Comments on: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/ Blog and Podcast Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:51:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tommy http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-656717 Tommy Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:46:39 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-656717 I finally actually watched this past week and enjoyed it! Yes, even MAD Magazine did a great parody on it and pointed out the obvious short comings, but don't forget this movie was about the adventure with Dr. Jones. A little tidbit....I wanted to be Indiana Jones when I grew up....I watched "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at the theater when I was 7 years old. I finally actually watched this past week and enjoyed it! Yes, even MAD Magazine did a great parody on it and pointed out the obvious short comings, but don’t forget this movie was about the adventure with Dr. Jones. A little tidbit….I wanted to be Indiana Jones when I grew up….I watched “Raiders of the Lost Ark” at the theater when I was 7 years old.

]]> By: Reed Farrington http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-561880 Reed Farrington Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:08:00 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-561880 I've finally got around to watching this film. (I bought a Borders Exclusive DVD box set that included an Indiana Jones wool felt fedora!) Despite the relatively long time span between now and when the movie first came out in theatres, I was really looking forward to seeing this film. And I was disappointed. Like Kurt and Bob the Slob, I too had a problem with the music. As well, the sound mix was lacking. I, too, felt the humour was forced. I thought Short-Round had more chemistry with Indiana than Mutt did. I was fine with all the wacky aspects. If you haven't seen this film, yet, then wait until it gets played on network television. It's not worth renting. Ha ha. I’ve finally got around to watching this film. (I bought a Borders Exclusive DVD box set that included an Indiana Jones wool felt fedora!)

Despite the relatively long time span between now and when the movie first came out in theatres, I was really looking forward to seeing this film. And I was disappointed.

Like Kurt and Bob the Slob, I too had a problem with the music. As well, the sound mix was lacking.

I, too, felt the humour was forced. I thought Short-Round had more chemistry with Indiana than Mutt did.

I was fine with all the wacky aspects.

If you haven’t seen this film, yet, then wait until it gets played on network television. It’s not worth renting. Ha ha.

]]> By: Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-417790 Sean Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:07:14 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-417790 I get the impression that people's feelings on this movie are going to be very fluid. People who hated it may rewatch it and get something more out of it the second time, meanwhile people who liked it the first time may see it again and suddenly wonder what the hell they were thinking. But in truth, it will probably be more like the Star Wars prequels... when all is said and done, after all the arguing and complaining and bickering, very few people will be interested in going back to revisit it anytime soon because the nostalgia just isn't there. As for my rating, I got enough enjoyment out of the film to give it what I would consider a borderline thumbs up. Much less than that, in my opinion, is an overreaction, not unlike the whole Spider-Man 3 debacle (although I enjoyed Spider-Man 3 a lot more than this). I get the impression that people’s feelings on this movie are going to be very fluid. People who hated it may rewatch it and get something more out of it the second time, meanwhile people who liked it the first time may see it again and suddenly wonder what the hell they were thinking.

But in truth, it will probably be more like the Star Wars prequels… when all is said and done, after all the arguing and complaining and bickering, very few people will be interested in going back to revisit it anytime soon because the nostalgia just isn’t there.

As for my rating, I got enough enjoyment out of the film to give it what I would consider a borderline thumbs up. Much less than that, in my opinion, is an overreaction, not unlike the whole Spider-Man 3 debacle (although I enjoyed Spider-Man 3 a lot more than this).

