as this is the entire film, I will be bringing my Nintendo DS to ensure that I continue to have a quality time during the space between the cartoon gopher and the end credits.
3. To leave before the final act, to ensure that I am not distracted from my zombie haze by the, well... by everything and anything that occurs after an alien's skull is used to scare cgi ants.
Enjoy, everyone. -
Sorry believing in God automatically excludes you from the conversation. You find dimension-hopping beings more credible?
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I don't believe scotsman is being all that serious
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he would've ponied up the doe for his bastard jew fro son a long time ago. I can see it now Indiana Jones and the Trip to Dr. Phil!
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WWWWWWWWHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
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GL and SS are this years hypno-toad. Just ask BrightEyes, he seems to think they can do no wrong.
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I'm getting that feeling too. Its too bad tho, I'd like to have more of a open discussion on his points. But alas its not meant to be.
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...and wasn't going to tell him until she thought they were going to die. Thank Shiva for vacuous sand pits...
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I was there introducing my little Tyke to the Disney madness for his 4th birthday. He flipped his freaking lid at the Playhouse Disney stage show! And did you get to check out the Walt Disney exhibit over in Animation? It was amazing!
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INDIANA JONES IS AN OLD, HE SHOULD BE STRONG AND BADASS LIKE HE WAS WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER WWWHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!
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thank Shiva. Because we all know including a bastard son has ALWAYS equaled BO gold! Every movie that has ever attempted this has gone on to epic heights!
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Seriously? Go see this movie again. Why did you not warn us about this terrible movie, hiding behind 30 minutes of decent material? We all are loyal readers, apparently, since we are posting on this board. That means we probably, more or less, agree with your opinions or we would look else where. How could you guys be so wrong? It baffles me. This movie was so, so much worse than you all made it out to be. I know one person does not matter, but I'm seriously questioning all of your credibility from this point on. Either something is afoul here or you and 90% of your loyal readers are of insanely different opinions than you are. I feel that the first possibility is more likely.
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May 23, 2008 2:40:33 AM CDT
Yes, Ebert is alive... and he and 80% of the critics liked it!
by versatol
This movie was good. I can't walk out of there saying it missed something. There was Harrison, a decent sidekick, great mindless and over the top action, and a zillion near death escapes. What did any of the original three have that this one didn't? I'm serious. Raiders, Temple, Crusades-- none were flawless films but all were good. this one fits as second best. Shia was actually likeable. I mean, I hated that dude before I saw this movie... but he has acting chops and you can tell he takes his craft seriously. I liked how they didn't make him little Indy but rather his own type of B movie hero. This movie was fun. the opening scene didn't blow me away but by mid point I was smiling hard. Thank you Speilberg and even you Lucas for a great time at the movies. Loved it... and trust me true Indy fans... you will too in time.
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Are you as drunk as I am at this moment you doofey bastard or did this movie break you like I said it did? WHAAAAAAAAA
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Total bummer.
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Animation exhibit was really great, and can't beat muppets 3D for ultimate nostalgiac feelings. Just wat I was "Jonesing" for from Indy4. Oh, well we still have dark Knight...
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about 25% stayed for the credits.
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Yes...he would have been incinerated. Strangely enough, this was one of the most believable moments in the movie. Yes...the rest of it is that horrible.
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they scrubbed of his wiener, I'm sure he's fine. Anybody that could survive being blasted several miles inside of a lead box doesn't worry about a little fallout
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not drunk, wait , yes I am drunk, drunk off how kick ass it was to see indy on the big screen .
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sterile. Unfortunately this comes far too late to prevent TheQueef from polluting the franchise with sword fights and jungle foliage to the nuts.
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not drunk, wait , yes I am drunk, drunk off how kick ass it was to see indy on the big screen .
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INDY 4 WAS SOOOO BAD THAT IT LEAD ME TO THE BOTTLE WHHHHAAAAAAA
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at least it sounds like you have an interest in this movie making a profit. I think it would be great if it didn't make a profit. Only then would there be films about storytelling and not about $$$.Lawrence Kasdan said it best. Hollywood has become a slave to their lifestyle.
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WHO LIKE TO GO: WHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The US ARMY marched 1000's of soldiers through those blast sites and they lived for years. THE ATOMIC CAFE has some nice color footage of these events from the 40's and 50's
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...the exhibit about Walt Disney the man. It was down towards the new Pixar Studios construction. It was a museum set-up filled with Disney memorabilia and a walking time-line of Walt's life and accomplishments. It was amazing. If you didn't see it, you need to go back...
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so it did break you and you're trying to cope through your lithium induced haze. It's OK champ, I get it.
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Was the Russkie telling Marion & Indy To Shut the F&!$% up. My sentiments exactly. Roll credits.
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weren't close enough to be harmed by the shockwave but hey you made an attempt and that is what matters in the end.
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just drink and count our money... BITCH!
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That got a big laugh. Forgot the RE: leobloom
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yeah, thats it!
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Indy crushed my soul and now I'm a whiney cunt who can't take other people crushing my denial. WHAAAAAA
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must have been smoking some of the same shit Harry was when he had his life affirming emotional break down. the "top critics" only rate it a 63% by the way. who the hell knows who these people are anyway.
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at least you're not denying it like most of the cunty's on here. You've got that going for you!
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Kids are gonna eat this shit up. IT was in no way sillier than any of the Indy films. They all practically fall apart. Even Raiders, with the finale rendering Indy the most useless hero in the history of film. I still like them all, even this one. The 50's charm was awesome, and surprisingly, so was Shia. It's time to make some Pyramids of Mars kind of thing with him.
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or maybe thats just Whhhaaaaa-ers who don't ?
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That wasn't my justification for preferring The Rock to Raiders, but that said, it's still my personal preference. And while Ebert raved about Raiders, Pauline Kael didn't care for it. Thought it was soulless, emotionless crap. I just hate movies that put their heroes in danger but of course, their true fate is never in doubt. And obviously I knew Cage was going to survive at the end of The Rock but the circumstances of the predictability are different in my eyes. And for the record, I liked Armageddon. In fact, I cried. Which is more than I can say about most action movies. Sure, I'll be the whipping boy for you Indiana Jones fans but you'd have to actually make my eyes bleed and then melt my face off with VX Poison Gas to get me to say I enjoyed Raiders over The Rock. That's just never going to happen. Transformers might have sucked but Michael Bay ain't all bad. I'd take Spielberg's Minority Report over Raiders any day as well. Shit was mad weak, yo.
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hey gang, just so you know, Rotten Tomatoes sucks. Anyone can get on that shit. Some of the publications they source are embarassing. MetaCritic is where it's at these days, just FYI.
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must've come from an extreme lack of sugar and fat. Anyone that would get that emotional from this movie has to be un-fucking-stable.
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May 23, 2008 3:01:13 AM CDT
P3, they were hit by the shock-wave and some got hit in the face
by mace tofu
because they stood up to look at the bomb blast. check Youtube for the footage. The pigs placed in some homes were burned but lived. If you could call living with your flesh nuked off living.
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BTW kids also like Jar-Jar. WAIT, George may be on to something here. Damn, their is a reason he's a billionare. Booooo!
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is a lost art.
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WWWWWWWWHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
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"Tell me it's a[n Indiana Jones film]! Just TELL ME it's a[n Indiana Jones film!]"
"It's a[n Indiana Jones film!]"
"Oh, okay. All better."
Goodnight everybody. Work in the morning. Ya know. It's been real.
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Have fun. : )
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you had to be 12 to enjoy Raiders you're a stupid cunt. And no, that is not the liquor talking.
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It was MUCH more silly than the other 3. I can't even see how you could make this assumption. The other three did NOT have the rubber-tree that lowers the car to safety (that no limbs break off of , mind you). The Tarzan scene was ludicrous. The fencing scene was bad, but Shia being repeatedly hit in the nuts, come on that is as low as humor gets. The ancient Mayans coming out of the walls. The fucking INTER-DIMENSIONAL BEINGS aspect. That was the whole movie. The nuclear refrigerator was the most believable part. Aside from being silly with crap humor, the dialogue was so terrible. I really wanted to like this movie, and the more I think about it, the more I realize it was horrible. Literally it was a horrible movie. Not just horrible for an Indy movie, horrible for any film...I genuinely hate it.
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and Raiders 'cause I am watching that shit myself!
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poetic Whaaaa-er
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Not that it makes the movie better.
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The real dangerous fallout is still up in the air following a nuclear explosion and usually falls out of the sky after a few days, and usually to someplace further away as the wind carries it.
Any irradiated dust and sand in the vicinity of the blast is usually just a surface hazard (unless breathed, and hopefully Indy didn't breathe in too much dust or covered his face) and the said surface dust's radiation hazard can be negated with a good decontamination bath if done soon enough. -
Criterion, Kael, etc? Just because your opinion is, well, asinine, you need to give us evidence that others think similarly? Can't stand your opinion on its own two feet? Bear in mind that Kael was also the spiteful bitch who tried to rob Welles of pretty much any credit with making Citizen Kane, but nobody ever brings that up when they cite her as a support. And yes, Michael Bay is all bad. His films are extended commercials without any semblance of narrative coherence (his films are edited like movie trailers from start to finish). Minority Report is enjoyable enough until it trips over itself in the last 15 minutes or so. Raiders is, from start to finish, perfection. Not only is Indy constantly in danger in the first two films (and somewhat in the third), but there's a palpable feeling that he could fail (Indy getting his ass kicked by the German mechanic, Mola Ram almost ripping out Indy's heart, etc), but his guile and will is what enables him to succeed. And crying during Armageddon? Really? I don't even know what to say to that.
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cleanse the pallet.
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Different strokes for different folks, Mirajeff. Still surprised by your opinion, but whatever floats your boat, I guess.
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Damn typos.
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every time you try to defend your position , you dig yourself in a deeper hole. FYI.
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Really good actor. Hated Transformers and everything he did before this film. Dude was good. The movie was good. I'm sorry people. This movie fits right in with the other Indy movies. What did you want? A giant fucking rolling ball and Kate Capshaw? It wasn't groundbreaking or anything but it did its job: Mindless action and humor. Name one thing this movie did wrong that wasn't also done somewhere in the original trilogy? Hope they make another.
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May 23, 2008 3:15:21 AM CDT
KotCS weren't perfect, but it went well with my popcorn...
by chishu_ryu
So I'm not complaining. Good night!
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Because everything old is better. Everything from my childhood was better, nah!
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I'm going to sleep. I've seen the movie twice and thats once too many. I can honestly say I never want to see it again (though I'm sure I will five years down the line). I feel my final judgment is sound and I will not change my mind upon subsequent viewings. Harry, Moriarty, Vern, and everybody at AICN. Please see this movie again and post a follow-up review. Think of the plot, the terrible humor, the worse dialogue, and the horrendous climax and tell me again that this was a good film. You all lied when you said this felt like an Indy film. In no way did it and your collective credibility is in serious question.
