Jason KingIndiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
May 21st 2008 08:24
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Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) $15.50
As I strapped myself into the chair of my roller coaster I was very nervous. Indiana Jones is one of my favorite characters of all time. The first three were brilliant - preferred the first and the third one the most. Would this be great or would it be shite. The hype for this film has been phenomenal and with 3min's (supposedly) of standing ovation at Cannes I was preying my expectations were not over the top.
The lights dimmed, the ride begins and for the entire 124min's you get to feel the G's on that ride. It's bloody AMAZING!!! I started smiling 5min's in and by the end of the film my face was sore from laughing and smiling the entire time. It's exactly what you expect from an Indiana Jones film, nothing actually possible, everything WAY over the top and Indy as big as ever. Harrison is definitely aging and I think this will be the last time the 65yr old is the main star of the action series. There is no doubt there will be another one and am pretty confident that James Deanesque, spunky, boy of the mo, Shia Lebouf is the replacement for Mr Jones. I can see Indy playing a similar role to Sean Connery in future rolls. All Harrison Ford said on the matter at Cannes, was "I don't make the decisions, I just work here". So we will see, but if they take longer than 19yrs for the next one, even I will be close to retirement and Harrison will be 84. But I am VERY glad they waited so long to make this one. If they had rushed in and made a 4th without the consideration to detail and importance of the character for everyone then we would all have been pissed at George and Steve. But I do think that George Lucas was very smart in talking this one down as opposed to the backfire of talking the Star Wars films up. This film is actually BRILLIANT and people will be more surprised. They actually set the story 19yrs after the original to stay true to the real time line. Gone are the Nazis from WW2 and in are the Russian's from the Cold War. This one is set in 1957 and no one hides the fact Indy is older, they actually pay him out subtly in a couple of scenes and it works well as opposed to the "I'm to old for this shit" they said about 40 times in the last Lethal Weapon.
Everyone's favorite archaeologist adventurer dusts off his hat and trusty whip for yet another globetrotting trek as Indiana Jones returns to the big screen nearly 20 years after racing for the Holy Grail alongside his father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Harrison Ford reprises his role as the iconic, snake-loathing screen hero in a sequel that also finds Karen Allen returning to the series for the first time since 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, and Shia LaBeouf round out a cast that also features Cate Blanchett in the role of villainous Russian operative Agent Irina Spalko. Steven Spielberg calls the shots on a script penned by David Koepp (and adapted from the screen story by executive producer George Lucas). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Harrison maybe old but he still has it all! At 65 he did pretty much all his own stunts and he is on the ball when he gets into fights - you actually think he is taking those hits. I wanted to see the whip more but he still knew how to use it after 19yrs. Harrison has been born again with this film and has returned to god like status after mediocrity of the last few years. His face does not have the expressive range I was used to seeing from the first three but am sure this is just the aging, unless he is into the Botox. Shia Lebouf (Mutt) is f*&king BRILLIANT and if we don't see him playing James Dean in the next few years I will be so surprised. That moment he rides in on his bike through the steam had me gasping. An amazing introduction and he does not fault from get go. I actually found his comic timing better than Harrison's and that he stole the scene a few times. This film is a brilliant intro for him to continue the franchise. I would line up to buy tickets to see him in Indy 5. Producer Frank Marshall said Mutt brings humor to the story because of his youthful arrogance, causing banter with the older and wiser Jones. LaBeouf was Spielberg's first and only choice for the role. Excited at the prospect of being in an Indiana Jones film, LaBeouf signed on without reading the script and did not know what character he would play. He worked out and gained fifteen pounds of muscle for the role, and also repeatedly watched the other films to get into character. LaBeouf also watched Blackboard Jungle and The Wild One to get into his character's mindset, copying mannerisms and words from characters in those films, such as the use of a switchblade as a weapon. Lucas also consulted on the greaser look, joking that LaBeouf was "sent to the American Graffiti school of greaserland" LaBeouf pulled his hip's rotator cuff when filming his duel with Spalko, which was his first injury in his career. The injury got worse throughout filming until it pulled his groin.
Cate Blanchett is superb as evil villain Irina Spalko and in an interview at Cannes she apologised to the world for her Russian accent. I thought she was perfect - you don't want perfect enunciation of the accent, this is a comic action film and she played this brilliantly. You could see how much fun she was having in this role, a far cry from her Oscar nominated roles. It was great to see Karen Allen return to the story after 19yrs since the shot guzzling, she hero from Raiders. She has also aged a bit but she still has that glint in her eye and she was always the best lady for Indy.