]]> By: Matt http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-417758 Matt Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:00:53 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-417758 Ugh, I feel terrible after watchiong this movie. This was a terrible, horrible movie. I cringed at the parts that were supposed to be funny, and laughed when scenes were supposed to be serious. So the message is that if people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki had more refrigirators they would have been fine and dandy. Ford looked awkward and uncomfortable throughout. Blanchett was absolutely laughable in the worst performance of her life. It's one thing to be a terrible actor and do a bad performance like that huge commie from the movie. But to actually be a good actor like Cate Blanchett and perform this terribly is unexcusable. She couldn't even decide whether she had a British or terrible eastern european accent. Phoned in and sloppy. Oh poor John Hurt. From the Elephant Man to a laughable lunatic in this dreck. I feel sorry for him. That skull has got to be the worst prop in the Indy series. It looked as if they bought it at a Roswell gift shop. I guess my biggest gripe with the film is how stupid Spielberg and Lucas think we are. As if we're just going to fawn over anything with the Indiana Jones Logo. As if we won't notice the plot holes that are big enough to fly a soucer through. It took them literally 19 years to get to this poing in the fanchise and it is not in the least bit worth it. I'd take The Mummy recent movies over this hokey crap any day. 2.5 out of 4 stars is way to generous sean. You should no better. Ugh, I feel terrible after watchiong this movie. This was a terrible, horrible movie. I cringed at the parts that were supposed to be funny, and laughed when scenes were supposed to be serious. So the message is that if people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki had more refrigirators they would have been fine and dandy. Ford looked awkward and uncomfortable throughout.
Blanchett was absolutely laughable in the worst performance of her life. It’s one thing to be a terrible actor and do a bad performance like that huge commie from the movie. But to actually be a good actor like Cate Blanchett and perform this terribly is unexcusable. She couldn’t even decide whether she had a British or terrible eastern european accent. Phoned in and sloppy.
Oh poor John Hurt. From the Elephant Man to a laughable lunatic in this dreck. I feel sorry for him.
That skull has got to be the worst prop in the Indy series. It looked as if they bought it at a Roswell gift shop.
I guess my biggest gripe with the film is how stupid Spielberg and Lucas think we are. As if we’re just going to fawn over anything with the Indiana Jones Logo. As if we won’t notice the plot holes that are big enough to fly a soucer through. It took them literally 19 years to get to this poing in the fanchise and it is not in the least bit worth it. I’d take The Mummy recent movies over this hokey crap any day.
2.5 out of 4 stars is way to generous sean. You should no better.

]]> By: Nods to other movies? Other thoughts... http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-413741 Nods to other movies? Other thoughts... Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:20:23 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-413741 Was it me or did anyone else notice similarities to classic Spielberg and Lucas movie shots? The angle of the area 51 hanger doort shot - Empire Strikes Back hanger. The jungle sword play and monkeys with vines - Return of the Jedi Ewoks and Speeder bikes. Falling into the chamber full of waist deep water - the trash compactor in Star Wars New Hope. And if the visitors were collectors/archeologist, why would they let their collection be smashed to bits? What was with Marion acting like she was in "cartoon shock", holding the steering wheel after the three drops. I was suprised she didn't have CGI stars of birds swirling around her head. Anyone remember the ending of Predator? nuff said. I love this franchise, I hope they make another one that is more organic, utilyzes no CG and doesn't insult our intelligence. Let's go with collective stories of world culture/legends. The existing crystal skulls are not elongated for example. They are quite homo-sapien, nor are they magnetic, hypnotic or bio-luminecent. Why were there no soviet flags? Just a small hammer and sickle on the back of lame psychic chick. I can't stop... sorry... Who here wanted to see the ants eat the bad guys? A swarm of ants moves in - a clean bone-white sheleton left in its place? That would have been satisfying. Seeing the russian up ended into the mound didn't work for me. Was it me or did anyone else notice similarities to classic Spielberg and Lucas movie shots?

The angle of the area 51 hanger doort shot – Empire Strikes Back hanger.

The jungle sword play and monkeys with vines – Return of the Jedi Ewoks and Speeder bikes.

Falling into the chamber full of waist deep water – the trash compactor in Star Wars New Hope.

And if the visitors were collectors/archeologist, why would they let their collection be smashed to bits?

What was with Marion acting like she was in “cartoon shock”, holding the steering wheel after the three drops. I was suprised she didn’t have CGI stars of birds swirling around her head.

Anyone remember the ending of Predator? nuff said.

I love this franchise, I hope they make another one that is more organic, utilyzes no CG and doesn’t insult our intelligence.

Let’s go with collective stories of world culture/legends.

The existing crystal skulls are not elongated for example. They are quite homo-sapien, nor are they magnetic, hypnotic or bio-luminecent.

Why were there no soviet flags? Just a small hammer and sickle on the back of lame psychic chick.

I can’t stop… sorry…

Who here wanted to see the ants eat the bad guys? A swarm of ants moves in – a clean bone-white sheleton left in its place? That would have been satisfying. Seeing the russian up ended into the mound didn’t work for me.