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and then tell me Shia isn't a good actor, and if you do tell me , I'm going to have to assume that you are lying . sorry.
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does that mean I want to see the Adventures of Mutt Jones and the Pirate Ninjas from Pluto? Nope.
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Go back to China! .....BITCH
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You just might be glad you did! Good night!
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Dude, that wasn't harsh. I've traded e-barbs with Don Murphy and have the scars to prove it. You're right, different strokes for different folks. But perfection? To me, Seven is perfect. Silence of the Lambs and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest are perfect. Wouldn't change a line, a delivery, an actor, a set, nothing. Raiders, to me, was a 2.5 star movie at best, but probably closer to 2. Is that really what passed for a Best Picture nominee before my time? It seemed so dated, so ridiculous. I watched This Is England immediately after Raiders and I was blown away by it. Now THAT'S a great movie. It's kind of unfair, to make a movie like that and maybe have a handful of people know what it is, let alone see it, while Indy will make $175 million it's opening 5-day weekend, just domestically. it's just completely insane to me. popularity is not greatness. i think the whole trilogy is tainted by nostalgia. people who saw it when they were kids still revere it. it's untouchable in their eyes. time colors perception. a movie like the rock isn't thought of as a classic yet but who knows, one day it could be. i don't have a time machine. if i did i would hop in it and go back to the day when raiders would pass for edge-of-your-seat entertainment. maybe i was too hopped up on meds yesterday while i watched it sick at home, but i seriously couldn't wait for it to end. i think if u showed that movie to kids today they would laugh you out of the room. i wonder how many parents are dragging their kids this weekend, insisting it'll be a good time. sounds like disappointment for the whole family if you ask me. shia, if they offer you this franchise, DON'T DO IT! stick to eagle eye, which looks awesome, way better than Crystal Skull.
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This was not an Indy film. It was a parody of Indy films containing the original cast.
It looked and felt like Lucas and Spielberg wanted to create a new Indy sequel but ended up with a Mummy sequel.
Me and Lucas have serious issues. -
May 23, 2008 3:29:17 AM CDT
mirajeff: Raiders is widely considered to be one of the greatest
by hamster factor
by honest to god ADULTS, film makers, critics and movie fans across the board. Your opinion is meaningless.
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You were right.... this movie was a piece of fucking shit.
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People don't get that the whole Tarzan swinging thing was an homage to those cheesy B movie adventure films. It wasn't Speilberg having a brain fart. This movie was good and God help you if you can't see that. Perhaps a guy that rips out hearts and a turban wearing guy with a sword would have suited you better. Not knocking the original trilogy, but they weren't flawless themselves people. Indy KotCS is an Indy Film and fits in nicely.
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AND GOT A BJ AND FREE POPCORN!!! FREE MOTHERFUCKING POPCORN AND I STILL THOUGHT INDY 4 WAS SHIT WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I saw it last night hoping beyond hope that you guys were wrong. Unfortunately you were not...
1. Indy should be about GOD and so each person can connect with it somehow based on personal experiences. He always did the right thing at the end and 'saved' the people but let go of the artefact. Here he just stood around for the last 30 minutes watching rubbish happen.
2. Damn aliens. flying saucer. interdimensional beings. what is this the x-files?
3. PLOT was terrible. what happened to the FBI guys who would be watching him all the way? where did the russian army go? how did the russians get into the USA? what did oxley have to do with anything?
4. I thought these guys were supposed to be CGI experts? it sucked big time.
5. mutt tarzan?
6. marion ravenwood had about 3 lines in the entire movie.
7. lead lined fridge? come on!
8. i understand the nuclear test, the russians etc but the drag race was way over the top...we realise it was set in the 1950s but we don't need hound dog to tell us that
9. damn aliens again!
10. FINALLY, where was the fun? the scares? remeber the openning sequence of raiders? the library crypt in crusade? the death room in temple? the bridge in temple? the sunset ending in crusade?
WHERE WAS THE INDIANA JONES MOVIE? I DIDN'T PAY TO WATCH THE X-FILES 3/MUMMY 4/ NATIONAL TREASURE 3/ PHANTOM MENACE 2....
I'm not a hard guy to please when it comes to movies and love almost anything. Perhaps I just expected something a little bit better from Dr. Jones. We got back late and persuaded my wife to sit down and watch the last 5 minutes of crusade as they ride off into the sunset so I could go to sleep feeling a little better. -
You know, what they should have done was just reshoot "Raders of the Lost Ark." Exact same story, effects, set pieces, and music. Who the Hell do they think they are, telling NEW stories about the characters THEY created??! Tisk tisk. Have they no shame?
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one an Indiana Jones film, the other a Mummy Returns remake.
I loved every second right up until the Shia the Beef swordfight between the two cars.
The motorbike sequence escaping from the KGB guys was the high point for me, followed closely by the Capoeira sequence where they find the skull; great chemistry, great dialogue.
Where the film went splat for me was when the really quite fuzzy ILM CGI went into overdrive. Everyone I was with stared at me open-mouthed and shook their heads when Shia the Beef did the whole Tarzan bit with the monkeys. I LIKE the kid, I really do, but the CGI leached the charm from the film from that point. Spielberg is a great, great director, but he's great because he has a spontaneous eye for things. Some of his most iconic moments were set up on the day of filming as a last minute decision. CGI environments are too posed, too over-thought for a director as prone to epiphany as Spielberg. The whole waterfalls sequence conveyed absolutely no sense of peril whatsoever. The level of realism was incredibly low. Again, the CGI killed it. That absurd tree snapping back up the cliff would have been off-screen in the old trilogy. Practical effects bring with them a degree of restraint that carries with it a warmth absent from the second half.
The alien angle felt incontrovertibly un-Indy. It required too much exposition. In the previous trilogy, Indy came up against ineffable forces. The on-the-nose Roswell stuff is an overloaded trope in this day and age. It felt as though Lucas had skim-read Eric von-Daniken and shoehorned it in with little regard for verisimilitude. In order to maintain believability, it's essential to circle the drain of total fantasy, but never to tumble in all the way. It's a tricky balancing act admittedly, but the other Indy movies made it look effortless. I was prepared to accept Indy surviving the A-Bomb detonation (erm... lead still melts), but expecting people to believe the psychic spies, alien influence and flying saucers just because it's set in the 1950s was hopelessly naive. To be honest, 'American Graffiti' was pushing it as it is. The McCarthy sub-plot at the beginning was very controlled and relevant to today, but in the second half it just fell apart. It became 'The Mummy'. For example, when Ray Winstone runs around the temple loading up with golden gew-gaws and trinkets only for his avarice to condemn him, how was that any different from Omid Djalili as the greasy Egyptian in the Mummy getting trapped in Imhotep's pyramid? The Mummy was an inferior Indy rip-off, and now you find the superior product ripping off the inferior! Inexcusable. And who couldn't have predicted Winstone's counter-betrayal? That was totally bungled.
A final, if fussy point; I bought Ford as an action star in this, only he seems to have forgotten how to do those great reactions to being smacked about. Nathan Fillion channeled him in 'Serenity' when he span giddily around after being punched. In the old Indy films, you FELT every punch because Ford sold it totally. He didn't shrug off blow after blow, even though he was taking more punishment than anyone could in practical terms. Again, it's willing suspension of disbelief. If Ford could do slapstick pain in the other ones, no problem. A bloody lip does not a great fight make. Small point I know.
John Hurt was just annoying. The visionary fool of King Lear is a hoary old convention mired in cliche. An old guy rambling bullshit should not be leading Indiana f**king Jones to Eldorado like a child. Ford seemed almost ignorant towards the end of the film, even though he's a goddamn professor.
Again, fussy point, but... Ford said both "nucular" and "libary". Is he George W. Bush now? Was he educated in a swamp? Elocution lessons, perhaps.
Overall, the magic was back for the first hour, which is an achievement. As soon as ILM took hold of the reins in the jungle, it lost me. -
one an Indiana Jones film, the other a Mummy Returns remake.
I loved every second right up until the Shia the Beef swordfight between the two cars.
The motorbike sequence escaping from the KGB guys was the high point for me, followed closely by the Capoeira sequence where they find the skull; great chemistry, great dialogue.
Where the film went splat for me was when the really quite fuzzy ILM CGI went into overdrive. Everyone I was with stared at me open-mouthed and shook their heads when Shia the Beef did the whole Tarzan bit with the monkeys. I LIKE the kid, I really do, but the CGI leached the charm from the film from that point. Spielberg is a great, great director, but he's great because he has a spontaneous eye for things. Some of his most iconic moments were set up on the day of filming as a last minute decision. CGI environments are too posed, too over-thought for a director as prone to epiphany as Spielberg. The whole waterfalls sequence conveyed absolutely no sense of peril whatsoever. The level of realism was incredibly low. Again, the CGI killed it. That absurd tree snapping back up the cliff would have been off-screen in the old trilogy. Practical effects bring with them a degree of restraint that carries with it a warmth absent from the second half.
The alien angle felt incontrovertibly un-Indy. It required too much exposition. In the previous trilogy, Indy came up against ineffable forces. The on-the-nose Roswell stuff is an overloaded trope in this day and age. It felt as though Lucas had skim-read Eric von-Daniken and shoehorned it in with little regard for verisimilitude. In order to maintain believability, it's essential to circle the drain of total fantasy, but never to tumble in all the way. It's a tricky balancing act admittedly, but the other Indy movies made it look effortless. I was prepared to accept Indy surviving the A-Bomb detonation (erm... lead still melts), but expecting people to believe the psychic spies, alien influence and flying saucers just because it's set in the 1950s was hopelessly naive. To be honest, 'American Graffiti' was pushing it as it is. The McCarthy sub-plot at the beginning was very controlled and relevant to today, but in the second half it just fell apart. It became 'The Mummy'. For example, when Ray Winstone runs around the temple loading up with golden gew-gaws and trinkets only for his avarice to condemn him, how was that any different from Omid Djalili as the greasy Egyptian in the Mummy getting trapped in Imhotep's pyramid? The Mummy was an inferior Indy rip-off, and now you find the superior product ripping off the inferior! Inexcusable. And who couldn't have predicted Winstone's counter-betrayal? That was totally bungled.
A final, if fussy point; I bought Ford as an action star in this, only he seems to have forgotten how to do those great reactions to being smacked about. Nathan Fillion channeled him in 'Serenity' when he span giddily around after being punched. In the old Indy films, you FELT every punch because Ford sold it totally. He didn't shrug off blow after blow, even though he was taking more punishment than anyone could in practical terms. Again, it's willing suspension of disbelief. If Ford could do slapstick pain in the other ones, no problem. A bloody lip does not a great fight make. Small point I know.
John Hurt was just annoying. The visionary fool of King Lear is a hoary old convention mired in cliche. An old guy rambling bullshit should not be leading Indiana f**king Jones to Eldorado like a child. Ford seemed almost ignorant towards the end of the film, even though he's a goddamn professor.