The film maintains the lighting and visuals of the originals and while there is CGI in the film it is not a CGI film, it compliments the story. This film looks like it was filmed in 1957 with the lighting, some of the sets and the art direction. One thing that was odd was the music, in the original films the music is a character and while present in this film I did not find it as pleasingly dominant as the first ones. Maybe it was just me paying so much attention to the amazing visuals and the fact I was a giddy schoolboy again actually watching an Indiana Jones film!!!!
I could go on and on and on about this for days but you should decide for yourself. Watch it. It releases NOW and is out of this world amazingly brilliant. Thanks for the reunion Harrison, George and Steve and also for the newbies. Can't wait for the next one. BRILLIANT. $15.50.
As I strapped myself into the chair of my roller coaster I was very nervous. Indiana Jones is one of my favorite characters of all time. The first three were brilliant - preferred the first and the third one the most. Would this be great or would it be shite. The hype for this film has been phenomenal and with 3min's (supposedly) of standing ovation at Cannes I was preying my expectations were not over the top.
The lights dimmed, the ride begins and for the entire 124min's you get to feel the G's on that ride. It's bloody AMAZING!!! I started smiling 5min's in and by the end of the film my face was sore from laughing and smiling the entire time. It's exactly what you expect from an Indiana Jones film, nothing actually possible, everything WAY over the top and Indy as big as ever. Harrison is definitely aging and I think this will be the last time the 65yr old is the main star of the action series. There is no doubt there will be another one and am pretty confident that James Deanesque, spunky, boy of the mo, Shia Lebouf is the replacement for Mr Jones. I can see Indy playing a similar role to Sean Connery in future rolls. All Harrison Ford said on the matter at Cannes, was "I don't make the decisions, I just work here". So we will see, but if they take longer than 19yrs for the next one, even I will be close to retirement and Harrison will be 84. But I am VERY glad they waited so long to make this one. If they had rushed in and made a 4th without the consideration to detail and importance of the character for everyone then we would all have been pissed at George and Steve. But I do think that George Lucas was very smart in talking this one down as opposed to the backfire of talking the Star Wars films up. This film is actually BRILLIANT and people will be more surprised. They actually set the story 19yrs after the original to stay true to the real time line. Gone are the Nazis from WW2 and in are the Russian's from the Cold War. This one is set in 1957 and no one hides the fact Indy is older, they actually pay him out subtly in a couple of scenes and it works well as opposed to the "I'm to old for this shit" they said about 40 times in the last Lethal Weapon.
Everyone's favorite archaeologist adventurer dusts off his hat and trusty whip for yet another globetrotting trek as Indiana Jones returns to the big screen nearly 20 years after racing for the Holy Grail alongside his father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Harrison Ford reprises his role as the iconic, snake-loathing screen hero in a sequel that also finds Karen Allen returning to the series for the first time since 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, and Shia LaBeouf round out a cast that also features Cate Blanchett in the role of villainous Russian operative Agent Irina Spalko. Steven Spielberg calls the shots on a script penned by David Koepp (and adapted from the screen story by executive producer George Lucas). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Harrison maybe old but he still has it all! At 65 he did pretty much all his own stunts and he is on the ball when he gets into fights - you actually think he is taking those hits. I wanted to see the whip more but he still knew how to use it after 19yrs. Harrison has been born again with this film and has returned to god like status after mediocrity of the last few years. His face does not have the expressive range I was used to seeing from the first three but am sure this is just the aging, unless he is into the Botox. Shia Lebouf (Mutt) is f*&king BRILLIANT and if we don't see him playing James Dean in the next few years I will be so surprised. That moment he rides in on his bike through the steam had me gasping. An amazing introduction and he does not fault from get go. I actually found his comic timing better than Harrison's and that he stole the scene a few times. This film is a brilliant intro for him to continue the franchise. I would line up to buy tickets to see him in Indy 5. Producer Frank Marshall said Mutt brings humor to the story because of his youthful arrogance, causing banter with the older and wiser Jones. LaBeouf was Spielberg's first and only choice for the role. Excited at the prospect of being in an Indiana Jones film, LaBeouf signed on without reading the script and did not know what character he would play. He worked out and gained fifteen pounds of muscle for the role, and also repeatedly watched the other films to get into character. LaBeouf also watched Blackboard Jungle and The Wild One to get into his character's mindset, copying mannerisms and words from characters in those films, such as the use of a switchblade as a weapon. Lucas also consulted on the greaser look, joking that LaBeouf was "sent to the American Graffiti school of greaserland" LaBeouf pulled his hip's rotator cuff when filming his duel with Spalko, which was his first injury in his career. The injury got worse throughout filming until it pulled his groin.
