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Indiana Jones: A Long Time Coming

by Cynthia on October 16th, 2008

When it comes to movies, my husband Lars and I rarely agree.  Where he likes classic sci fi flicks such as “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” I’m more partial to the kitschy B-Movies like “Them” and “I Was a Teenage Werewolf.” Where we do agree, at least at the base level, is on Indiana Jones. We both love the way these movies harken back to the days of the old movie serials and there’s nothing like the mix of comedy, action and charisma that Harrison Ford brings to the screen whenever he dons the hat.

So when I received a preview copy of the new “Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” DVD, my husband jumped at the chance to play reviewer.

Here’s his take on the film followed by my take on the DVD itself. Take it away, Lars. . .

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

by Lars Liljeblad

Nearly 20 years after the last installment of the adventures of Indiana Jones, comes “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, the long anticipated fourth movie in the Indiana Jones series. Steven Spielberg & George Lucas are back in top form and their enthusiasm for the character comes through in this action-packed roller coaster ride.

Unlike the previous films, this installment is set in the mid-1950’s so Indy and his pals aren’t as young as they used to be. This doesn’t stop them, however, from embarking on a quest to find the Amazonian Lost City of Gold known as Akator. Ah, but it’s not gold they’re after — it’s the legendary “Crystal Skull.”

Accompanying him on the journey is Mutt (Shia LaBeouf), a young motorcycle greaser who goes to Indy on the behest of his mother “Mary.” Little does Mutt know, but he’s actually Indy’s son and Mary is Raiders’ Marion, aka Karen Allen. They’re also joined by Indy’s buddy Mac (Ray Winstone) and eventually Professor Harold “Ox” Oxley (John Hurt), who turns up being a lot more “interesting” than Indy remembered.

Indy isn’t alone in the race to reach the Crystal Skull. There is also a clever, pretty, Russian agent named Natasha played by Cate Blanchett. Sly and menacing, she is quite determined but strong overtones of Rocky & Bullwinkle’s Natasha Fatale makes it hard to take her seriously.

Through a series of incredible chase and capture scenes, Indy finally bags the Crystal Skull and takes it back to the temple it came from. Once the skull is slipped into place, a wondrous sight is revealed and it’s a sight that takes this movie from epic adventure to classic sci fi. What does Indy discover in the lost city? You’ll have to buy the DVD to find out.

It was wonderful to see the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones, played brilliantly by an aged, but still vital, Harrison Ford. The movie doesn’t try to pick up where “Last Crusade” left off; instead it’s a natural progression with an aging Indy continuing his adventures in the tradition of the previous movies. Pure, welcome fun!

But like the previous movies, the characters and action are better if you just let everything wash over you, and get caught up in the spectacle. Don’t even try to rationalize this one, just go with the flow.

Cynthia takes over. . .

Although I did enjoy this film in the movies, I wasn’t as hyped to watch it again on DVD as my husband. At least, not so soon. I found the plot to be far reaching, even for an Indiana Jones movie, and much of the action to be repetitious. Still, even a bad Indy movie is better than most of the dreck they serve up on DVD these days. The scenery and prop details are amazing and the motorcycle chase “through” the university was great fun. Shia is a great addition to the family and I appreciated the numerous winks back to the earlier films through photos and even the appearance of Karen Allen.

When I got the DVD, the first thing I did was put on the 2nd disc which is nothing but special features, my favorite part of any DVD.  I was captivated right away by the Production Diaries which run for nearly an hour and a half. These videos follow the crew to each of the major locations, documenting the processes involved in creating some of the biggest scenes in the movie. We travel to Hawaii for the jungle chase scene, visit the Stan Winston effects studio for a look at the temple mummies and we watch Harrison himself go flying through the air on a wire for the warehouse fight scene. 

What amazed me most was to see how many of the effects were practical effects — that is, they aren’t done on a computer, they really work. The huge columns that raise up as they drop down into the temple were real, as was the disappearing staircase. Seeing how they made that work is worth the minimal price of this DVD.

Another fun featurette is “The Return of a Legend” which pays tribute to the history of this iconic hero. For true production junkies, the “Pre-Production” and “Pre-Visualization” segments take you from conception to the finished film in no time flat.  You’ll also find the traditional galleries and trailers and a fun demo of the XBOX 360 Lego Indiana Jones video game.

In regard to the special features, there were two disappointments. One, no commentaries. Yes, the Production Diaries are kind of like one big commentary but still, it would have been nice. Second, I was expecting a booklet with photos, trivia, a little history but there’s nothing. Just two discs in a flip case and that’s that. I’m greedy, I want more.

What isn’t disappointing are the video and sound qualities on this DVD. It’s such a huge movie, it really deserves a big screen but the quality on the DVD is the next best thing. The sound is rich and full and there’s great attention to detail even in the menu screens which immerse you in the world of Indiana Jones as soon as that FBI warning is gone.

As good as this movie looks on my TV, I hear that the Blu-Ray version is even better with HD quality picture on even the special features. I keep ducking my head when ever the discussion of Blu-Ray comes up at my house, but more and more I’m thinking it’s time to invest.

So what’s the verdict?  Buy it.  Even if you’ve already seen the film in the theater. Put it away in a cabinet and let it age like a fine wine. Two years from now you’ll pull it out and really enjoy seeing the movie again. Indiana Jones is nothing if not timeless.

Review of the 2-Disc Special Edition / Box art courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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POSTED IN: DVD, Movie News