Again, fussy point, but... Ford said both "nucular" and "libary". Is he George W. Bush now? Was he educated in a swamp? Elocution lessons, perhaps.
Overall, the magic was back for the first hour, which is an achievement. As soon as ILM took hold of the reins in the jungle, it lost me. -
I saw it last night hoping beyond hope that you guys were wrong. Unfortunately you were not...
1. Indy should be about GOD and so each person can connect with it somehow based on personal experiences. He always did the right thing at the end and 'saved' the people but let go of the artefact. Here he just stood around for the last 30 minutes watching rubbish happen.
2. Damn aliens. flying saucer. interdimensional beings. what is this the x-files?
3. PLOT was terrible. what happened to the FBI guys who would be watching him all the way? where did the russian army go? how did the russians get into the USA? what did oxley have to do with anything?
4. I thought these guys were supposed to be CGI experts? it sucked big time.
5. mutt tarzan?
6. marion ravenwood had about 3 lines in the entire movie.
7. lead lined fridge? come on!
8. i understand the nuclear test, the russians etc but the drag race was way over the top...we realise it was set in the 1950s but we don't need hound dog to tell us that
9. damn aliens again!
10. FINALLY, where was the fun? the scares? remeber the openning sequence of raiders? the library crypt in crusade? the death room in temple? the bridge in temple? the sunset ending in crusade?
WHERE WAS THE INDIANA JONES MOVIE? I DIDN'T PAY TO WATCH THE X-FILES 3/MUMMY 4/ NATIONAL TREASURE 3/ PHANTOM MENACE 2....
I'm not a hard guy to please when it comes to movies and love almost anything. Perhaps I just expected something a little bit better from Dr. Jones. We got back late and persuaded my wife to sit down and watch the last 5 minutes of crusade as they ride off into the sunset so I could go to sleep feeling a little better. -
CAN ANYONE EVEN RECOGNIZE A GOOD MOVIE ANYMORE???
by 0101 May 23rd, 2008
03:40:21 AM
LOOK, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THIS MOVIE WAS VERY DISAPOINTING ON SO MANY LEVELS. PLEASE ERASE IT FROM YOUR MEMORIES IF YOU HAVE SEEN IT, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, DON'T BOTHER. IT SUCKS. PUT SIMPLY, IT IS A MERE SHADOW OF WHAT THE OTHER FILMS REPRESENT, AND HAS ABSOLUTELY NO COHESION. IF THIS WERE THE 4TH LITTLE PIGS HOUSE, IT WOULD BE MADE OF TOILET PAPER AND THE BIG BAD WOLF WOULD WIPE HIS ASS WITH IT AND NOT EVEN BOTHER TO FLUSH IT DOWN THE FREAKIN' TOILET! QUICK SYNOPSIS... WASTE OF MARION RAVENWOOD, STUPID PLOT, RUSSIANS GET INTO AREA 51 IN THE LATE 1950'S? OH COME ON! DO YOU KNOW HOW HEAVILLY FORTIFIED THAT PLACE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN 1956? SHIA LABOOF! PLEASE. THE NEW IT BOY OF HOLLYWOOD SUCKS SHIT IN THIS FILM. LUCAS COMPLETELY BUTCHERED FRANK DARABONTS GOOD SCRIPT. YOU GUYS SHOULD REALLY READ IT SOMEDAY AND COMPARE. GIANT RED ANT SCENE WAS COMPLETELY CARTOON REDICULOUS! WATERFALL SCENE WAS DONE BETTER IN TEMPLE OF DOOM. WHY FUCK WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKED? CAN'T THESE BOZO'S THINK OF SOMETHING NEW? LOVE SCENES FELT FORCED AND FAKE. A.K.A. THE PHANTOM MENACE AND ATTACK OF THE CLONES. hARRISON FORD WAS A PUSSY IN THIS FILM COMPARED TO THE LAST THREE. BAD WRITING LUCAS! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF FOR RIPPING OFF THE PUBLIC. IS THIS REALLY THE BEST YOU CAN DO? IF IT IS... PLEASE RETIRE. QUIT WHILE YOU STILL HAVE A SHRED OF DIGNITY LEFT TO YOUR NAME. I'M GOING TO SEE IRON MAN AGAIN. GOD DAMN' IT! MOST MOVIES TODAY REALLY DO SUCK SHIT! SO SAD. -
Speilberg was damned from the start with this. Die hard fans of 80s movies can NEVER be pleased. Either you have a modern movie that makes use of today's technology and filmaking and make something new and hear the fanboys bitch... or you make it completely like the 80s originals and bore the hell out of people who grow bored of stop action, blue screens, and lame dialogue. This movie entertained. Loved it
I remember seeing Temple of Doom as a Kid and loving every minute. This didnt have the same effect but I was satisfied. -
Is cruise control to cool.
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off to bed. WWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA COMPLAINING IS SOOOOOOOOO FUN!!!! WHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
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By criticising the mine car in Doom going off the rails and landing on the other rails you have completlely missed the point of the Indiana Jones series, to say nothing of knowing fuck all about comic timing and perfect editing. Thanks for playing though.
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May 23, 2008 3:52:42 AM CDT
Speed Racer is the better film, fuck this garbage.
by allpowerfulwizardofoz
I've already posted my review somewhere above all the mess of this TB. I just wanted to throw it out there again that if you have not seen Speed Racer go see it. It blows the new Indy movie off the screen by leaps and bounds.
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There were bits of Indy 4 that I liked and bits that I absolutely detested. As it stands Speed Racer is the film of the Summer in my opinion.
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I've been coming to AICN since the beginning of the site and I have NEVER been more at odds with Harry and the rest of the reviewers on this site. For no one to call this travisty against the Indy franchise out for the garbage that it is...unforgivable. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull could pass as a sequel to 'The Mummy Returns' but Indiana Jones? Are you all out of your minds? Lucas, Spielberg, Ford...your best work is so clearly behind you...retire. David Keopp...you jacked up Spiderman, The Lost World and now Indy 4. You're a hack...a rich hack, but a hack nonetheless.
As for Harry, I would usually agree to disagree with some of your reviews of clearly bad films but you have to be a defender of the great legacy of the films that shaped the very existance of AICN...not an apologist for lazy, uninspired and damn near unwatchable crap like 'Phantom Menace' and 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. And for none of your cohorts to counter balance your view of this crap is the final nail. KOTCS does to Indy what Spidey 3 did to Spiderman and Phantom Menace did to Star Wars...they detract and diminish their preceeding films and the characters themselves. They betray the universe in which the characters are created and in turn, betray the fans that lifted them to iconic status. For AICN to give the seal of approval to such obvious insults to people who hold these stories near and dear to their imaginations and hearts is also a betrayal to those of us who support 'cool news'. In all the years I've visited this site I haven't really posted that much to the talkbacks...I showed up for the cool news and typically balanced reviews, it took the terrible KOTCS to be the last straw. I now disappear to the cyberspace "between the space". Fin.
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is how much this fucking piece of shit will drop next weekend? I'm saying a 65% drop next weekend minimum! Unbelievable that the universal reaction to this shitfest is so negative. Who could've thunk it?
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Not to mention predictable in your reviews. I guess some things will never change at AICN
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Speilberg and Lucas had it rough from the start with this. Die hard fans of 80s movies can NEVER be pleased. Either you have a modern movie that makes use of today's technology and hear the fanboys bitch... or you make it completely like the 80s originals and bore the hell out of people who grew out of stop action, blue screens, and lame dialogue. This movie entertained. Loved it
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how much the magnificent cunts that run this place were paid for their "reviews" yet! I'm sure the rewards were handsome considering the vile this movie has garnered so far.
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from fucked up cunts is not going to help at this point. You're dumb ass is in the minority fucker, get over it.
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and whine that it's not like the originals. Should be taken outside and beaten.
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Capshaw's wet heaving knockers blew Amy Irving right out of Spielberg's life.
I actually liked TOD. Blow me. -
Your stake on this site just got pulled. If you cannot recognize that Raiders is one of the best action movies ever made, you're more of a fool than most of us thought.
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I had about a 23% midichlorian count left. But after seeing this film tonight, I'm about -15 in the whole. Thanks for killing my sense of wonderment Lucasfilm. Oh yeah, for all you naysayers, Dark Knight already owns Indy's piece of shit ass!!!!
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Temple of Doom is awesome. Miles better than Skull for starters.
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May 23, 2008 4:06:22 AM CDT
Tomorrow I will prove that this film is a complete and utter fai
by industrykiller!
I don't have time to post right now, but there is shit in this film that people haven't even discussed. We've just begun unraveling how this film has bastardized the name Indiana Jones. It begins.
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May 23, 2008 4:10:44 AM CDT
It's not about being apologistic. It's about being realistic!
by orionsangels
why would anyone apologize for a movie? oh i'm gonna make myself like it and then find ways to justify why it's a great movie. then i can sleep at night. It's a just a fuckin movie people! I mean almost no one here can dislike the movie without somekind of resentment or feeling like you were let down. you're fuckin sad if you were waiting for this movie to complete your life. you dumb fuck! it was never gonna be as good as the originals or live up to your nerd fantasies. the fact you thought that makes you a fuckin idiot!
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bastardized the name of Indiana Jones? oh no! life will never be the same again. haha!
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May 23, 2008 4:16:52 AM CDT
To quote Harrison Ford on Conan O'brien "Who gives a shit!"
by orionsangels
You either like the film or not. Don't come here to whine and declare the end of a franchise. We don't give a shit!
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May 23, 2008 4:17:21 AM CDT
But just to show that I am not unreasonable...Hats off to Shia
by industrykiller!
To prove I didn't "have it out" for this film, I'm going to admit right here in now the one place on this film where I was wrong. Shia Labeouf. I was wrong about him. Wrong wrong wrong. He did a seriously admirable job and brought an energy that was literally lacking in every other aspect of the film. And, most of all, i want to praise him for being the only actor to play the human element of every scene. There's a moment crawling through a cave, when he randomly bumps into some shit hanging from the cave ceiling and when he realizes it's nothing kinda give a half nervous half relieved laugh and goes "Heh, it's just a....thing". It's one of those small indy moments that is kinda funny and entirely relatable and KOTCS lacks from just about every other direction.
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Does anyone know where I can obtain Frank Darabont's script? I'd love to compare it to the film to see if, in his version, Indy just sort of stands around clueless at the end.
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I loved it. Very entertaining! I am sorry those of you who didn't enjoy it like I did because it wasn't the film you wanted it to be. Nostalgia is great and all.....but when it keeps you from enjoying an exciting and well made film, you are the only ones who lose. Cry all you want.
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I loved it. Very entertaining! I am sorry those of you who didn't enjoy it like I did because it wasn't the film you wanted it to be. Nostalgia is great and all.....but when it keeps you from enjoying an exciting and well made film, you are the only ones who lose. Cry all you want.
