19 years after our favorite archeologist and his father had their "last crusade", Harrison Ford returned to his classic character for 2008's INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.
Director Steven Spielberg is having a blast right from the film's opening scenes as Indy manages to escape a late 1950's Nevada nuclear test hiding in a refrigerator. The sequence is almost like a Bond movie opening, a clever and suspenseful mini-adventure that manages to set up the story.
Indiana is soon dragged into a quest against very nasty Russians to find some legendary mysterious Crystal skulls.
Ray Winstone (The Departed) is Mac, Indy's on again/off again partner in adventure, Shia LaBeouf isn't quite as bad as you remember as young tough Mutt, who is dragged into the quest by the disappearance of his college Professor Oxley, well played by John Hurt (Alien).
Spielberg and Ford are all in, bringing back some legendary memories with the very welcome return of Marian Ravenwood as played by Karen Allen.
John Williams music score is excellent, with Indy and Marian's themes soaring in just when you need them.
LaBeouf seems more like Fonzie that an adventurer in waiting, but he and Indy's escape through the campus is perfectly staged.
A very long chase sequence in the jungle is a valiant attempt by Spielberg to top Indy's desert chases in the original Raiders. With fencing battles on top of moving cars, the nastiest man-eating ants you've ever seen and Cate Blanchett in fine form as Russian baddie Irina Spalko, its pure summer movie thrills.
Audiences in 2008 debated the "Close Encounters" ending, but it never bothered me and plays even better now.
I'm thrilled that Ford didnt hand off that famous hat for LaBeouf to take over the franchise. It would have sunk faster than those Nazi's faces when they opened the ark.
Ford and Spielberg are filming a fifth Indy movie as I write this, due to be released in 2021 on the 40th anniversary of the original "Raiders". I can't wait.
As for this third entry, it gets a terrific A-, nicely calling back a 1950's sci-fi thriller with big budget style.
Comentários