]]> By: Goon http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-408503 Goon Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:10:53 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-408503 "The way Spielberg talked about this movie I thought i was going to be sitting down to watch an OLD SCHOOL adventure movie with INDIANA JONES GETTING PUT THROUGH THE RINGER and being the main character in the action scenes…instead I got about 25% that…him fighting the russian was the only time I felt like it belonged with the original movies. God dammit…no one wanted to love this more then me. fuck." I could give a fuck what Spielberg said in advance of the movie. Anyone who actually thinks 20 years after Last Crusade Spielberg is the same person and could force himself into a style he no longer naturally works, has only themselves to blame. People should know better, and frankly if Speilberg had forced himself to work a style he can't naturally do anymore, I'd have been much more upset. That'd be "pandering". “The way Spielberg talked about this movie I thought i was going to be sitting down to watch an OLD SCHOOL adventure movie with INDIANA JONES GETTING PUT THROUGH THE RINGER and being the main character in the action scenes…instead I got about 25% that…him fighting the russian was the only time I felt like it belonged with the original movies. God dammit…no one wanted to love this more then me. fuck.”

I could give a fuck what Spielberg said in advance of the movie. Anyone who actually thinks 20 years after Last Crusade Spielberg is the same person and could force himself into a style he no longer naturally works, has only themselves to blame. People should know better, and frankly if Speilberg had forced himself to work a style he can’t naturally do anymore, I’d have been much more upset. That’d be “pandering”.

]]> By: Dave V http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-408466 Dave V Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:01:16 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-408466 This is the worst movie in history!.. ANYONE AGREE?? This is the worst movie in history!.. ANYONE AGREE??

]]> By: Kurt http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-402967 Kurt Sun, 25 May 2008 05:13:34 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-402967 Having re-watched Raiders and Doom recently, you realize that all the nice shadows and dark cinematography was lost in Crusade and really, really, gone by Crystal Skull. Part of the spine-tingling (even in the smaller indy moments - "Bad Dates", the swastika charring off the crate, Ford-in-Pervian Jungle in the opening shot of Raiders, the flayed skins in TOD, etc.) was due to this dark and mysterious cinematography in the minor moments of the films. Skull (for me doesn't have a single moment of that which I can recall). And Bob's right, there aren't many action sequences with Ford outside of a few fist fights. What the fuck is with Indy not using his gun or whip this time around... Half the time the characters felt like passengers to the story rather than participants. Shameful. And @Henrik. I've grown as a film-viewer since watching Raiders of the Lost ark in the Cinema when I was 6, but that doesn't in any way diminish how I view the craft of the original 2 films and the overall effect (even through more jaded, grown-up eyes) remains the same. Not in a nostalgic way. It's impressive how well all three of the original films have aged from a filmmaking stand point. They look fresh and vibrant even by todays movie making standards. Having re-watched Raiders and Doom recently, you realize that all the nice shadows and dark cinematography was lost in Crusade and really, really, gone by Crystal Skull.

Part of the spine-tingling (even in the smaller indy moments – “Bad Dates”, the swastika charring off the crate, Ford-in-Pervian Jungle in the opening shot of Raiders, the flayed skins in TOD, etc.) was due to this dark and mysterious cinematography in the minor moments of the films. Skull (for me doesn’t have a single moment of that which I can recall).

And Bob’s right, there aren’t many action sequences with Ford outside of a few fist fights. What the fuck is with Indy not using his gun or whip this time around…

Half the time the characters felt like passengers to the story rather than participants. Shameful.

And @Henrik. I’ve grown as a film-viewer since watching Raiders of the Lost ark in the Cinema when I was 6, but that doesn’t in any way diminish how I view the craft of the original 2 films and the overall effect (even through more jaded, grown-up eyes) remains the same. Not in a nostalgic way. It’s impressive how well all three of the original films have aged from a filmmaking stand point. They look fresh and vibrant even by todays movie making standards.

