Indiana Jones 4: Early Review

[JasonEvans]

Well, I just got back from a screening for one of the summer's most anticipated films.

Bottom line-- it was not a disaster. That seems like a strange bottom line but I had been hearing some bad buzz and the trailer just looked horrible so I went in thinking it was possible it would be a disaster on par with the dreadful 2nd Indy film (Temple of Doom).

So, it was not a disaster...

But it was not great either. I would rate it close to but not quite as good as Indy 3 (Last Crusade). Compared to action fare like Iron Man, it comes up quite short. I still think it will do huge boxoffice, though probably only around $225 million, not nearly the $300 mill that some have predicted. It is not like people will have a bad time watching it, but, I am betting a lot of you will leave the theater thinking, "well, that could have been better."

The story is ok. It starts out really well -- we get a pretty decent action sequence right away and they really launch the story well. But then, it starts to fall apart a bit. The problem, to me, was the action sequences. They are really cartoonish. I know Indiana Jones is not supposed to be high on reality, but this stuff goes well over the top in suspension of belief. It is not just that Harrison Ford is like 60+ years old and have toe-to-toe fist fights with tall, strong, Soviet army officers (who look something like Ivan Drago in Rocky 4)...

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1185233/photo_49_hires.jpg

... it is that the "escapes" are just ridiculous. For example, at one point our heroes are riding in a car without a roof and another car flies through the air and lands on top of their car and bounces off... and no one has a scratch on them. At another point soon after, the good guys drive a car over a cliff and land it on a tree that bends over almost to the point of breaking before gently depositing them exactly where they wanted to be. It is all so ridiculous that you never feel any sense of peril or excitement. It is almost like, "what crazy thing will they do next to get us out of this impossible situation. Yawn." The final conclusion of the story is somewhat confusing and not at all satisfying. The ending also feels a lot like something I have seen before... I am not sure where and if I speculate too much it will give away some stuff so I'll stop.

I am being too harsh probably. There are some nice humorous moments and the chemistry between Ford and Karen Allen is still strong. Shia LaBeouf is alright and has a few good moments. Cate Blanchett's character, the bad guy, is just horrible though -- especially her faux Russian accent and ridiculous looking wig. Blech!

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1185233/photo_40_hires.jpg

There are still some good Indiana Jones staples -- including the latest insect/bug/snake mayhem that is especially terrifying and could give little ones a real fright. My 11 and 8-year-olds liked it, though not nearly as much as Iron Man. My wife thought it was alright.

I would give it a lukewarm thumbs up -- it is worth seeing, but having lowered expectations is probably a good idea and you will not be blown away.

I will be interested in seeing what others think.

--Jason "if your kids have not seen the original, I'd let them watch it first as there are a couple small but fun winks to people who have seen the great Raiders of the Lost Arc" Evans

[BCGroup]

So Jason, what I'm hearing is that if I like the original ones (especially the Last Crusade), then I'll like this one too, right?

[JasonEvans]

So Jason, what I'm hearing is that if I like the original ones (especially the Last Crusade), then I'll like this one too, right?

Yup, for sure.

As I said, it is not nearly as fresh and fabulous as Raiders and it is not nearly as hokey and horrible as Temple of Doom. It falls in between, fairly close to Last Crusade.

The more I think about it, the more I think my review reads more negatively than it should have. The film does move along at a nice pace and the action sequences are exceptionally well-directed and show real craftsmanship -- even if they are borderline silly in terms of what actually happens in them.

--Jason "expectations baby-- I am doing you a favor by lowering expectations ;) " Evans

[Lavabe]

--Jason "if your kids have not seen the original, I'd let them watch it first as there are a couple small but fun winks to people who have seen the great Raiders of the Lost Arc" Evans

Sorry Jason, but you the spelling issue Arc/Ark is a personal peeve.;)

Is there any subtle mention/tribute to River Phoenix? Crusade's casting (w/Phoenix and Connery) is still probably the best in the series.

Thanks,
Lavabe

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

I'm a huge Raiders fan, I have been dreading this movie ever since I heard they were making it. It's the same feeling I had after seeing Star Wars Episode I.

I just don't want to be hurt again.

[JasonEvans]

Sorry Jason, but you the spelling issue Arc/Ark is a personal peeve.;)

Is there any subtle mention/tribute to River Phoenix? Crusade's casting (w/Phoenix and Connery) is still probably the best in the series.


Sorry.

There is a mention of what is up with Sean Connery but he is not in the film. No River Phoenix mention/tribute at all as far as I noticed.

