Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Nearly 20 years after riding his last Crusade, Harrison Ford makes a welcome return as archaeologist/relic hunter Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, an action-packed fourth installment that's, in a nutshell, less memorable than the first three but great nostalgia for fans of the series. Producer George Lucas and screenwriter David Koepp (War of the Worlds) set the film during the cold war, as the Soviets--replacing Nazis as Indy's villains of choice and led by a sword-wielding Cate Blanchett with black bob and sunglasses--are in pursuit of a crystal skull, which has mystical powers related to a city of gold. After escaping from them in a spectacular opening action sequence, Indy is coerced to head to Peru at the behest of a young greaser (Shia LaBeouf) whose friend--and Indy's colleague--Professor Oxley (John Hurt) has been captured for his knowledge of the skull's whereabouts. Whatever secrets the skull holds are tertiary; its reveal is the weakest part of the movie, as the CGI effects that inevitably accompany it feel jarring next to the boulder-rolling world of Indy audiences knew and loved. There's plenty of comedy, delightful stunts--ants play a deadly role here--and the return of Raiders love interest Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, once shrill but now softened, giving her ex-love bemused glances and eye-rolls as he huffs his way to save the day. Which brings us to Ford: bullwhip still in hand, he's a little creakier, a lot grayer, but still twice the action hero of anyone in film today. With all the anticipation and hype leading up to the film's release, perhaps no reunion is sweeter than that of Ford with the role that fits him as snugly as that fedora hat. --Ellen A. Kim

1957 - jeeps are driving up to a military base. There's a sign warning of a bomb test shortly. A Colonel requests entrance on the base and is denied. His men open fire on the sentries and storm the base.

Their goal--the soon to be detonated bomb? Nope, the dusty storage facility.

The men, who turn out to be Russians, open the trunk and drag out a hostage. Guess who? If you guessed Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) you are correct.

That's the opening to this film...

It's twenty years after we left Indy. He's a little bit greyer, but he's still going strong. This time, he's teamed up with Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), a motorcycle riding, leather wearing college dropout who needs his help saving his father Oxley (John Hurt) and Mom, Mary (Karen Allen) from the Russians who are holding them captive.

What the Russians want is a Nascan Indian relic, a crystal skull of legend that some say was the manifestation of a god. If they don't get it, Mutt's parents die.

There's a lot to like about this film:

There may be some wear and tear on Ford, but he can still pull off playing Indy.

Karen Allen is back reprising her role as Marion Ravenwood. She's always been the best of the female leads in this series and she still can deliver 26 years after "Raiders."

Dr. Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) a Russian research into psychic phenomenon and the supernatural is the lead villain and she plays her part superbly. My favorite part of this film is the typical car chase with an Indy twist that every action and adventure fan should love.

Plus, I think the themes in this story tie together a lot of elements that people who love the Indy series are going to appreciate. I will definitely be buying the DVD when it becomes available.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008