I have watched several movies from the 1980s recently and because of that I have really made my peace with this movie. Why? Because all mainstream films from the 1980s are cheesy by todays standards, but yet they were lightyears better (at least the mainstream films) because they had one key ingredient mainstream films lack today: a soul. That is why I like Crytsal Skull so much, it is cheesy and lacks depth, but damn it, it has a soul, and sometimes the only way to obtain a soul is to be cheesy, but in a good way.

Like I said in my blog, the 11 year old in me (who had watched the original trilogy on tv) really loved it and even wanted to see it again after it ended. The 22 year old man is a bit more skeptical, but give it time...


It's hugely entertaining, yeah. And it easely beats Tomb Raiders and Mummys. Haters, please watch the original trilogy before commenting on the so-called plot contrivances. And like Darth said, it has a soul. Few adventure flicks these days have that.

Spielberg can still stage an action sequence like nobody's business, and the film never fails to entertain, but there's something off about the whole thing. It's too over-the-top (even for Indy), too glossy, too cartoonish. It has its moments, usually when it decides to embrace its serial roots and just go all-out on the fun, but it's bogged down by too much talk, too much pomp, and too much seriousness. Ford proves he's still got it, but I'm pretty sure Darabont doesn't (as The Mist will also attest to), and Lucas lost it years ago. The real problem is the script; not so much the aliens themselves, just the way they're (mis)handled, and the ridiculous progression of the narrative. And Ray Winstone is absolutely wasted in an utterly pointless role.

The motorcycle chase is great fun though, as is the jungle chase. Indeed, the chases were the best part of the film (as they usually are). Action is not the film's weakness, it's just that all the stuff in between didn't really work.

Darabont didn't write the script they used for shooting (the leaked one was Darabont's and in my opinion it was much better than Koepp's). The story itself comes from Lucas.

Oh well, whatever. Darabont contributed enough to make me blame him.

Actually besides the main plot about the crystal skull, aliens and the notorious fridge (which all came from Lucas' mind) there isn't any similarity between Darabont's and Koepp's script.

How they showed Peru was disrespectful. They stereotyped my country and showed it like a Mexican town. They should've at least tried to do some research. I know its a cheesy film but peruvians also see it, and I know several peeps who were pissed.

Ummmm pretty much everyone in the movie(s) is (are, were) stereotyped. From the Germans in the first parts, Indians to the Russians, aliens etc.

That doesn't make it correct.

It doesn't, but that's how the Indiana Jones movies work.

Exactly! It's supposed to be that way...?

Yep.

It wasnt all that awesome like the previous films, it was actually pretty dumb and horrible looking but a fun ride nonetheless.

B-

I really tried my best to enjoy this film after months of hearing the tepid (at best) and downright scornful (at medium) reactions of my friends and associates.....

couldn't do it. It's a "well-made" film, but really it's just stupid.

the thought that occurred to me at the end of this film and has lingered since: "Why does this movie exist?" I feel we were never presented a legitimate reason to care about any of the crazy on-screen happenings. Harrison Ford is flabby and boring now, and the script is quite terrible. This might have earned a B or so from me had I seen it in theaters with a collection of enthusiastic people, but as it stands alone.....

C


goddamn George Lucas has gone insane, somebody restrain this creature... the nostradamus-within predicts he will be the first person to permanently digi-transfer his "self" into a CGI creation of his own making, becoming the first "CG-human"......

Holds up well on repeat viewings, and I actually think if you watch the three films now back to back on the same forum, dvd, it is quite amazing and the style did certainly stay with it. I think its a solid A film and one of the best of the year, and while 1 and 3 were instant classics, I think this one will end up like Temple of Doom and slowly increase in popularity with age.

I'm watching it for the first time at home on Blu-ray. I don't have much more to add than what I said before in my site review, but I'm now back to the opinion that this is the weakest of the four. I'm still enjoying it as much as I did when I saw it that second time in theaters, but as odd as this is going to sound, this wasn't made for Blu-ray. The film looks too damn new. Now I had that same problem in theaters just not to the same degree. The first three films look timeless. This looks like it was made yesterday. And the HD is also not beneficial to the film at all in that the sharper pictures leads to all of the CGI becoming even more enhanced. If you thought the prairie-dogs, monkeys and ants looked awful in theaters, just picture them five times more polished. If grain ever needed to be added back into a transfer, this would be the one to do it in. Hopefully that mistake will not be made when the other three become available in HD.

But fuck it, I'm still having a blast watching this. As I said before although the techniques have changed somewhat, this is still good ole fashioned film making.

Yeah pretty much I agree with you, but then I am a VERY lenient reviewer

You saying I'm being lenient? No I think it goes without saying that I can be as well and probably more so towards movies like this. When it comes to films like these I'm just looking to be entertained. This film does exactly that.

Nuked the fucking fridge.

I really like this one. I thought the aliens were dumb when I watched it the first time, but it has the same complicated plot and memorable characters people expect in an Indy film.

A-

I remember when I saw this in theatres and I didn't mind it then and I still don't mind it now. Granted, I didn't grow up with Indy, but I thought it was a fun popcorn summer movie, although I guess when your such a HUGE fan of the franchise it could be considered disappointing.

This was pretty much crap.

I remember driving my date back home after seeing it opening night and we mostly sat in silence, but every couple of minutes we would try to come up with something we liked about it.

"... I liked when that guy got eaten by the giant ants..."
"Yeah that was cool..."


I hate this movie.

That defines this movie perfectly, although I don't hate it. I rewatched it on sci-fi, maybe, a month or so ago and really didn't enjoy it. I vaguely remember kind of enjoying it in theaters, but it was pretty bad upon the rewatch.

Not great