Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008, Spielberg)

The pursuits of maverick adventurer, Dr. Henry Jones, better known to the world at large as Indiana Jones, or even affectionately as Indy, have always been theological. From searching for Biblical arcs, to venturing into Temples and even traveling half the globe in pursuit of the Holy Grail itself, Indiana Jones' escapades have always been fantastical. In the fourth film of this wildly successful franchise, while the comic tone and the whimsical, nearly caricature like Jones continues on his maddeningly bizarre quests, the general plot takes a turn towards the unexpected. Its not anything that can be dwelled upon without revealing the films underlying secrets, and therefore spilling the reason for much of its joy, it is just that given the repertoire of the two powerhouses behind these films - Lucas and Spielberg - the series of events in this movie, in retrospect, seem like a natural amalgam or fusion of genre's that these men are most avidly remembered for.

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is an Indiana Jones film befitting of these cynical times. It is neither too amusing, nor ultra serious. As a blend of stunt based high adrenaline films go, this one is balanced and furiously entertaining. The fairly elaborate, and literally explosive opening sequence will have you roaring with laughter first and then clenching your firsts in excitement once the relentless chase begins. It is classic vintage Spielberg filmmaking, where the director lovingly captures an age gone by with not just attention to detail, but attention to time and era. As far as keeping the tone with its previous trilogy brethren goes, “Kingdom” is ludicrously over-plotted (as it should be) but never difficult to follow. It is also somewhat contemporary, with the introduction of spies and the all too American FBI’s onto the scene fairly early on. But once context has been laid and the requisite introduction of characters done (foremost of whom are Shia LaBeouf as sidekick and a reptilian Cate Blanchett as a Russian scientist,) it is back to familiar territory with globe trotting to Peru and other exotic locales in South America. If Harrison Ford looks old, it is because the script, by David Koepp, allows him to without letting it get in the way. If anything, this proves an asset, with the quick banter between Ford and LaBeouf being reminiscent of a similar type of chemistry Ford shared in “Last Crusade” with Connery.

From a summer movie perspective, the “Crystal Skull” does what it sets out to do, offering, so far into the year, the most bang for the buck - with Buster Keaton like chase sequences (not just once, but twice) and a last act of deliciously delirious derring-do. At the grand age of 65, Ford looks well tuned and I wouldn’t be surprised if he were able to squeeze out another film or two (keeping it in check with creator George Lucas’ prophetic vision of Indy being a 5 film series). As Indiana Jones himself would say: It's not the year, it’s the mileage".

Rating: 4.5/5