Cate Blanchett is superb as evil villain Irina Spalko and in an interview at Cannes she apologised to the world for her Russian accent. I thought she was perfect - you don't want perfect enunciation of the accent, this is a comic action film and she played this brilliantly. You could see how much fun she was having in this role, a far cry from her Oscar nominated roles. It was great to see Karen Allen return to the story after 19yrs since the shot guzzling, she hero from Raiders. She has also aged a bit but she still has that glint in her eye and she was always the best lady for Indy.
The film maintains the lighting and visuals of the originals and while there is CGI in the film it is not a CGI film, it compliments the story. This film looks like it was filmed in 1957 with the lighting, some of the sets and the art direction. One thing that was odd was the music, in the original films the music is a character and while present in this film I did not find it as pleasingly dominant as the first ones. Maybe it was just me paying so much attention to the amazing visuals and the fact I was a giddy schoolboy again actually watching an Indiana Jones film!!!!
I could go on and on and on about this for days but you should decide for yourself. Watch it. It releases NOW and is out of this world amazingly brilliant. Thanks for the reunion Harrison, George and Steve and also for the newbies. Can't wait for the next one. BRILLIANT. $15.50.
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Comment by David L
I knew it would be greatness.
can't wait to see it tomorrow, i'm dying.
Comment by Jason King
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I was a teenager again with wide eyes and wanting to be Indy, well actually wanting to be Mutt in this one. But Indy is awesome. There is no film that has that resonating sound behind a punch. So over the top, so cool, so happy. LOL
Comment by AmyHuang
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
i just saw this at a preview screening and have to say it was a monumental disappointment on many levels...will post a review in the next few days to explain why.....in short looked and felt nothing like the others and worse still became farcical and silly instead of allowing suspension of disbelief. I wasn't even expecting much, and got even less.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Jason King
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JD - thanks for the comment but don't agree at all. As u can tell - I just LOVED it. I went in for a fun ride and got what I wanted. Sure - it's been brought to a more "now" level and this may explain how you felt it farcical but this is what made the film for me. But the film can't be for everyone.
Morgan - look froward to reading what you think. Nostalgia I got from the very beginning when they used the original Paramount logo from Raiders of the Lost Ark. I started giggling and clapped the opening.
Thanks for the comments guys.
Comment by David L
By the way, I was too let down by the lack of "theme" in the music, i got the soundtrack a few days before and played it non-stop, its classic, then in the film it's barely noticeable...So i recommend you give the soundtrack a spin, because its johnny williams at his best, just not used to its full extent in the movie.
If you would like a copy I could make one for you?
Anyway, I haven't been this satisfied with a movie in ages...for once we agree aye!
Comment by Jason King
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I just had to look up Harry Knowles - I had no idea who he was. Will read some of his stuff tomorrow.
The soundtrack was so prominent in the earlier ones - but the more I think about - Indy is never alone in this one. In the others there was times he would escape from someone or be down a shaft or tomb by self and it was just him doing stuff with the music. I missed that. I would LOVE a copy of soundtrack. John Williams is GOLD.
Looking forward to Sex & The City now and big news - MAYBE we might get a print of The Orphanage next week, as well as Earth and Shine a Light. I have Orphanage on DVD and it's BRILLIANT!!
Laterzzzzzzzzzzzz
Comment by Rix
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Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Ive put up my review for the film if your interested in why I wasn't blown away.
Comment by Priyanka
Mumbai Corner
This is a really cool rating system you have!
I am from India so the movie is not yet released....
After reading the reviews here I am really interested in checking out the movie.
Comment by Jason King
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Hope u like it when it comes out.
JK
Comment by toni
Just went and saw the film today and yes it was great. It send you back in time.... It is just like all the others which i loved.... you are so right
Comment by Jason King
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Am glad you enjoyed it.
It's great to feel young again.
Thankyou!!