--Jason "it is better than Star Wars: Ep 1... but that is a really low threshold" Evans

[TillyGalore]

I'm looking forward to this movie. Am hoping I won't be as disappointed as I was with National Treasure 2. Watta ya say Jason, do think I will be or have I set my bar sufficiently low enough?

[Lavabe]

Sorry.

There is a mention of what is up with Sean Connery but he is not in the film. No River Phoenix mention/tribute at all as far as I noticed.

--Jason "it is better than Star Wars: Ep 1... but that is a really low threshold" Evans

Guess I'll JUST have to see it. Hopefully it won't be $20 a seat (this is what I am expecting for the American Girl movie my daughter has told me about). Thanks for the review, Jason.

As is my usual custom, on opening day each semester, I always ask my students for the name of their favorite anthropologist they know. Indy wins EVERY semester.:)

Too bad I'm not that kind of anthropologist.;)

Cheers,
Lavabe

[gvtucker]

My kids never ask to go see a particular movie. I mean NEVER. Our family just doesn't go to movies, for whatever reason.

And yet my kids all want to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. Something about their marketing just clicked.

I definitely need to get the DVD of Raiders first. My boys haven't seen it.

[allenmurray]

My kids never ask to go see a particular movie. I mean NEVER. Our family just doesn't go to movies, for whatever reason.

And yet my kids all want to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. Something about their marketing just clicked.

I definitely need to get the DVD of Raiders first. My boys haven't seen it.

My boys are 14 and 9. Neither of them had seen the originals, but the TV commercials caught their attention. Over the last two weeks we have watched the first three. They loved all of them. I'm looking forward to seeing the new one as a family.

In many ways I feel similar to this one as I did about the two National Treasure movies. They were not great movies, and I don't expect this one to be either. But there are not a whole lot of movies being made that can be enjoyed by two parents (ages 48 and 50), a 9 year old boy, and a 14 year old boy. Most movies that appeal to the 14 year old are inappropriate for the 9 year old. Most that appeal to the 9 year old the 14 year old feels are "babyish". And usually the choices of either the 9 or 14 year old have no appeal to the parents. It is really nice when there is one we are all looking forward to.

[duke74]

My kids never ask to go see a particular movie. I mean NEVER. Our family just doesn't go to movies, for whatever reason.

And yet my kids all want to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. Something about their marketing just clicked.

I definitely need to get the DVD of Raiders first. My boys haven't seen it.

FWIW, they've been advertising the release of all three IJ movies as a package - "special editions". $34.99 on Amazon.

[gvtucker]

My boys are 14 and 9. Neither of them had seen the originals, but the TV commercials caught their attention. Over the last two weeks we have watched the first three. They loved all of them. I'm looking forward to seeing the new one as a family.

In many ways I feel similar to this one as I did about the two National Treasure movies. They were not great movies, and I don't expect this one to be either. But there are not a whole lot of movies being made that can be enjoyed by two parents (ages 48 and 50), a 9 year old boy, and a 14 year old boy. Most movies that appeal to the 14 year old are inappropriate for the 9 year old. Most that appeal to the 9 year old the 14 year old feels are "babyish". And usually the choices of either the 9 or 14 year old have no appeal to the parents. It is really nice when there is one we are all looking forward to.

My boys are 13, 11, and 9.

I think I've got a pretty good idea of a primary target market for this film.

[allenmurray]

My boys are 13, 11, and 9.

I think I've got a pretty good idea of a primary target market for this film.

Yep - your boys fall right into the primary market, as do mine. My point was that many of the movies that fall into "their market niche", I really don't enjoy at all. This one, while not rising to great movie standards, I will probably enjoy.

[Lavabe]

I'd like to thank my parents for taking me with my two older brothers to see THUNDERBALL in a drive-in (remember those?) way back when. I was only 5 or so at the time. At the time we were 5, 11, and 15.

Will take my appx. 12-yr old daughter to see Indy.

The primary target market is everyone.:D
Cheers,
Lavabe

[bjornolf]

The story is ok. It starts out really well -- we get a pretty decent action sequence right away and they really launch the story well. But then, it starts to fall apart a bit. The problem, to me, was the action sequences. They are really cartoonish. I know Indiana Jones is not supposed to be high on reality, but this stuff goes well over the top in suspension of belief. It is not just that Harrison Ford is like 60+ years old and have toe-to-toe fist fights with tall, strong, Soviet army officers (who look something like Ivan Drago in Rocky 4)...