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It wasn't just bad as an Indy movie, it was just flat out bad. This is the kind of movie I pass up at blockbuster let alone the theater opening day - so yeah, you could say my expectations of what comes with the title "Indiana Jones" have now been altered. It doesn't ruin the experience of the original movies in any way, but I won't be seeing this again.
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but annoying as hell. And then of course I only have two other words to say about Doom sucking! DOCTA JONES!!!
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May 23, 2008 4:30:07 AM CDT
For versatol, and all the other "80's fans are hard to please...
by irishraidersfan
Sorry, but a modern film can be fantastic, exciting have great dialogue and effects, but be made in a traditional way - the Bourne movies, for example.
Crystal Skull was sub-par, Bruckheimer-esque trash! Terrible dialogue, performances and plot. THAT'S how it differs from the others. -
close one Mr. Bond, but you WON with your Walther PPK.
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You gave a fair opinion and you don't sound bitter about it. You didn't declare the end of a franchise. You just accept it for what it is, if trash is what it is to you fine. See everybody, take a que from irishraidersfan. That's you hate on a film.
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I was relieved when he showed up. Even though his character is nothing more than a vague sketch and he is given one of the worst scenes in the film (Tarzan monkey king) he is one of the only actors with a pulse in this flick. Harrison was trying hard, and sometimes he felt like the old Indy for brief shimmering moments. I give him credit, but it was just too much to ask.
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Bet you liked the last two Matrix movies, right? The MTV generation strikes again. See, nostalgia doesn't keep me "from enjoying an exciting and well made film" as it was ANYTHING but. It was absolutely cringeworthy and terribly made, with an awful narrative. How can you not see that? Did the pretty explosions and poor attempts at humour blind you?!?
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...I've been waiting on pins and fucking needles for your "proof." Please hurry, I can't hold my breath much longer...
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TPM was weak with many cringe inducing scenes, but it fully entertained me. Crystal Skull bored, annoyed and even outraged me. I nearly walked out
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It's a legitimate question: Do we love the old Indy films, and the original Star Wars trilogy, merely because we loved them as kids? Or do we like them better than the new installments because they were actually BETTER CRAFTED? Does nostalgia cloud our senses? All I know is, I didn't buy the DVDs of ANY of the Star Wars prequels, just because I didn't feel the need to seem them again. I felt that "Revenge of the Sith" was pretty decent, but still, one viewing was enough. And, as sad as it may be, I'm not going to buy "Crystal Skull" either. It's an uneven movie that really drags in places, and it didn't please me the least bit. Why should I want to see it again, in all its sloppiness and imperfection?
I think it's very unfair to call everyone who didn't like the film a "hater", or "cynical", or "just too grown-up". I don't believe people dislike the movie because it's trendy to bash it – I think they dislike it because they clearly noticed its faults and are not willing to forgive them. It's true that a looong time has passed since the last movie, and the people who saw it in theaters are adults by now. But does your age determine if you're allowed to have fun with a movie or not? I'm 40 years old and I enjoy a good summer blockbuster like the next man. I've never read an "Iron Man" comic, for example, but I really enjoyed that film, because the writing, acting, direction and effects worked seamlessly. It was a good movie. It felt rounded. Well Done. Professional.
And it's this very sense of professionalism, of caring for the characters and the story and bringing it all to life on the screen, that's missing from "Crystal Skull". It's just lazy. Our gripes aren't caused by the fact that our fanboy expectations weren't met or our sense of nostalgia was hurt; we're being acidic because it's LOUSY FILMMAKING. And I'm not talking Indy-specific stuff here, like underuse of the whip and revoler, I'm talking about filmmaking basics: Overexpository dialogue, bad CGI, off-beat pacing, too many sidekicks, passive protagonist, wasted actors, no showdown hero vs. bad guy, leaps in logic, the list goes on and on. A master director like Spielberg and a writer with Koepp's track record should REALLY have known, and done, better. They just shat on the rules of filmmaking 101. No wonder most of us are disappointed! -
crystal skull was more of a disgrace to indy than TPM was to SW.
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People have said Indy does not use a gun in this?....
Tell me...
How many times did Indy sue his gun in TOD...Only in the car at the start.
How many in Crusade...
Not at all
So thats not a valid argument in any way sorry...
Scotsman 75
In what way is Scotland different from England, seriously let me know?
Knob
I see this tomorrow at 2pm, I will post a review tomorrow night, if I dont like I will say so. -
You are clinically insane..are you being sarcastic, how many times are you ging to watch this film that you hate so much?
I dont get you, you are either bi polar or simply trolling, which is it? -
Two flaccid bullwhips out of five. :(
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I don't think nostalgia plays too much of a role in the old SW & Indy movies, and I think this argument gets overblown to justify the PT and Indy IV as being just as good as its predecessors. What we all forget is the new Indy is the #4 in the series, and the PT movies were #4-6 in the SW series, and 99% of the time, a movie series gets tired by the 3rd movie. Remember Superman III? Nobody liked that in 1983, and I sure as hell don't like it now! ROTJ is definitely not on par with SW & ESB, and we all knew back in the 80's. Last Crusade and Temple of Doom aren't as good as Raiders, so nothing has really changed, sequels are pretty much inferior to the originals, except for ESB. Lucas hasn't come up with anything original in 30 years, so we are led to believe that it is our faults that his sequels/prequels are not as good, but the bottom line is if these same movies Indy IV, and the PT were made in the 80's, we would be saying the same thing, except there wouldn't be any CGI to bitch about.
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Adults enjoyed the Indy films back in the 80's. The cinemas weren't full of kids, so that argument about nostalgia is garbage. Does anyone remember when Lucas attacked the Godzilla remake with his 'Plot Matters' dig? The guy needs to take his own advice. The stories in the prequels and now this are just plain bad. He needs to get over himself and let some good people craft these films for him. No wonder there was no press screenings - it wasn't so that the story was a surprise - it was to hide the surprise that there was no story.
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Another reason why many fans won't get warm with the movie might be the poor choice of the crystal skull as the macguffin. It's not a bad idea, basically; the whole prehistoric astronaut mythology that was coined by von Daniken & co. always seemed pretty intriguing, and creatively devised, to me. What the screenplay just can't drive home to the viewer is why the skull is POWERFUL AND DANGEROUS. Sure, there is this whole mind control scenario connected to it, but it's never really explained how it could work (and I'm not sure the screenwriter wasn't, either, and just hoped to get away with it – that's how the result feels).You don't see the danger, you don't see the stakes - it's too abstract. (All you see is that the skull is ugly, and propably stuffed with aluminum foil.) Going back to the old movies: You wouldn't have liked the destructive power of the ark in the hands of the Wehrmacht. The idea that Hitler and his bunch could sip their wine from the grail and become immortal was really terrifying. And even the Sankara stones – oft-maligned even by hardcore fans – had the very precise, and important, task of securing the fruitfulness of the Indian village's soil so its inhabitants didn't starve. The potential of the crystal skull, however, is never fully realized because the filmmakers didn't feel the need to let their audience in on what it really means.
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You are spot on. The macguffin was non-existent due to poor writing and since the very success of these films depends on a strong macguffin this one failed.
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Stop mentioning this craptastic travesty in one sentence with Indy or Star Wars. STOP. For the love of Gawd (or however that fucker is spelled)!
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No magic, better luck next time. So Xfiles movie. Major Diss.
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Indy uses his gun in Crusade, when he's chasing the tank trying to rescue his dad.
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He also uses a machine gun to shoot 3 or 4 Nazis - "Don't call me junior!"
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It was the Spielberg that replaced the E.T. guns with walkie-talkies that showed up to make Skull unfortunately. Bland and safe.
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Its easy on here to read the talkback and assume from the gazillion posts everyone feels negative about it. But it’s the same crowd posting over and over - who probably think they're really clever with their observations. "He never would have survived the nuke fallout" - sheesh. No?? Its Indy!! If you're dissecting it like that then no wonder you've got so much to talk about. Me? I liked it first time and borderline LOVED it second time. It is ABSOLUTELY in spirit with the other movies. The dialogue is fine. The action is fantastic. The story is fine. It is hugely entertaining.
and I'll say this as well…..I'm a huge SW fan who tried to defend TPM all summer long in 99 - and this movie is 100 times better than that. Those of you reckoning it isn't? What are you smoking? seriously. -
Im pretty sure the idea of a 'hero adventure' like this is that at some stage the hero is, well, heroic. Raiders - he is the ultimate badass that goes in and saves the girl. Doom - he battles the eeevil cultists to rescue an entire town whilst protecting woman and child. Crusade - by his faith, brains and courage he saves his ol' pa and preserves the grail etc etc.
And now in KOTCS - uuum, he is along for the ride? Aah but we have mutt and marion who... oh yeah, they do nothing either, except play at tarzan.
Well at least we are on the edge of our seats the whole time right? Well we would be if this movie a) didn't have the worst case of 'stormtrooper syndrome' this decade and b) didn't have the most implausible stunts EVER.
It all starts with the goddam fridge - no human could EVER survive that, so now we are aet to thinking, CAN this guy get hurt? and all our fears for his wellbeing melt away. This is only compounded with the waterfall rubbish and the jumping of a vehicle off a cliff into a bendy tree. What about a truck full of crack rusky troops with automatic rifles, in an elevated position, aiming at a chick in an open topped vehicle around 20 feet away. Don't be ridiculous - you can't hit her! she 'ducked'. I mean seriously! How are we supposed to give a damn about the characters if we are led to believe they can survive ANYTHING!
We were told this wasn't going to go the way of the Star Wars prequels. Very little CGI they said. Traditional stuntwork they said. I say bollocks - the CG in this movie was little short of gratuitous - the stunts totally OTT and CG'd - and Third act heroism stank.
If you are going to call a movie 'Indiana Jones and the whatever .....' you had better make damn sure it is about INDY. If this lonely man has just discovered he has an ONLY SON - you would have thought that was a pretty big event in his life over the span of the movie. Surely that is what the film is about? Finding a relationship with a young man after years of...
No? Really? It's not about Indy and his son?
Oh, there is something better - a more poignant message this movie has to tell? More important than indys own son with the love of his life...
Hold on, you mean ALIENS??!?!
There is one thing that could have saved this movie for me.
Indy enters the temple at the end, opens the door to the chamber of the aliens, the stone rolls back, the smoke clears...
a small glowing light appears in the darkness...
"ouuuuch..."
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Just shot your argument in the foot by saying you defended TPM all summer long in 99. Skull has a lousy script, all the FX and action in the world can't save a film when the basic blueprint is flawed. Same goes for TPM. I'm glad you enjoyed it though. Different people see different things.
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so Hollywood can produce more remakes, sequels, prequels and shit. Wasn´t SW 1-3, POTC 2-3, Matrix 2-3 and Die Hard of Live free bad enough? It´s seemingly so much easier to fuck corpses than to give birth to something special nowadays. Fuck you, Spielberg (or maybe Lucas is doing that part)!Thank you very much, Zombiegeeks!
