Indiana Jones and The kingdom of Crystal Skull
After 19 years the fourth movie of Indy got released in India last Friday. I was not sure whether I would get ticket or not on Sunday, the 1st of June, 08 still tried for 5.30 evening show in Fame in Calcutta and we could get. Thanks to IPL final on the same day.
I read many reviews of the film and the star rating given by the reviewers and I am writing this blog not as a review but a first person impression of the movie. The reviewers have reviewed this movie against the last movies of Indiana Jones as reference but I did not go to the movie recalling the last three. The times have changed and so are the film technologies, so it is quite obvious that special effects are going to replace those miniaturized models taken through the tunnels and blowing those photo frames in life size as was used in The raiders of Lost Arc and all other Indy movies.
The essence of Indiana Jones movies are the non stop chase and that has been beautiful maintained by Spielberg. The moment you see Harrison ford in leather jacket, faded fedora and the bullwhip you get ready for the adventure, you start looking forward to unforeseen dangers along with archeological professor. Here he has a side kick Mutt acted by Shia Labeouf a young fellow in early twenties. Yes it is the same young man who acted in Transformer with Megan Fox. This guy acted real cool in the movie on golf, The greatest game ever played. The one liner between Ford and Shia are the real treat. As regards action then the motor cycle chase in and out of an Ivy League college is hilarious and also at the same time gripping. The sword fight between Shia and Kate Blanchet on the top of two moving half trucks is breath taking. I am sure this guy Shia would be going places; it seems he practiced sword fighting for 6 months for this film. He flicks the switch blade like a juggler, a cool act. The movie is about locating the Kingdom Of Crystal skull, whoever discovers that would hold immense power, the Russians are after it and they want archeologist Indiana Jones to find that for them. Kate Blanchet is the leader of the Russian army. It is about outwitting each other.
The movie keeps you riveted in your seat for two hours. Yes there are special effects used liberally but with lot of imagination and creativity. The last scene of folding down of everything to a space ship is a master stroke by Spielberg.
You come out from the movie house with a sense of awe and chuckle for the good time spent in the hall with those exotic scenes and the sound tracks by John Williams keeps playing in your head. The face of Harrison Ford with that lops sided smile keeps lingering in your mind and hope that a 5th adventure should come out fast with Harrison Ford only, his age does not matter.
This generation may assume that Indiana Jones is copy of Mummy series but the fact is other way round.
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