... it is that the "escapes" are just ridiculous. For example, at one point our heroes are riding in a car without a roof and another car flies through the air and lands on top of their car and bounces off... and no one has a scratch on them. At another point soon after, the good guys drive a car over a cliff and land it on a tree that bends over almost to the point of breaking before gently depositing them exactly where they wanted to be. It is all so ridiculous that you never feel any sense of peril or excitement. It is almost like, "what crazy thing will they do next to get us out of this impossible situation. Yawn." The final conclusion of the story is somewhat confusing and not at all satisfying. The ending also feels a lot like something I have seen before... I am not sure where and if I speculate too much it will give away some stuff so I'll stop.


Dude. I really respect your opinion Jason, but I went back and watched some of the originals just to make sure I wasn't wrong. The movies have had ridiculous cartoonish escapes since the very first one. I haven't seen this one yet, so I'll reserve my final verdict 'til I see it, but I suggest you go back and watch the others.

You mentioned the fight scene(s). In the first movie, you have the whole fight scene against the GIGANTIC Nazi around the plane and then the gasoline and they run away right as it blows up. Not to mention him running from the Hovitos and magically outrunning them on their turf, then swinging into the river and swimming to grab a moving plane. Or the chase scene in the market. I guess that was more Benny Hill than strictly cartoon, but still.

What about the entire coal cart chase scene in the second one, ending with the stopping with the boots/smoking shoes/crying for water only to have the giant wave of water that makes them run away. Tell me that's not straight out of the funny pages. Not to mention the scene where they're hanging off the broken bridge fighting. The way they managed to catch the bridge and hang on was pretty darn cartoonish in my book.

Follow that up with the third movie. basically the entire scene from when Indy's dad shoots off the tail of the plane until the scene with the seagulls is pretty cartoonish. Start with the plane hitting the ground and almost immediately hitting a building at speed, yet no one is injured. Then the plane going the entire length of the tunnel, them staring at the pilot as he goes by, only to have it blow up right in front of his car where he magically avoids it. Then Henry Sr. saying that was close, only to have the bomb blow up RIGHT in front of the car so the car falls in, but they are again uninjured despite the lack of airbags back in the 40s and the fact that I don't think they belted up. The whole chase scene in the market where Marcus gets kidnapped. Most of the motorcycle chase scene is pretty out there too. Or how about when he's hanging from the tank and his dad manages to accidentally shoot the driver and his dying movement somehow saves Indy's life. Or the way he escapes the tank before it falls off the cliff. Heck, the screaming Nazi on the way down is pretty darn cartoonish. Reminded me of Wile E. Coyote.

Not to mention the series's obsession with deadly propellers.

I was chasing the kids while watching the movies, so I'm sure I missed a few.

Hey, I love the movies. Those things are part of what I like. I'm just saying that before you condemn it for the cartoonish escapes, you might want to look at the other movies. Maybe this one goes beyond the others, but hey, it's the fourth one, so I'll hold my opinion.

Indy is the American James Bond. Good with the ladies. Different love interest in every movie. Lots of action and wild escapes. Signature weapon/dress. Get their butts handed to them in fights yet somehow come out on top. But Indy's rakish/unpolished/unshaven/dirty/openly sarcastic as opposed to refined/smooth/perfectly-couffed/passive-aggressive. He's whiskey swiller vs. shaken martini. So blatantly, perfectly American as opposed to the blatantly, perfectly british Bond. Oh, and he has a "real" get-your-hands-dirty job (archeologist/professor), as opposed to the pretty, romantic, aristocratic, amorphous, somewhat lordly/noble "agent".

Even if you disagree that some of those are "cartoonish", there are a few you can't deny (the coal cart...the airplane in the tunnel/bomb...the chases in the markets for example)

Just my $0.02. Again, I'll hold my final verdict til I see it. Just pointing out that the fourth one doesn't corner the market on cartoonish escapes. :p

[JasonEvans]

I was actually thinking of the absurd coal cart scenes in the 2nd movie while I was rolling my eyes at some of the escapes in this movie. The coal cart and the wave of water that pushes them to safety is exactly the kind of ridiculous mess that made the 2nd movie far and away the worst film in the series. That and Kate Capshaw screaming.

As I said, this movie is good -- in a league with the 3rd film. It is just not nearly up to the standards of the original. In the end, I would give it a thumbs up, but a somewhat lukewarm thumbs up. It is worth seeing, though not worth seeing twice, IMO.

I think I said it a couple times, but let me say it again, my inital review read overly harsh. I think part of that was an effort to lower expectations a bit which will help you enjoy this movie.