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Is still Willie Scott even though I love Temple of Doom
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You are right, I forgot about those 2 bits, I am right about TOD though eh?
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Yup, he only uses his gun in the car chase.
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If you actually saw it and hated it, fine, you didn't get it, it wasn't to to your taste, whatever. BUT, you 'hated' it based on the trailer, which, lets be honest, doesn't lend your critique very much credibility. To whit: you haven't mentioned anything specifically that you disliked about the movie other than the trailers were too colorful. I mean, seriously, for a guy who named himself after an female anime character (in the vain hope that you could become that female and therefore know what it feels like to touch a woman who isn't your mother or a prostitute), I would think you would give this live-action anime a chance. But no, why not watch the abysmal T2 again and cry for Robodaddy. "Wee wuv woo robodaddy! Wee wuv woo Old Yeller!"
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Speed Racer is better than T2?
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Lets keep this away from religious talk, save that for the Dark Materials talk backs.
Its just something better left alone IMO, I am in fact an Atheist, so neither Catholic or Protestant (Thats how you spell it by the way).
Why did I bring up a comment from yesterday, because that was last time I was on here, pretty simple.
I wonder how nmany times you will see this film, the film you claimed to have seen in full and then paid to see anyway, and the one you say you are going back to see
Not troll the boards for a week telling everyone how bad this movie is
Thats what you are doing, as said I bet you are a Buckfast drinking teenager, who bunked off school and still lives with his drug dealing mother, your Dad became an alcy after you were born when he was fucking 16 and your Maw was 15. Your idea of a good night out is standing putside the chip shop with a carryout and a hoody on.
Baw bag.
Oh and wheers these extreme differences between life in England and Scotland you are referring to, name 5 things and I will admit I was wrong, thats reasonable??? -
thinks the Rock is better than Raiders :-O I'm glad Harry took away your black box. He was spot on with that decision.
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Ok, so this movie is Far-Fetched.... really? Doesn't feel like an Indy Movie... Really? Lucas fisted your childhood, UNLUBED... REALLY?!?!
For starters, you're not 8 anymore. Grow up. Realize that the Star Wars prequels, had they been released during the same timeframe would have had the EXACT SAME IMPACT as the original trilogy. Also PLEASE open a fucking book and realize that the Prologue to the ORIGINAL novelization of "Star Wars" pretty much tells you what the prequels is going to be about. So aside from Jar Jar, the story was planned.
NOW, with IJ4, I have to say, yea, I wasn't expecting a lot. I love Raiders... it's damn near, if not perfect and while Doom is a great sequel, I like Last Crusade more. IJ4 falls in the sequels very nicely.
Let's take a second, seriously... without your fake elitist asshole comments and really THINK about the 3 existing Indy films and this new one. What is so different about them?
NOT A DAMN THING! The exact same formula is there. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the end of this film was more on par with Raiders then you think.
Ok, let me explain... From the point the Nazi's get the Ark, open it and die (in a very UNREAL, UNBELIEVABLE manner I may add) Indiana Jones is a complete NONFACTOR to what happens that last 20-30 minutes. I never realized it until a friend pointed this out to me, but go back and watch it. Had Indy never caught up with the Nazi's, the same result would have come about.
The same thing goes for this film... and Last Crusade. The only film in the series Indy makes a difference by being a part of the situation IS Doom.
The movie had times where I wanted to know more and get into the why's and how's of the situation and I truly believe I got caught up in the nostalgia like many others (The Drafthouse was showing the old trailers until the movie started) and I went in expecting nothing, I started getting excited and I enjoyed the film. The movie is far from perfect and yea, it has some issues. The movie is over the top in places, but no more then the previous films. The dialogue is forced in places. I thought Indy and Marion's reunion could have been a bit more "heart-felt" but after knowing he bailed on her, I can see why she'd a be a bit cold. I think Shia did a GREAT job and if i was to guess, there will be a 5 and 6 WITH Harrison still in the drivers seat. Let's face it, Ford hasn't done too well movie wise since Air-Force One and his biggest career blunder in turning down "Traffic" has loomed over him for some time. He needs to be Jones again for a few years. Shit, he needs to be Han Solo again, but if it does happen, it'll likely be a voice in an Animated feature.
If you have seen it and didn't like it, to each his own, but I wouldn't rely on what 80% of the haters here say. Go see it for yourself and make up your own mind. I'll be seeing it again this weekend in order to really gauge where this film stands amongst the other 3. I did enjoy it, it was Indy and that's that! -
If you can tell me 5 things that fundamentally differ life in Scotland from life in England, I will agree you were right and I was wrong, sound fair???
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Your caps-lock key is down. You may want to check on that.
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A hair brush maybe? :-)
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...and Indy cowers in fear telling him to call it a rope, it symbolized Indy's profound fear that his son might have a bigger dick than him. See, Indy's fear of snakes stems from his deep-seated insecurity that his Johnson doesn't measure up to that of other men. So everytime he sees a long, slithery serpent, his phallic insecurity is triggered subconsciously. So the Shia snake scene makes perfect sense.
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My reaction to Indy?
Hmmm, I don't want to bring anybody's expectations down, because I had a LOT of fun Tues. night seeing Indy 4 in a packed, energetic fedora-wearing geek house...
The Indy franchise has always been a funny one for me, or the Lucas/Spielberg pairing at least: let me just say for the record, I've never been much of a
Lucas supporter, but I'm a HUGE Spielberg fan. I've hit a level of Spielberg fandom over the years where, to me, he can really do no wrong. Now Lucas on the other hand... Sure the first Star Wars movies are classic, but the writing and acting were undeniably terrible in the new movies.
And whereas the early Indy films felt like Spielberg films, for some reason the new Indy movie had some of the Lucas-present day stink on it. Not much. But for every cool bit of dialogue in Indy 4, somebody would say something really idiotic.
And here's the other thing, now that we're in the modern era of CGI set pieces: some stunts and sets look fantastic, but others are just a little bit too outrageous and over-the-top. *shrugs* Indy survives a nuclear blast? C'mon, what are frickin' kidding me?
So how does it stack up to the other Indy films? I'd have to see it again, but right now I'd say it's the weakest entry in the series. My opinion could change, for sure. And for anything said critically here, just know I STILL THINK IT WAS FUN! -
I was thinking same thing, one and the same. I dont think Scotsman went to his English lessons very often, he was drinking up the park with a plan to live off the social for the next 40 years.
I say bring back national service for anyone who cant get a job when they leave school, or dont try. Then they will stick in and learn for a change -
All hyperbole intended, yes.
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I don't quite get why they opted for the crystal skull when they had so many other items and storylines to choose from. Nobody would have thought badly of Lucas, Spielberg and Koepp if they had reused a macguffin from Indy installments of other media. Hal Barwood's story for the computer game "Fate of Atlantis" was pretty solid and hit all the right marks, even though Atlantis is a location and not an object. The Indy Dark Horse comics from the 90's offered some fairly good stuff. I remember one of the graphic novels that dealt with the Spear of Destiny, and it was better than "Crystal Skull". Even a couple of the Indy novels, like "Genesis Deluge" and "The Interior World" offered stories, characters, and ideas for a movie that could have been superior. Even some of the fan fiction scripts online, like the one that dealt with Excalibur, or "Sons of Darkness", which dealt with Noah's ark and handled the Russian adversaries very well, were wittier and more entertaining in parts. But I guess Lucas was just too proud to accept a story he didn't come up with himself.
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...this is the same reason that Indy chose Short-round as a sidekick in Temple of Doom - because of his phallic insecurity, as symbolized by his fear of snakes. Indy figured, a young Asian kid is probably the one sidekick (apart from women) who's Johnson would not be bigger than his, and wouldn't give him penis envy. In fact, all of Indy's close friends, like Brody, have smaller dicks than him. Indy knows this because he checked while they were sleeping.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7414024.stm
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I love you. Not in a gay way, but in "a you're making me cry with laughter" kinda way. I will be your friend. Your truest dearest friend.
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... Done brilliantly. Indiana Jones 4 is the past done badly.
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I would have been willing to overlook the dozens of flaws (and frankly: sheer laziness) of the proceedings if the action sequences had delivered. Unfortunately: Spielberg decided to shoot everything on soundstages and bathed in murky CGI.
The only sequence I somewhat enjoyed would be the Yale chase. It at least felt grounded enough in reality to be momentarily exciting. -
As in the future of film-making and film-making's past.
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I hated the last two matrix films. Seeing how Raiders and MTV both had their start in 81, I don't understand your MTV generation comment. Your assumption that I am young because I don't get upset when my favorite film franchise gets a new turn 20 years later is beyond me. So what if its not the one you wanted, at least its a good movie. Your attempts to discredit the film by attacking someone who enjoyed it has no real purpose, other than to make you feel better. So by all means, rip me a new one if its cathartic for you. I'll live.
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there's some funny bits where Burt Reynolds and Harrison Ford's dad are trying to do their lines.. and guess what? they keep cracking each other up.. whoooo boy!! I laughed and laughed.
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I don't think I shot my whole argument in the foot. Perhaps I didn't stress that I didn't care for TPM all that much, but I didn't think it was the complete lost cause some were making it out to be. I still don't.
But Skull is a plain good film from beginning to end IMO. -
In the first 20 seconds in knew this was something different. At the halfway point I hated what I was seeing. At the end I was sad that this was how it all ends.
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Hey, GO TO BED!!! Your brain's going to explode dude. Save yourself man!
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Hey Harry and all, I have been like so many waiting for this movie for years and last night with my brother went to be amazed only to end up completley stunned by how bad it is. I mean Indiana Jones and Aliens? Mayb that could have worked but not like this. The skull they carry round is laughable, script poor, enemies - i mean a sexy woman with a bunch of nutters in camp soviet dress - its not exactly compelling stuff. Also, I hate dad relationship in this film Le'Buff is so annoying. As soon as he appears you know Lucas was thinking ah Indy 50000 with him in the staring role as has since been reported. There is also a reliance in my opinion on some preety unrealistic CGI. How is it that Speilberg can make a Dinsosaur look realtic in 1993 but fail so miserably with some of the nonsense here. Theres an indication of a story that might have worked in the film - Jones describes how in 47 he was made to look at Alien artifacts from Roswell but was forced to remain silent. This could have been a fantastic opener but instead the opening is a race in a desert between some people we dont know and dont eve care about. Area 51 has all this secrets in we are told to belive yet theres about 1 guard at a gate and thats it. The film is on a downer from the start. This all said there are a few good moments but this film is a real disopointment. You know when a flim is bad when you look around when the lights come up and people have a blank look of shock on their face that says those 2hrs of life just spent where sad! This is what happend where I was. Hope in other places people love it but I can't belive many will. Its going to make a lot of money of cause not because of what it is but because of what people hoped they might see only to be disopinted.
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then people would love them. That's what I'm getting from the defenders of this film. If Ed Wood had simply named his film "Indiana Jones and the Plan 9 from Outer Space" it would have been a hit.
