Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
There was no artistic reason for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to make a fourth Indiana Jones film. On the other hand, there was no artistic reason to make a second and third either. The only Indiana Jones film I actually consider a bona fide cinema classic is the first, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Its two sequels – Temple of Doom and Last Crusade – were great fun but weren’t up to the quality of the original. That said, they gained a special place in the hearts of cinema audiences in the 1980s, and that is why expectations for the fourth film are very high, even though equaling Last Crusade and Temple of Doom (the weakest installment) is actually not a particularly tall order. Unlike the Star Wars prequels, Indy 4 is not hamstrung by a pre-ordained plot, nor does it have to live up to three illustrious predecessors.
All of which brings me to the good news: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is better than Temple of Doom, and almost as good as Last Crusade. The action is updated to the 1950’s at the height of the Cold War, where the audience is immediately re-introduced (via a nifty silhouette) to an older, lonelier Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford still looks the part, but it’s clear, as he says in his own words that “this isn’t as easy as it used to be”.
After an absolutely stunning opening sequence involving Area 51 and a nuclear weapon, Indy is suspended from his teaching position under suspicion of being a communist sympathizer. Enter Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), who zooms up on his motorbike looking like James Dean from The Wild One. He tells Indy that his mother has been kidnapped by Russian agents searching for a mythical Crystal Skull, which supposedly has power to bestow infinite knowledge on whoever returns it to a lost city somewhere in the Amazon.
The plot is, of course, total nonsense, but its nonsense with a hint of truth. Previously, the only Indiana Jones film with a genuinely fascinating object at the centre of its quest was the first, with the Ark of the Covenant. In the sequels, the Sankara Stones and Holy Grail were both a bit weak. However, there have been genuine Crystal Skulls discovered, and the technology that created them is still a mystery to those who have studied them. All of which makes the Stargate-esque baggage associated with them here not as silly as it first appears.
Steven Spielberg’s return to his earlier, more popular filmmaking sensibilities, is by and large a triumphant one, especially in his insistence on using real stunt work and as little CGI as possible. He maintains the look and feel of the originals, but updates the rough 1930’s Republic serial style with a more polished, pastel-hued 1950’s sheen. The late cinematographer Douglas Slocombe is replaced by Spielberg’s now regular collaborator Janusz Kaminski, who admitted that in order to imitate Slocombe, he had to learn a whole new style which stands in direct contrast to his usual burnt out imagery.
The previously mentioned nuclear bomb opening is edge of the seat stuff, especially in a wonderfully eerie moment when Indy enters a town, only to discover it’s full of mannequins and mock up buildings designed to assess the impact of the atomic energy. The penny quickly drops when he realizes he is inside the blast radius with less than a minute to detonation. Elsewhere, all elements of the Indy formula are present and correct. Supernatural treasure? Tick. Travelogue maps? Tick. Double dealing sidekicks? Tick. Spectacular vehicular chases? Tick. Secret tunnels filled with booby traps? Tick. Creepy crawlies? Tick. At least one full-on horror movie moment? Tick.
Harrison Ford is as good as ever in the lead. Having aged gracefully, his older Indy is a more melancholy figure, but still with the same weaknesses. LaBeouf, who is inexplicably hated by various internet film nerds, makes a fine sidekick. Villain duties are undertaken with relish by Cate Blanchett as a psychic (and psychotic) Russian agent. Jim Broadbent, John Hurt and Ray Winstone do very well with somewhat underwritten roles, and Karen Allen makes a welcome return as Marion, Indy’s girlfriend from the original film.
David Koepp’s screenplay (based on George Lucas’ story) is good, and provides another variation on the usual Spielberg theme of disintegrated families. On a technical level visual and sound effects are first rate, and the peerless John Williams contributes yet another brilliant music score, combining new and old themes to superb effect.
There are underlying moral messages are about redemption, the importance of family and the dangers of greed and knowledge for knowledge’s sake. SPOILER WARNING AHEAD: From a spiritual perspective the portrayal of the aliens is interestingly ambiguous as to whether or not they are good or evil. Archaeologists have frequently been baffled by places like the Giza pyramid and Mayan cities, and aliens are often cited as possibly being responsible. Of course, the Bible alludes to half fallen angel half human entities in various places (for example in Genesis chapter 6) and it seems likely that these beings were worshipped as gods. If they were today mistaken for aliens, it could be down to years of Hollywood movies and UFO stories permeating human consciousness, which begs the question of how much of a co-incidence this all is. Is mankind is being slowly conditioned for a great deception? Possibly. Does this mean Christians shouldn’t watch films about aliens? Of course they can, but it is interesting how many non-Christians who reject the notion of a Christian God embrace the notion of UFOs and aliens.
However, it’s doubtful most audiences, Christian or otherwise, will think about such things whilst viewing this immensely entertaining movie. Unlike Raiders of the Lost Ark, this is not the greatest adventure film ever made, but if you enjoyed Temple of Doom and Last Crusade, you will certainly enjoy this.
Simon Dillon, May 2008.