-Jason "Indy's fear of snakes has a role in this movie... and it is a really fun scene" Evans

[OZZIE4DUKE]

As is my usual custom, on opening day each semester, I always ask my students for the name of their favorite anthropologist they know. Indy wins EVERY semester.:)


I vote for Dr. Temperance Brennen.:D:D

[NashvilleDevil]

I know your review was trying to lower expectations and I was not it expecting to match Raiders and Last Crusade. I was expecting a better movie than Temple of Doom and I did not get it. I went with a group of about 20 and we all had the same opinion it was a disaster. I am not going to give anything away. I just felt that the movie dragged on and did not have the flow of the first three. It will be huge this weekend but I anticipate a huge drop-off in the 2nd week.

Will be curious to see what other people think as they see it this weekend.

[JasonEvans]

I know your review was trying to lower expectations and I was not it expecting to match Raiders and Last Crusade. I was expecting a better movie than Temple of Doom and I did not get it. I went with a group of about 20 and we all had the same opinion it was a disaster. I am not going to give anything away. I just felt that the movie dragged on and did not have the flow of the first three. It will be huge this weekend but I anticipate a huge drop-off in the 2nd week.

Will be curious to see what other people think as they see it this weekend.

After this weekend we can talk about the faults and the such. I'd be interested to know if you were bothered by the same stuff that bothered me.

As an aside, it seems to be getting pretty good reviews. Rotten Tomatoes has it at a very healthy 79% right now. Then again, my review, which was lukewarm, probably would have resulted in a fresh not rotten rating on the tomatometer so who am I to complain ;)

--Jason "others who have seen it-- chime in!" Evans

[Clipsfan]

As an aside, it seems to be getting pretty good reviews. Rotten Tomatoes has it at a very healthy 79% right now. Then again, my review, which was lukewarm, probably would have resulted in a fresh not rotten rating on the tomatometer so who am I to complain ;)

--Jason "others who have seen it-- chime in!" Evans

That's one of my problems with their fresh ratings. First, they're subjective as to whether they call a rating fresh or not. Second, although there is an average score, no one references that. They only reference the fresh rating. So, as long as everyone thinks the movie is slightly above average you'll have a high fresh rating.

[JasonEvans]

FilmDrunk just destroys (http://filmdrunk.com/post.phtml?pk=1800) the new Indy Film. I don't see reviews on FilmDrunk very often, which makes this review somewhat notable. Then again, I don't read FilmDrunk all that much so maybe he reviews stuff all the time.

--Jason "FilmDrunk is somewhat associated with WWTDD and WithLeather" Evans

[billybreen]

FilmDrunk just destroys (http://filmdrunk.com/post.phtml?pk=1800) the new Indy Film. I don't see reviews on FilmDrunk very often, which makes this review somewhat notable. Then again, I don't read FilmDrunk all that much so maybe he reviews stuff all the time.

--Jason "FilmDrunk is somewhat associated with WWTDD and WithLeather" Evans

Yeah, no thanks. If FilmDrunk is anywhere close to the mark, I'm even less interested than I was from the trailers. Think I'll be waiting a few years till this one shows up on HBOHD.

Just a public service announcement in connection with Jason's WWTDD mention, do not visit that site today if you are a fan of 1) Mythbusters or 2) your eyes. You've been warned.

[Mike Corey]

I think Jason Evans does an extremely nice job of being extremely nice in his review, and I very much look forward to hearing his more detailed and nuanced thoughts on the movie once more people have seen it.

I must agree, however, with the poster that found it to be more of a disappointment than Temple of Doom. And it went well beyond the unrealistic escapes, IMO, and much more to the direction of the story and the way in which that story was told.

[bluebear]

I think Jason Evans does an extremely nice job of being extremely nice in his review, and I very much look forward to hearing his more detailed and nuanced thoughts on the movie once more people have seen it.

I must agree, however, with the poster that found it to be more of a disappointment than Temple of Doom. And it went well beyond the unrealistic escapes, IMO, and much more to the direction of the story and the way in which that story was told.

I just got back and was likewise disappointed..I'd still put it slightly above Temple. I actually really liked half the movie but really hated the other half...unfortunately, the good parts and bad parts were so mixed together that I never fully got into the story..To me it seemed like they tried too hard to recreate what made Raiders so great, but it came off forced and campy..oh well, 6 weeks until The Dark Knight.