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I'm ok accepting the basic premise for shit like this...aliens and inter-dimensional travel etc. But you have to distinguish loopy plot premises from fundamental gaffs which indicate laziness on the part of the writers: the fridge scene, the poorly guarded area 51, the tarzan scene, many others.
In National Treasure I'm happy that they could steal the declaration of independance, what I could not beleive was that a single old man living alone (Jon Voight) would have a bowl of about 15 lemons in his refrigerator. How many lemons are in your fridge right now? .. exactly. And that's one of the things wrong with this fick.. too many lemons.. Also Shia makes me so made i want to smash his face with a shovel. -
just a couple of other points. Yes Indy films are a little far fetched so in a way maybe we shouldnt be suprised hes dealing with aliens this time round but Aliens, Pyramids - ive seen it in AVP and Stargate. Just felt like I had been here before. Also, theres loads and loads of other myths they could have looked at. For example I hear the Mummy 3 is set in China this time - cool might bring somthing new but Aliens. Speilberg man they may well exist but ET never had to meet Jones. Also, I would as someone as already said loved to have seen the fate of atlantis put on film. I have wonderful memories of that great PC game and cant help but think that it would have been so much better than what we ended up with.
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Horrible horrible horrible movie. I can't believe how bad it was. Sets looked uber fake; you could predict everything that was going to happen, and what was the purpose of the monkey men who attacked Jones and Mutt (worst sidekick name ever) at the gravesite in Peru? Maybe that sign outside of the gravesite should have read "warning, grave robbers will be attacked by the monkey men from "The Rundown", but they won't do much damage. And we won't tell you why they attacked you." Was Spielberg even involved in this at all? Thanks for ruining the franchise! And for throwing in Star Wars humor. I was waiting for the alien spaceship to actually be the Millenium Falcon. And I'm surprised that George didn't have Indy teleport through that "Portal" and come out as Han Solo! That's just how bad it was. CRAP!
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The Last Crusade should most definitely have been the Last Crusade!
For a die-hard Indy fan - Disappointed, would be an understatement.
Shocked and what the hell just happened?? Is a little closer to the mark.
For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, just read the non-spoiler paragraph next.
I really can’t understand the thought process of George Lucus & Steven Speilberg, how anyone could think this was a good idea is beyond me. They had 19 years to get the story right and if this was the best they could come up with, then what was the point? Topped with the fact none of the actors even try to look bothered during the whole film. It just looks like everyone is going through the motions. There are some cool bits, but not nearly enough to justify the existence of this movie.
I can’t really say anymore without spoilers, and no matter what I say you’ll probably go and see it anyway. But it’s probably best to close your eyes and pretend this never happened.
- SPOILERS –
Now specifics, major spoiler filled review next so don’t read unless you want to have the “surprises” ruined.
One large problem that plagues the entire movie is how it’s filmed. Now I know it was filmed in a similar style to the old three films, using similar cinematography, etc, so as to not make a huge contrast between them. And this works fine in theory for all the practical effects of the film, but when used in combination with CGI (of which there is a lot), it makes it look ridiculous. Using old style lighting and camera work with CGI looks appalling, and every special effect has a weird overly bright blooming effect that just doesn’t fit with rest of film.
A lot of the special effects are also in areas where I can’t understand why they wouldn’t do it for real. Or if it wasn’t possible, why bother doing it at all?!
That is a general problem, and for all the talk Speilberg gave about using practical effects, that was an out-right lie. The last ten minutes is virtually all CGI and shot on green screen and looks completely out of place, Indiana Jones virtually jumps into a computer game.
There are two shots that are technically brilliant though, Indy looking at the nuke cloud and the flying saucer taking off at the end (yes you read that right), but they both look like they should be in another movie in order to appreciate them.
Well some good things - the opening action sequence in the warehouse and the motorbike chase through the campus are both cool, but again are the two sequences that don’t use CGI, and parts of the jungle car chase/ant attack are fun (minus the monkeys and the Tarzan imitation). But these two/three parts are the highlights.
(Don’t get me wrong I usually love CGI in films, but the majority of this just looks so bad it ruins the experience.)
There are bits and pieces throughout the entire film that are cool, and I thought “that’s a good idea”, like Marion slamming the breaks on causing Spalko to roll over the jeep bonnet and grab the turret gun, the ants climbing up each other, Indiana running across the wooden frames in the warehouse, blowing the poison dart back at the grave indians or climbing through the car during the motorbike chase.
But then you have Mutt swinging through a computer game jungle with monkeys, the entire end sequence filled with aliens and a teleportation device, Indy surviving a nuke by hiding in a fridge without even gaining a scratch, crotch shots from cgi plants, surviving three waterfall drops without even gasping for air and a f***ing flying saucer coming out of the ground for know reason what-so-ever!!
It’s point like that that leave you in utter disbelief and “How the heck did they think that was a good idea” or “what the hell is that doing in an Indiana Jones film?”
George Lucus if you want to make some 50’s style “Saucer Men from Mars” B-Movie create another character to do it with, don’t mess with Indy.
See the film follows the basic structure of the other Indy films, but this MacGuffin and conclusion are just awful and so not a part of the Indy world. There’s a flippin full life alien in an Indiana Jones film for Christ sake!! Indy discovering a long lost civilisation of dinosaurs would have worked ten times better than that.
The acting isn’t much better, no one seems particularly bothered about what’s happening, they see a huge flying saucer, survive falling off mile high cliffs and everyone is just like “Yeah, whatever, happens all the time. Let’s laugh about this great family day out.”
Harrison as Indy was a bit inconsistent, sometimes he was classic Indiana rolling with punches and making the right expressions, and other times he was just regular Harrison Ford which to be honest felt awkward, especially when jokes fell flat. Even when Indy finds out about Mutt being his son, he just makes jokes about it and makes stupid grins for the next half hour. Right so you’re now a cartoon version of your younger self??
The classic get up, didn’t seem to fit him either, it was like watching your granddad in a fancy dress “one-size-fits-all” Indy outfit. In the other films, they felt just like regular clothes, now it was like he was putting on his super-hero outfit.
An even bigger problem is the majority of the characters aren’t even needed, Mutt and Marion are pretty much just along for the ride, and they serve no purpose what-so-ever.
Shia Lebeouf as Mutt Williams (Indy’s son) wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t particularly amazing either and I’d have no desire to see him lead his own franchise or continuation of this one. But hey, if I got asked by George Lucus and Steven Speilberg to be in Indy 4 I’d have done it too!
The alien storyline was pretty weak but could have been passable if it wasn’t for the ridiculous out of this world (literally) ending. If they’d just kept it to alien relics, instead of actually bring them to life, or used a earlier idea mentioned in the film of children having they’re skull elongated, then it could have worked. But as it stands you’re left with a big “What the f***?! They didn’t just do that did they?”
I’m a die-hard Indy fan and really wanted to enjoy this, but I can’t, I’ll go and see it again with much lowered expectations and see what I think of it then. But I can’t see it holding up over time against the other 3, it’s a forgettable film with a few nice touches but essentially wasn’t needed.
They should have very much left this trilogy alone. At least with Rambo and Die Hard they seemed to know what they were doing.
6.5/10
www.ripbladereviews.blogspot.com -
I have been lurking for many years... and this damn movie has possessed me to sign in.
This movie reminded me of the many Saturday morning and syndicated cartoons made from popular movies. Think the Back To the Future cartoon. Think The Real Ghostbusters. Basically these cartoons take a beloved movie and make a stereotypical rendition of it... while also adding ridiculous plots and characters that the original formats would never have even touched. Think Fonz and the Gang (the time travel Happy Days cartoon!). That is what this movie was like. It wasn't an IJ movie. It was IJ with Slimer. -
There. I said it.
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It was just as good as the other movies. I watched 1 and 3 before I saw this (i slept through a lot of it though I'll admit, doped up on pain killers right now but was not on them by the time Indy 4 appear on the big screen). BUT then again I was never a big Indy fan (I know this because afterward me and my buddy played who would you rather be, Indy or BLANK and blank always won). I will say his though, that was by far the worlds ugliest cast ever for a big budget movie. MY GOD did you see the stache on the priest at the end? I could've swore I've seen that guys face on a pedophile alert web site. Also MY GOD does Cate Blanchet have a huge penis, did you not see what she was packing in those hefty bags she was wearing? Easily a contender for a razzie award on her part, fucking her accent was TERRIBLE! This was a turn your brain off and enjoy movie and I did, minus Cate Blandchett because I hate her.
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My dad took me to see Raiders in the theatre when I was 8. Now I have three sons of my own and have really enjoyed sharing the Indy films with them. We watch either Star Wars, Empire, Raiders, or Last Crusade at least once a month. I was so excited to take my 8 yr old to see the new Indy movie. He was excited too. I let him watch all the trailers and we have talked about the movie almost every day on the way to school.
I wanted see the movie first before taking him (to know when to tell him to cover his eyes). I got home from a 6pm showing last night and my sons were waiting up anxiously in their beds to hear if the movie was good. When I saw how excited they were it broke my heart. I lied. I told them it was great, but too scary for them to see.
Should you see this movie? Absolutely. It's like asking if you should go see your mom with Alzheimer's. You should go because you lover her, but you will leave saddened. I harbor no anger or resentment towards Steve and George. They gave it a good shot. They did give us Indy in the first place! Last Crusade will always be the "last" Indy film for my sons and me. -
My dad took me to see Raiders in the theatre when I was 8. Now I have three sons of my own and have really enjoyed sharing the Indy films with them. We watch either Star Wars, Empire, Raiders, or Last Crusade at least once a month. I was so excited to take my 8 yr old to see the new Indy movie. He was excited too. I let him watch all the trailers and we have talked about the movie almost every day on the way to school.
I wanted see the movie first before taking him (to know when to tell him to cover his eyes). I got home from a 6pm showing last night and my sons were waiting up anxiously in their beds to hear if the movie was good. When I saw how excited they were it broke my heart. I lied. I told them it was great, but too scary for them to see.
