An adventure still worth having 10 years later

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” retrospective review by Jeff Opdyke

It has already been ten years since the fourth Indiana Jones adventure hit the screen. Upon release it was met with fairly positive critical reception and simultaneously hammered with angry disappointment by fans. In restrospect I still feel the film’s flaws do not overshadow it’s larger essence, which remains loyal to the feel of the original trilogy.

Over the past decade, the films flaws have been hotly debated, including the nuclear fridge escape, over the top jungle chase, CG gophers and monkeys, and of course the presence of aliens. Aside from the fridge escape, which I feel is just as ridiculous as the inflatable raft escape in Temple of Doom, all these issues are certainly valid. However, they do not lessen the picture for me.

One thing is absolutely clear: Harrison Ford is still absolutely terrific in the role. His enthusiasm for the part is evident in every moment. It is also clear that behind the camera, creators Spielberg and Lucas are loving the return to Jones’ world. From the opening moment you see his iconic silhouette on the side of the military sedan as he puts on the fedora the music builds and sends exciting chills down the spine!

While the connection of the crystal skulls to themes of interdimensional beings (basically aliens in the film) is certainly not perfect. However the skull itself is rather fascinating. This is more of a science fiction maguffin plot device, which is fair considering the later time period of the 1950’s from the original 1930’s adventure serial style of the previous films. However, if one is unfamiliar with cultural/archeological history to adjust for this slight stylistic change it can seem a little hokey. The crystal skulls are an actual historical phenomena that fits right into the type of artifact that Dr. Jones would be questing after. People encountering the real skulls throughout history have claimed psychological effects and, as stated in the film, the skulls themselves are a work of craftsmanship unlike any other.

The film’s strongest moments are sprinkled throughout the film, from the opening at Area 51, the chase at Marshall College, searching the Peruvian cemetery, and the discovery of Akator all fit perfectly within the Indiana Jones style. The giant ant attack is an enjoyable sequence too, even with the obvious need for CGI as that many ants simply cannot be trained. Experiencing discovery of artifacts and unexplored corners of the earth, dodging of traps, and escaping the natives all offer another exciting adventure. Is is these elements that are the cornerstones of the Indiana Jones films, with the character relationships built on top to create balanced and engaging entertainment.

As this film received mixed reactions while the original trilogy has become cinematic gold to many, it is important to remember Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was also not received well. The intense gore and dark themes were instrumental in creating the PG-13 rating shortly after. Years later it is regarded by many as the strongest in the series for its boldness. If history can teach us anything it is that feelings on films can change over time. Hopefully the strengths of Crystal Skull can outweigh its faults further in the coming years. Also, with the success of Last Crusade in 1989, I feel Spielberg will surprise us with Indiana Jones 5 in 2020.

The Indiana Jones films are released through Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Walt Disney Studios.

Related posts:

BUY K2 POWDER ONLINE. “K2 LIQUID S” is published by Larrymedium.

Online writing is booming. Because I make my living in this world, lots of products land in my inbox. Candidly, most are junk. But lately, more AI products are trickling in. In an effort to help…

I am not sure if this piece is finished, but I’ve been playing with it for some time, coming back to it, and then stopping altogether. It is based off of several concepts, ideas, and morphologies. As…