[BCGroup]

A friend and I went yesterday, and we were pleasantly surprised (thanks Jason for the lowered expectations). We went it looking for just a good, comfortable, fun experience with an old friend, and we got that. Most of the other folks in the theatre seemed to agree, there was even some applause at the end. Was it cutting edge, unbelievably wow, on the edge of your seat? Nope, but I enjoyed it anyway. However, I liked the third one (which others here didn't like as much).

[ikiru36]

That's one of my problems with their fresh ratings. First, they're subjective as to whether they call a rating fresh or not. Second, although there is an average score, no one references that. They only reference the fresh rating. So, as long as everyone thinks the movie is slightly above average you'll have a high fresh rating.

I was a longtime fan of Rotten Tomatoes, though relatively soured on trusting the simple Tomatometer score due to the above noted reasons.

For any who don't utilize it, Metacritic (www.metacritic.com) does at least provide an average of each reviewers overall score, rather than forcing each review into a thumbsup/thumbs down score, while still offering direct links to each review. Of course, Metacritic also provides the same reviewing of music, dvds, tv shows and games, which some may like and others may feel dilutes the quality of the focus on movie reviews.

FWIW, this film is currently at a respectable but far from exceptional 67 out of 100 on Metacritic, with a more disappointing user rating of 5.5/10.

[btw, I am in no way connected with Metacritic, just mentioning it for any interested in another source of aggregated review scores.]

Go Duke!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Blue Devils!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GTHCGTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BCGroup]

"This should be the first of three new Indy movies. The next two, as I reported here exclusively last week, will feature Shia LeBoeuf who plays Indy Jr., aka Mutt Jones. Harrison Ford will of course return as the Indiana eminence grise, as Lucas told me he'd thought it out."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,357988,00.html

[billybreen]

"This should be the first of three new Indy movies. The next two, as I reported here exclusively last week, will feature Shia LeBoeuf who plays Indy Jr., aka Mutt Jones. Harrison Ford will of course return as the Indiana eminence grise, as Lucas told me he'd thought it out."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,357988,00.html

Just what we need from Lucas: another trilogy rehashing his good ideas from 20 years ago, demonstrating that he has none now.

[prefan21]

Just what we need from Lucas: another trilogy rehashing his good ideas from 20 years ago, demonstrating that he has none now.Who will be the Indiana Jones equivalent of Jar Jar Binks?

Maybe he can even go back to the old Indiana Jones movies and change things people liked.

[knights68]

I suspect there will be more Indy movies, however Shia Lebouf will be the "next generation". It stands to reason. Look what they're doing with other Franchise (Star Trek... only in reverse, to name one).

Next movie: Indiana Jones Jr: The search for more money!

[billybreen]

Who will be the Indiana Jones equivalent of Jar Jar Binks?

Good question. Sounds like there's a place in Hollywood for our own EarlJam.

[glutton]

Yup, for sure.

As I said, it is not nearly as fresh and fabulous as Raiders and it is not nearly as hokey and horrible as Temple of Doom. It falls in between, fairly close to Last Crusade.

The more I think about it, the more I think my review reads more negatively than it should have. The film does move along at a nice pace and the action sequences are exceptionally well-directed and show real craftsmanship -- even if they are borderline silly in terms of what actually happens in them.

--Jason "expectations baby-- I am doing you a favor by lowering expectations ;) " Evans

Just to throw in my 2 cents, I don't think Indy 4 even remotely compares to Last Crusade- which, in my opinion, is the best of the original trilogy and one of my all-time favorite movies. It's basically Raiders + Sean Connery, which equals a whole lot of awesome.

Anyway, I would place Indy 4 above Temple of Doom, but significantly below the other two. But I am glad my expectations were lowered by all the lukewarm reviews, because I ended up really enjoying it. As difficult as it is to recapture the old magic (which I'd imagine George Lucas would've figured out by now...) it's still entertaining and fun to watch.

I could've done without some of the CGI though.

[bjornolf]

Who will be the Indiana Jones equivalent of Jar Jar Binks?

Maybe he can even go back to the old Indiana Jones movies and change things people liked.

that we already had our Jar Jar Binks. Her name is Kate Capshaw. :eek:

[BCGroup]

USA Today projecting a good opening, despite mixed reviews:


"The fourth installment of the whip-cracking professor's exploits, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, grossed an estimated $101 million from Friday to Sunday, plus $25 million from its opening Thursday, distributor Paramount Pictures said. The company expects it to earn another $25 million on Monday. That would put it behind only Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which had a Friday-through-Monday total of $139.8 million, in the pantheon of Memorial Day weekend blockbusters.Including Thursday's receipts, Indiana Jones was expected to collect $151 million over five days, slightly behind Pirates, which took in $153 million with a partial Thursday included."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-05-25-box-office-analysis_N.htm

[camion]

I guess that just shows how desperate people are for ANYTHING. I've been underwhelmed by movie offerings so far this year.