Should you see this movie? Absolutely. It's like asking if you should go see your mom with Alzheimer's. You should go because you lover her, but you will leave saddened. I harbor no anger or resentment towards Steve and George. They gave it a good shot. They did give us Indy in the first place! Last Crusade will always be the "last" Indy film for my sons and me. -
I missed seeing Indy with a day's worth of beard growth. They should have given him his usual scuzzy look for the jungle adventures. Then again, at his age Ford's scruff may come in very light, or even gray. Which would be fine, but wouldn't show up as much onscreen unless it were like a week's worth. Hello, M-o-M
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Lucas, Spielberg and Ford have lost their goddamn ratfuckin' minds. I new we were in deep shit when that fucking CGI prairie dog jumped out of the mountain-shaped dirt hill. For a minute there, I wanted to believe it was some kind of Lucasfilm animated short I hadn't heard about. My disbelief ended when I saw "Harrison Ford" emblazened on the screen. And I knew then that there would be an appearance by a fucking alien. In an Indiana Jones movie. How these people managed to come up with something worse than anything else they've respectively done is beyond me. LOST WORLD, PHANTOM MENACE and FIREWALL are all better movies than this. This is seriously in the running for "worst film I've ever seen". And, every one of you motherfuckers out there that is saying it "feels like Indy" is just as head-fucked as the "creative" team behind this piece of shit. I can't imagine how a life-long Indy fan could look at the trilogy, and then look at this, and seriously try to compare them, or even regard them as part of the same series. They are nothing alike. There were brief flashes where Ford seemed like Indy, and he might have been awesome if he had a better script and film to live in, but the movie he was in was not even on par with the MUMMY movies, from which this film thieved visuals and characters heavily in the most cosmically ironic rip-off in cinema history. Christ, they even ripped off the ending of MISSION TO MARS! Anybody who tries to defend this movie is a lunatic, a liar, or a fucking alien.
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I saw his fat ass last night on HBO!!
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Hey, I'm not looking to insult you, honestly. What I mean is, people seem totally flim-flammed by this flick. You've said yourself, "this is a good movie". How?!? Honestly, what was of merit? Indy doesn't use his whip when stuck in quicksand, who were the ninja kids in the graveyard, and what was their role? Ox was a nothing character, Marion was criminally underused, the tree sequence was a joke! Nobody cared when Mac died. And like I said before, hum any part of the soundtrack that wasn't lifted out of the other movies. Even as a child, after one sitting, I could hum loads of Temple and Last Crusade's. (I was 4 when Raiders came out, so had to wait for video for that one!) This new installment was dreadful, in almost every way. MTV, since the early 90s, has been "chewing gum for the brain" television - and that's what I meant by MTV generation - give them explosions and things happening in quick succession, and they'll slurp it down and be back for more.
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Yea, it was a blast. I must say, that the nuclear explosion scene was outstanding. That was one mean looking mushroom cloud. Don't go in expecting it to be as good as Raiders. (I mean, come on. It can't be.) But it was a great time nonetheless.
Best parts-
-Opening sequence at Area 51/Explosion
-Ants ants ants
-Indy's reaction when he first sees Marion. Classic Indy. -
Come on guys, if we all put in a bit of money, we can get our own back!.
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Else see, Nick Cage was here, written in the dust on like 5 of the sets in Indy?
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Well, precisely--that's what KOTCS is most lacking--those iconic little moments in "Raiders" where Indy is alone, doing his thing, and nary a word is said, but with Williams' score, it's all so cool. Like the opening HOvitos exploit. Or when Indy is in the map room. That scene lasts what, maybe six minutes, and nobody says a word--it's just us watching Indy, and Ford's acting lets us know how fascinated Indy is with his quest. You get none of that in KOTCS. Remember in ROcky III when Mickey turns to Rocky at the statue ceremony and asks, "What ever happened to those quiet little moments?" I could ask the same about KOTCS. No poignancy. There IS some charm, but a lot of it seems forced.
Maybe at the end, one of the aliens should have presented Indy with a gun from the American wild west, as a trophy of sorts. And they should have let Richard Dreyfuss get off the ship -
It is about God if you look at it from a rational point of view. The concept of God is different in all civilisations and this was exploring something other than a Christian God, much like Temple of Doom. I liked the film, its a lot of fun and without ranking it, it does stand along with the sequels. No Raiders though, but then nothing is.
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...that he made Last Crusade as an apology for Temple of Doom. So what the fuck is he going to make to apologise for THIS??? Such an awful movie I wish it hadn't been made. I will never watch it again. Indiana Jones will always be a trilogy to me. Such a shame and such a wasted opportunity. Fuck it.
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You people apologizing for it, saying that it's just supposed to be a fun adventure move: Would you have liked this crap if it was the first of the series? Imagine having no back story and just watching this thing. The only reason anyone has anything positive to say about it is because the movie relies and feeds on the audience's relationship with the previous movies. This movie is an insult, and as painful as it is to admit that for some fans, it's unavoidable if you have any concern for intregrity and honesty.
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I thought I'd actually weigh in this time rather than posting a snarky clever-clever title...
Well, it was bad. Not Phantom Menace bad, but bad. It was like they'd done such a cut-and-paste job with taking all the moments they wanted from the various drafts, that what they ended up with was essentially a first draft again. It needed a real, REAL polish, because what we ended up with were a bunch of sequences that had no through line of narrative reason (going over the three waterfalls, for example. There just wasn't any point, reason or consequence to it). Indy escapes a nuclear blast? Sure, why not? But in the context of what was happening at that point in the film, it wasn't involved with the plot line. There WERE some great sequences that felt like good Indy again - the most accomplished probably being the motorbike chase - but apart from that example, the potentially great action sequences that there were (say, the jeep chase) were hampered by either bad CGI or just going way to far into ridiculousness, and not in a 'fun' way - the tarzan swing with CGI monkeys, etc. I thought this film wasn't meant to be using CGI extensively? It was all over the place! If you're going to say in press statements that you want this film to do it all 'old school', don't have your first shot be centred around a CGI gopher. There were way to many extraneous characters - the point of the film that captured the 'old magic' the best was that first bit where Indy and Mutt were in the cave with the mummies - that dynamic worked great and Shia certainly wasn't the film's false note. They should've done away with Hurt, Marion, Winstone, and the 'Indy's Son' device and just kept it a streamlined Indy-and-new-sidekick verses Blanchett dynamic. And the entire third act just beggared belief - the 'aliens' thing might have worked better if they'd kept it a bit more subtle, eerie and mysterious, but by the time you get a full on CGI-alien frowning at them and Indy watching a flying saucer fly off? And then the redundant wedding sequence? Fuck that. I'm sorry to be negative, as I really, really came into the cinema wanting to like this. But I left disappointed. I know the above might read like nitpicking, but I really wanted to quantify my opinion rather than just writing 'I thought it sucked.' It's the worst of the series by a long way. -
Indy and the good guys regroup after being washed up out of the temple, a ala Die Hard 3, and there's no sense of "HOLY SHIT!! We just saw ALIENS take off in a SPACESHIP!!" Instead we get "Ha ha, somewhere up there, your grandpa is laughing...because you're my SON, get it? And I just called you JUNIOR, like he used to call ME. Get it? Nudge nudge, chuckle chuckle."
Where was the WONDER? I guess what it boils down to quite simply is that as a macguffin, the crystal skull was literally too (pun intended) FOREIGN for any of us to connect to. Whereas we've all read about the Ark and the holy grail in religion class or sunday school. Nobody had to EXPLAIN the historical or spiritual significance of those objects to us--they were ALREADY mystical in nature going in. But here, it's ALL explanation about the skull, what it purportedly does, and blah blah blah. I just couldn't attach any personal significance to it, and therefore found it easy to think that Indy wouldn't either -
I actually enjoyed the way Mutt pronounced "skull" as "skoal."
But I still don't know whether Indy's mispronunciation of "noo-kew-lar" was intended. I'm guessing it was intended -
Where was the deep character study in the original? I dont recall some big back story. Anyone claiming how Temple of Doom was so serious does not recall Willie Scott and Short Round. Raiders was the only one that had a serious tone.
Is the Crystal a perfect movie? No
Saying it is shit and an insult is just ignorant... a movie like the hottie and the nottie is shit and an insult.
Not one major movie critic with any credentials has called this movie shit... people should trust them rather than a dozen talkbackers.
Its a good movie, and it deserves its place in the Indy world -
apparently came from a "space between spaces." I'm hoping they sent it back.
You know, if the movie had ended after the new-koo-lar blast stunt, I'd have been perfectly content. -
Saw DH4 and tought, well shit, if we bring Indy back we are going to have to make him invicible as well.
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This fits in with the other movies just fine. Just you gotta understand BIGGER is BETTER baby. Its not like Indy wasn't already stronger then Superman (seriously Indy is more invincible then Superman). I think they've shown Superman weaker and helpless more times in just any one of the movies then they have in total for all 4 Indianas. Also that scene where the jeep RAN over the boat car and no one got Grindhouses and then less then half a second later Cate Huge Penis Blanchett pops up with the gun, I don't think I've heard an audience laugh that hard before.
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this 4th one has tarnished and whored away everything i loved about Indy. FUCK YOU LUCAS ans SPEILBERG!!!! FUCK YOU UP YOUR BEARDED ASSES!!!!!
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this 4th one has tarnished and whored away everything i loved about Indy. FUCK YOU LUCAS and SPEILBERG!!!! FUCK YOU UP YOUR BEARDED ASSES!!!!!
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Saw it again last night, and it modified my opinion somewhat. It's still an excellent an action film with action set pieces that are more fun and clever than anything you're likely to see in a Bay or Sommers movie. But there are some moments that don't work very well, and much of it has to do with Ford and Shia. The fact is, they just don't have the chemistry that Ford and Connery did, and Shia did the best he could with a role he shouldn't have been given in the first place. Whenever he gave one of his "tough guy" line readings I tried picturing an actor who was a little older delivering the same line, someone like Jake Gyllenhal, and that almost invariably made the line better. Also, I think Ford gets better as Indy as the movie goes along, but he seems awkward in those first scenes. The movie is lacking a real badass Indy moment where he totally takes control of the situation, like the truck chase in Raiders. Its funny that so many people have commented on the CGI in the movie, because I think that the lack of CGI might ultimately hurt its box office. Indy films used to represent the state of the art in action filmmaking, but there's nothing here that you haven't seen before, even if Spielberg does it better than other action filmmakers. Indy might just be too slow to satisfy audiences in a Spider-Man world.
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I was never once engaged. I sat their thinking that I was watching a movie version of a movie that we saw years prior. I still have a headache from the rage attack I am suppressing over how lame the whole thing is....
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Ok I saw it at a matinee yesterday, and here's what I thought. Yes it is an Indiana Jones film. For most of the film, it felt like an Indiana Jones film. I enjoyed it. Where does it stack against the other 3 films. I'd rate them Raiders (perfect), Temple of Doom (I like it alot, sue me), Last Crusade (good, but flawed), then Crystal Skull last. Here's why. WARNING SPOILERS.
First off, let me say its better to see the movie without reading any reviews. There was stuff I read from reviews on this sight and others that I was expecting, for example the gophers, which by the way are not as bad as claimed. Its two quick scenes. I know, they don't belong in this movie at all, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
Another issute people had was with the cinematography. There are scenes, such as anything inside a temple, that looked like they were lost scenes from Raiders. However, for some reason, whenever they are in sunlight, the look of the film is different, and "un Indy" like. You'll see what I mean when you watch the movie. It's soft focus, lots of sun glare on the lens, its wierd. It doesn't look bad, but doesnt match other scenes in the film or the previous films.