]]> By: Bob the Slob http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-402335 Bob the Slob Sat, 24 May 2008 08:03:38 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-402335 Kurt, I wasnt trying to dis raiders (or Last Crusade)...they are three of my all time favorite films ever, one of the reasons I fell in love with cinema and wanted to devote my life to it ever since I was a kid...I only liked about 50% of GEORGE LUCAS' MUTT WILLIAMS AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CGI MUMMY MOVIE...which is beyond painful for me, A RAPID INDY FAN OF THE HIGHEST ORDER to say...the first half was great, but soon as they get on that plane Indy is a secondary character, mutt gets the biggest action scene, and really no one (especially indy) is integral to the ending that stunk of george lucas beyond belief. The way Spielberg talked about this movie I thought i was going to be sitting down to watch an OLD SCHOOL adventure movie with INDIANA JONES GETTING PUT THROUGH THE RINGER and being the main character in the action scenes...instead I got about 25% that...him fighting the russian was the only time I felt like it belonged with the original movies. God dammit...no one wanted to love this more then me. fuck. Here's how I'm going to approach it...Indy's adventures ended when he rides off into the sunset in LAST CRUSADE...and he still goes on to have a life filled with many adventures, some amazing, some mediocre...and 20 years later we get to see one of the mediocre ones...the cameras were just turned on at the wrong time...sad, but I have to cope with it somehow...the Indy OT might be my favorite films of all time. And where the fuck was the music? the spielbergian close ups? and what was with all the bad editing? at least we got to hear the great punch sound effects again. Kurt, I wasnt trying to dis raiders (or Last Crusade)…they are three of my all time favorite films ever, one of the reasons I fell in love with cinema and wanted to devote my life to it ever since I was a kid…I only liked about 50% of GEORGE LUCAS’ MUTT WILLIAMS AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CGI MUMMY MOVIE…which is beyond painful for me, A RAPID INDY FAN OF THE HIGHEST ORDER to say…the first half was great, but soon as they get on that plane Indy is a secondary character, mutt gets the biggest action scene, and really no one (especially indy) is integral to the ending that stunk of george lucas beyond belief.

The way Spielberg talked about this movie I thought i was going to be sitting down to watch an OLD SCHOOL adventure movie with INDIANA JONES GETTING PUT THROUGH THE RINGER and being the main character in the action scenes…instead I got about 25% that…him fighting the russian was the only time I felt like it belonged with the original movies. God dammit…no one wanted to love this more then me. fuck.

Here’s how I’m going to approach it…Indy’s adventures ended when he rides off into the sunset in LAST CRUSADE…and he still goes on to have a life filled with many adventures, some amazing, some mediocre…and 20 years later we get to see one of the mediocre ones…the cameras were just turned on at the wrong time…sad, but I have to cope with it somehow…the Indy OT might be my favorite films of all time.

And where the fuck was the music? the spielbergian close ups? and what was with all the bad editing?

at least we got to hear the great punch sound effects again.

]]> By: Henrik http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-402186 Henrik Sat, 24 May 2008 02:51:34 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-402186 If Spielberg has lost his geography in this movie, there is nothing in his films to look for. The one thing I have always been impressed by and acknowledged him for in lectures, was that he always had his geography right, and his action sequences were perfectly crafted. I find it hard to believe that he has lost that ability, I'm going to attribute Kurts pissy attitude to him having grown both physically and mentally. If Spielberg has lost his geography in this movie, there is nothing in his films to look for. The one thing I have always been impressed by and acknowledged him for in lectures, was that he always had his geography right, and his action sequences were perfectly crafted. I find it hard to believe that he has lost that ability, I’m going to attribute Kurts pissy attitude to him having grown both physically and mentally.

]]> By: Kurt http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-402106 Kurt Sat, 24 May 2008 00:04:50 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-402106 Ooops, bad keyboard. Meant to say simply "I'm with you Dude." Ooops, bad keyboard. Meant to say simply “I’m with you Dude.”

]]> By: Kurt http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/comment-page-1/#comment-402052 Kurt Fri, 23 May 2008 22:34:25 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/05/23/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-review/#comment-402052 @bob-the-slob -I'm with your Dudue, I fully acknowledge as Raiders being the best crafted, but I must admit, for pure adrenaline and craziness Temple is my favourite of the Jones fimls. I've probably watched it twice as many times as the rest of the films combined. @bob-the-slob -I’m with your Dudue, I fully acknowledge as Raiders being the best crafted, but I must admit, for pure adrenaline and craziness Temple is my favourite of the Jones fimls. I’ve probably watched it twice as many times as the rest of the films combined.

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