I do plan to see Son of Rambow however, if it ever comes near my town.

[bbar7502]

I went and saw it with my wife last night and enjoyed it. I came in expecting the great escapes and tons of bullets that never even swipe Indy. The greatest escape in my mind and craziest was when he got in the fridge....those who saw it know what I am talking about. Kind of a weird ending but I guess it sets up Shia for another franchise. Indy and Transformers what a lucky guy....

[dkbaseball]

This franchise seems to have really worn out its welcome with me. I would have walked out on it if I hadn't been with my brother-in-law.

The tiresome extrications from various predicaments not only took up 90 percent of the movie, but they have gone completely over the top in cartoonishness and unbelieveability. In that vein, Ford feels obliged to camp it up all the time now, which he doesn't do very well. Karen Allen does feisty now with all the timing and gusto of a stroke-victim. I always pull for my fellow old people, but these two really don't belong in the leads of a movie like this anymore.

I rate this movie fourth best in the series (though as I say, this kind of "action" thing just doesn't hold me for two hours anymore). The thugee business in Temple of Doom I thought was kind of ominous and interesting, and Kate Capshaw was hot. I won't be going to Indy5.

[CathyCA]

It's just not a pretty weekend here with the nearby wildfires and cold winds, so I'm trying not to do too many outdoor activities. Therefore, I took my 16 year old son to two movies this weekend.

On Saturday afternoon we went to see Son of Rambow. The story continuity was choppy, but there were plenty of moments that made me laugh out loud, even snort, and completely embarrass my son.

Since my son REALLY wanted to see Indiana Jones instead of Son of Rambow, I took him to see Indiana Jones on Sunday afternoon. The movie was good, if a bit cartoonish, (thanks for that description, Jason Evans!) and I spent the entire movie wondering whether Disney would rework its Indiana Jones ride. Maybe they could include a water feature?

So now I want to know? Has Disney updated their Indiana Jones ride to go along with this most recent Indiana Jones movie?

[YmoBeThere]

Saw it today, better than I was expecting. Some likened it to NT2, which I haven't seen. There was one issue that knawed at me the whole time...

[ohioguy2]

My lovely wife and I saw it today. Exactly what I expected. A lot of fun, no thought needed, a good but not great summer flick.

[Cavlaw]

I'm a huge Indy fan and saw it yesterday.

I hated it. I felt that GL once again killed a favorite story from my childhood. This is nowhere near as good as Temple of Doom (which I liked really well, but also consider the worst of the original three). It lacked emotion, it lacked plot, it lacked humor, it lacked pretty much everything.

I found myself looked at my watch to guess how much longer I would have to be there, and that damn near made me cry since I love the Indiana Jones character so much.

[billybreen]

I'm a huge Indy fan and saw it yesterday.

I hated it. I felt that GL once again killed a favorite story from my childhood. This is nowhere near as good as Temple of Doom (which I liked really well, but also consider the worst of the original three). It lacked emotion, it lacked plot, it lacked humor, it lacked pretty much everything.

I found myself looked at my watch to guess how much longer I would have to be there, and that damn near made me cry since I love the Indiana Jones character so much.

Ugh. That's exactly what I feared. I'm with Patton Oswalt -- George Lucas should have been killed with a shovel back in 1995.

[allenmurray]

Was it one of the greatest movies of all time? No. Did my 9 year old and I hve a great time? Yes. Did we think some of the stunts were stupid? Yes. Did we have a good time anyway? Yes. did we sing/hum the theme song in the car on the way hme? Yes.

I suggest that anyone over the age of 25 go see this movie in the company of a child under the age of 11. It is more fun that way.

[billybreen]

I suggest that anyone over the age of 25 go see this movie in the company of a child under the age of 11. It is more fun that way.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I steal someone's kid to go see this, won't they lock me up and throw away the key?

[allenmurray]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I steal someone's kid to go see this, won't they lock me up and throw away the key?

Probably. However, there are ways to take a kid to the movie without stealing one. Perhaps you have a friends with a child in that age range. This couple, who never gets a night alone, would love to go out to a romantic dinner sans child.

You billybreen, hero to all mankind that you are, step up and say, "hey friends, would you like a night of free babysitting? I'd sure like to go see that Indianna Jones movie and I'll bet your cute little son/daughter would like to go as well. Why don't you two make reservations for a nice dinner somewhere and I'll take the kiddo off your hands for a couple of hours."

If you can't find anybody up there, travel on down here to NC. Mrs. allenmurray and I could uuse a night out, and I'm sure Dan wouldn't mind seeing it again.

[TillyGalore]

If you can't find anybody up there, travel on down here to NC. Mrs. allenmurray and I could uuse a night out, and I'm sure Dan wouldn't mind seeing it again.

I was going to ask if you would lend out your kids. :)

[Duvall]

I'm a huge Indy fan...

That probably explains the vehemence of your reaction.

It's not a great film, by any means - many of the action scenes made little sense, and the villains were thoroughly dull. Nonetheless, this was still a reasonably entertaining film. Sure, it wasn't necessary, but none of the Indy sequels have exactly been high art.

[2535Miles]

I dunno, I'll put this one right behind or closely tied with Temple of Doom. Temple of Doom might win out because I was seven years old when it premiered and I wasn't a discerning movie critic (not that I am now) back then, so it has the nostalgia factor.

I'll pretty much echo many of the previous posters' sentiments. I'm a big fan of the Indy humor, which was lacking, save one or two memorable scenes. I'm a big fan of highly improbably escapes; this movie is chock full of em. I'm also a big fan of character development. I had a hard time getting attached to anyone in this film.

It was a fun day at the movies and killed some time before I went to see the Police with Elvis Costello. If you get a chance, go see this tour.

[Cavlaw]

I have to say, everyone who is saying that Indy4 compares to Temple of Doom should go watch Temple of Doom again in the near future with Indy4 still fresh in your mind. It's not even close.

[gvtucker]

Was it one of the greatest movies of all time? No. Did my 9 year old and I hve a great time? Yes. Did we think some of the stunts were stupid? Yes. Did we have a good time anyway? Yes. did we sing/hum the theme song in the car on the way hme? Yes.

I suggest that anyone over the age of 25 go see this movie in the company of a child under the age of 11. It is more fun that way.

Exactly. We had a good time.

Is it Raiders of the Lost Ark? Nah. But it was an entertaining evening. In hindsight, I'm glad that I didn't get Raiders for my boys to see before we went to the theater, because it would have unnecessarily raised their expectations.

[Duvall]

I have to say, everyone who is saying that Indy4 compares to Temple of Doom should go watch Temple of Doom again in the near future with Indy4 still fresh in your mind. It's not even close.

I caught Temple of Doom on TV a couple of weeks back. It held up better than I thought it would, but nothing in the new movie was as painful as Kate Capshaw's screeching or Short Round's broken English. It's a fair comparison.

[2535Miles]

I caught Temple of Doom on TV a couple of weeks back. It held up better than I thought it would, but nothing in the new movie was as painful as Kate Capshaw's screeching or Short Round's broken English. It's a fair comparison.
Agreed. Indeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[Cavlaw]

I caught Temple of Doom on TV a couple of weeks back. It held up better than I thought it would, but nothing in the new movie was as painful as Kate Capshaw's screeching or Short Round's broken English. It's a fair comparison.
You really think the fight in Area 51, surviving the atomic bomb in a refrigerator, or the brief motorcycle escape through the library compares to the nightclub fight and the chase through Shanghai? What about the character and feel of the Indian village against the amazonian one? Or the table banter and history lessons from Indy in Temple of Doom rather than the miraculous epiphanies he spews out in Crystal Skull? So on and so forth.

I do think Cate Blanchett's awful fake accent ranks up there as a point of pain in the movies, by the way. So does the waste of John Hurt's talent in the role of a raving madman with terrible lines.

[Duvall]

You really think the fight in Area 51, surviving the atomic bomb in a refrigerator, or the brief motorcycle escape through the library compares to the nightclub fight and the chase through Shanghai? What about the character and feel of the Indian village against the amazonian one? Or the table banter and history lessons from Indy in Temple of Doom rather than the miraculous epiphanies he spews out in Crystal Skull? So on and so forth.

I do think Cate Blanchett's awful fake accent ranks up there as a point of pain in the movies, by the way. So does the waste of John Hurt's talent in the role of a raving madman with terrible lines.

The nightclub scene and race through Shanghai is the best set piece in either film - it might be the best sequence in any of the films - but I enjoyed the Area 51 sequence. Surviving an atomic blast in a refrigerator may have made little sense, but it was entertaining, and the shot of Indy looking up at the mushroom cloud was certainly striking. I also liked the motorcycle chase, but mostly for personal reasons.

And you've allowed yourself to forget terrible scenes like the "foreigners eat wacky foods" bit. Chilled monkey brains?

Cate Blanchett's accent was more hilariously awful than painfully awful, I thought. Still, I can only assume it will result in another Oscar nomination for her.

[Indoor66]

Still, I can only assume it will result in another Oscar nomination for her.

I hope not. I thought she was the weak link in the movie. She was, IMO, a miscast. I enjoyed the movie but not Cate. She should stay in the "Kate" roles.

[Cavlaw]

I'll concede that the "meal" in Temple of Doom was over the top. I do think the fight with the slaver guards, the escape in the mining cart (for all its stretches of credulity) and the fight on the bridge over the chasm were superior to the fight through the amazon, the army ants and the boatride over three waterfalls.

(not to mention that the Shankara Stones, obscure as they were, at least stood up better than 1/13th of an alien head.)

And, even with the terrible abuse of English, Shortround was a far better sidekick than Mutt Williams. From driving the car with boxes tied to his shoes and playing poker with Indy in the middle of jungle with aces up his sleeves, to discovering the pain of being burned as a countereffect to the thugee drug wine and freeing the slave children, he never needed to rely on a comb to get a cheap laugh or epee leassons from a private school to help win the day.

I'll never argue for Temple of Doom to be held up as better than either Raiders or Last Crusade, but I think it's underrated due to comparison with the other two. With Crystal Skull now in the series, Temple of Doom no longer has to bring up the rear of the franchise.

[JasonEvans]

By the way, the most important takeaway from this thread is that darn near everyone agrees with my early review.

Lets focus on what matters here people -- ME!

--Jason "it is a bad sign for Kung Fu Panda is people agree with me about movies" Evans

[blublood]

Probably. However, there are ways to take a kid to the movie without stealing one. Perhaps you have a friends with a child in that age range. This couple, who never gets a night alone, would love to go out to a romantic dinner sans child.

You billybreen, hero to all mankind that you are, step up and say, "hey friends, would you like a night of free babysitting? I'd sure like to go see that Indianna Jones movie and I'll bet your cute little son/daughter would like to go as well. Why don't you two make reservations for a nice dinner somewhere and I'll take the kiddo off your hands for a couple of hours."

If you can't find anybody up there, travel on down here to NC. Mrs. allenmurray and I could use a night out, and I'm sure Dan wouldn't mind seeing it again.

Lord, yes. And if you can't find allenmurray and Mrs. allenmurray, come look us up. Of course, we have a baby and he doesn't enjoy Indiana Jones very much, but we'd love the free babysitting! :D

[merry]

Was it one of the greatest movies of all time? No. Did my 9 year old and I hve a great time? Yes. Did we think some of the stunts were stupid? Yes. Did we have a good time anyway? Yes. did we sing/hum the theme song in the car on the way hme? Yes.

I suggest that anyone over the age of 25 go see this movie in the company of a child under the age of 11. It is more fun that way.

Same here, and even a little older than 11 can be ok (our "child" is 13).

Also we saw it at the Carolina Theater in downtown Durham. I wish I could see all movies fhere.

[gvtucker]

Same here, and even a little older than 11 can be ok (our "child" is 13).

Also we saw it at the Carolina Theater in downtown Durham. I wish I could see all movies fhere.

No kidding, merry. There is just no comparison between the Carolina Theatre and Random Mall Cinema. Carolina Theatre is such a great place to watch a movie, I think just the venue alone helped us enjoy this movie a lot more.

[Mike Corey]

1) Agreed with Cavlaw.

2) Regarding Cate Blanchett's performance, since you all are such big fans, I thought I would share this excerpt of David Denby's review from The New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2008/06/02/080602crci_cinema_denby):


The K.G.B. agent Irina Spalko, played by Cate Blanchett, takes off from Lotte Lenya’s slit-eyed Commie menace in “From Russia with Love.” Blanchett wears a full-body flight suit in Soviet gray—drabness turned into fashion by her trim figure—and a rapier hangs from her waist. She enunciates like crazy in Russian-accented English and tilts her cheekbones toward the camera. As is often the case with this actress, she’s the best thing in the picture.

[Ignatius07]

Despite the accent that occasionally fluctuated between Russian-sounding and something else, I actually thought Blanchett was excellently cast and was one of the stronger points of the movie. And other than this aspect, I agree with what most people are saying about IJ4.