The story I liked, actually. After seeing the SciFi special about the real crystal skulls, and knowing that the Russians did study psychic warfare, the story isn't any more far fetched than the others. The ending however, could have been better. I liked the crystal skeletons, and liked how they all "awoke" when the last skull was returned. They had been waiting, and can now go home. I liked that, but what I didnt like was the way they morphed into a flesh and blood (or whatever runs through an aliens veins) Alien. That was wierd, and felt out of place. It would have been cool if they were just sitting there, the Russian dominatrix burst into flames, and the ship took off. Would have been better. Plus, that scence with the alien staring at her looked way out of place and like a scene from a video game.
My other problem, I blame on Lucas by the way, is his annoying insistence on explaining everything. We didn't need to know where the aliens came from. It's better left open. But they have to have the scene where Oxley explains where they came from. I didnt need to know.
Which brings me to the minor problems, also caused by Lucas I'm sure. The Tarzan swing scene is every bit as bad as you've heard. Stu-pid.
The jungle truck chase scene was cool, until Shia starts getting smacked in the nuts with tree brances. Du-mb.
The ants were cool, until they started to stack up on each other and go after Psychic Russian Dominatrix girl who is hanging from a vine. Re-tard-ed.
The fridge scene. Would not have been as bad if the fridge didnt get blasted 1 mile away bounce across the desert, and have Indy roll out unharmed. It wasnt as bad as it sounds, but I would have been happier if the fridge was blasted out of the house and across the yard, maybe into another house or two, and then he waited it out until the explosion was over. The scene with the mushroom cloud was cool though. Also, was it weird to anyone else to see Indy inside a 50s house, with the Howdy Doody on the TV? I struck me as odd, like a cartoon character came to life and was wondering around a household who was just watching his movie.
The action. The movie had alot of action, but for some reason, none of it really stuck with me. There wasn't one scene in the movie that made me go Holy Shit! Even his token "fight the big bad guy" scene was kinda meh.
CGI. There wasn't as much CGI as I feared or heard, at least CGI that was noticeable. A little in the truck scene, but nothing really that took me out of the movie (except the aforementioned alien ending). One scene though bothered me. At the beginning, in Nevada, when they are talking at the base and the sun is setting in the background. Total green screen shot. Why? It appeared the rest of the scene was shot on location. Maybe they went back and reshot it on a stage. But they couldnt make it look a little better?
Overall, I liked it, and encourage people to see it if they haven't already. Like another reviewer on another movie sight said "It's a great Mummy sequel, but not a great Indy sequel". Its not bad, but not up there with the others. Is it a noble attempt? Yes it is. Not nearly as "childhood raping" as the Star Wars prequels. I just think a little further script revision and it would have been awesome. -
I was kind of against them making another one... I mean the last one ends with them having found the Holy Grail and literally riding off into the sunset. There were a few moments in this that made me excited to be an indy fan, but that magic is gone. This movie felt very forced to me. And unlike most I dont blame Shia Labeoff, I thought he did fine- that kid is talented, I'll never understand all the hatred for him. I just thought that in this movie more than the others there was just a bunch of random shit thrown together that amounted to nothing. And in the other films, even thought something supernatural happens in the finally it is always a bit understated AND the thing you've been waiting to see. In this, when they put the Skull Back, nobody hardly seems to give a fuck. Indy doesn't seem to be surprised or care that Aliens exist and they jump started civilization on earth. I didn't give two fucks about the plot, Indy could have just said fuck it and went home at any second and I wouldn't have minded, because it didnt seem like he was in any real danger. The three waterfalls sequence was so far fetched (and not in the good, Indy way.) It was just dumb, God forgive I rolled my eyes during this movie.
SO much potential, bringing Indy into the Cold War era and injecting some "duck and cover" "I like Ike" flavor was very wise... could have been wonderful. I just found the events of Crystal Skull to have no weight, no danger, no anything. Should have made Indiana Jones and the Cup of the Vampire instead... that would have had some "Oh shit, is he gonna make it" moments. -
as good as any of the previous ones, in the end. Stupid, dumb, xenophobic, just as the genre it mimics and homages... and that's the point, that's always been the point of Indiana Jones, the constant reproduction of adventure clichés in a non realistic way. And the movie is, again, about religion... only the "Gods" adored happen to be...SPOILER from another dimension SPOILER. So, no masterpiece but a great enjoyable film to view again and again when in the mood for a fun afternoon. Can't wait for the Bluray set of the 4 Indy movies, frankly.
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what it's always been about from the first movie. Not building the the better action sequernce, not field testing new special FX technology. It's about nostaglia. It's set in the thirties thru fifties for a reason it's about a guy who solves puzzels and problems by digging through the past for a reason. If Jones and company seem to have a longer back story than front story that's as it should be. And if anything or everything looks familiar its qquite intentional. Going to Indy IV was like something between meetimng an old friend and going to a favorite vactation spot or restuarant I haven't been to in years and finding everything was just as good as remembered it. Harrison Ford slips into the role like he never left it, going straight from tough guy to Indy problem solving mode, later to be seen in his Professor mode and quickly hits his "giddy as a school boy" stride as he work at solving the puzzel tyhat sets the plot. Sure we've all seen it before we all know the steps. But damned if it isn't fun to revisite them. After all did anyoner go to a twenty year old franchise to see something new. I think deep down most people would have been horrified if they tride to reinvent the Indy film. Everything about this was about giving a nod to the past. Marcus Brody in particular is given due reverence(and even helps from the grave) as is Henry Sr. Thought Saula might have warranted a mention, even if he didn't make an appearance but, oh well. Jim Broadbent was excellent as Indy's Brody like friend and Ray Winston played Indy's sometimes partner charting a similar arc to Saula in Raiders with great charisma. Karen Allen like Ford, steppd back in to Marion Ravenwood like she never left it. One could go straight from Raiders into Crystal Skull and feel that the characters are in this movie who they should be based on that movie. Cate Blanchet is a terrific scene chewing villian with Julian Glover and Ilsa hunger for the goal combined with the ruthless killer insticts of the best or worst Nazi Commanders. And the last scene took me right back to the opening of the Ark in the first viewing of Raiders. Careful what you wish for. Shia was quite beleivabe as Indy's son and was as much at home in his fifties biker persona as Ford's Indy was as the ninteen thirties adventurer. John Hurt was perfect as the older archiologist who set Indy on the course. The investigation the action the enemies and the characters were all what Indy should be. People may nagg over the detail or say this or that doesn't belong in an Indy movie, but the pirit that was in Raiders and in Crusade was alive and well here. when you go home for the holidays a few things might be different but it still feels like home and so did this.
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It is entertaining, and there are some pretty cool scenes, but there were so many things that were just TOO unbelievable, and TOO over-the-top. The Last Crusade is still my favorite, and in my opinion, should have remained the end to the saga.
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when "Mutt" was sailing thru the jungle on vines was very clever...
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Except for Shia swinging from vines and Aleins at the end. The action scenes and adventure hunts were classic Indy though and it really captured the tone of the first 3 films. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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A FEW YEARS AGO:
Let's picture a scene, shall we? We are somewhere, deep in the Dreamworks movie lot. As we pass numerous office buildings, we zoom into one, and up to a closed metal door, with no window. Behind the door is some crazy (yet, strangely subdued chatter), something has got the people in this room extremely excited.
We pass through the door, only to find a board room. A half dozen people are jammed around a conference table, gesticulating wildly. But we notice that the voices are a little subdued, hushed even. It is as if this meeting is top secret. We can barely make out snippets of conversation: "Yes, I cannot believe that Harrison is going to do it!" "We have got to make this one count! The fans have waited too long." "I have got some good ideas." "Yeah, but we have to get the feel right. Ya know, the dialogue, the action scenes." "Yeah, yeah, and for heaven's sake, no CGI. Let's roll this old school." "Let's get the original team, especially the writers. What's Larry up to these days?" Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. The entire room goes quiet. The knock sounds again. A desperate, whiny voice (a Kermit the Frog voice) comes from behind the baracade. "You Guys! You Guys! C'mon, you guys! I know that you're in there . . ." From inside the room, several people make a low shhhhh sound. A man with a small, neat beard raises his voice to just above a whisper, "If we are really quiet, maybe he'll think we've gone away." From outside the room, we hear, "C'mon, guys. Lemme in. This isn't fair." The bearded man sighs, and begins to stand. There is a chorus of whispered no's, and dont's. But he just sadly shakes his head. As he walks toward the door, one last voice comes to him from the table, "Stevie, at least make him do the Truffle Shuffle." Steven Spielberg waves them off, and opens the door. Behind it, George Lucas stands there, dancing like a kid needing to pee. "Hey, Stevie," he dances back and forth, "Wh-wh-what ya doin'?" Steven sighs, "Oh, uh, hiya George. Not much. What's up with you?" "You guys havin' a meeting?" George asks, trying to peer around Steven, and into the room. "Meeting? Naw, just a little brainstorming session. Ya know, thinking about future projects like Tin Tin, Schindler's List 2, (cough cough) ahem Indy 4." "I knew it!" Lucas yells, pumping his fist into the air. There is a collective groan from the room behind Steven. "Ya gotta let me in, Steven. It's in my contract. I created Indy." Steven lets out the mother of sighs and then opens the door. George Lucas walks into the room. He looks around, grins, and says, "How do you guys feel about aliens?" -
May 23, 2008 9:12:18 AM CDT
Man That David Koepp Must Be Doped Up or Dying or Something!
by seth_brundle
How in the name of Hell could a script written by Frank Darabont get rejected for this piece of detritus?
I mean George Lucas is given a script written by the man who translated "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile" into film, and it gets rejected for a script written by the person responsible for "The Lost World," "The Shadow," "Secret Window," to name a few. That makes no sense!!!!
Now I knew regardless of the script that going into the film I was going to treat it like it was another Indian Jones adventure, it was not going to be as good as Raiders but it would at least be on par, in terms of story and most importantly closure, like there were in the other sequels.
TOD had evil defeated and the stone and children returned to the village, all is well.
LC had evil defeated, and the obvious piece of closure with our heroes riding away into the sunset.
KOTC had two characters say in the film towards the end exactly what I was thinking.
Spalko: "I want to...Know!" and
Mutt: "I don't understand!"
I went into this excited to see another Indy adventure, and unfortunately the action sequences could not make up for a failed plot. The trilogy was able to make ancient myths believable to tell the story, and KOTC lacks that extra warmth the other films had in telling their stories.
I am not mad at Spielberg, he did what he could with what he was given. Lucas should take some of the blame because he accepted this script, but he in no means raped my childhood of Indiana Jones. I feel the brunt of anger and hatred of this movie should rest on the shoulders of David Koepp. -
Flash Gordon? I swear that there were some times when you could have interchanged Marion and Dale.
"Oh, Flash." -
They don't even know when they are being tweaked by Lucas and Spielberg themselves.
You can always count on silly reactionaries to make a mountain out of a molehill I guess. -
he obviously was influenced by CGI moles.
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May 23, 2008 9: