Seems like everywhere you turn, people who used to have “it” don’t anymore. Darth Vader, Keanu Reeves, Fozzy Bear, The Maytag Repairman (who I saw today by the way) are just shadows of their former selves, leaving us all a reminder of what the ravages of time can do to our own entertainment value and marketability. In that sense, I didn’t have high hopes for the return of my childhood hero Indiana Jones, especially with rumors of alien artifacts and the dude from Transformers tagging along (was Justin Timberlake busy?).
I was wrong. The old man has still got it, actually both old men – Indy and Harrison Ford. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, while not perfect, reduced me right in my seat to the young boy sitting beside my aunt Doris peering from behind her fingers at the snakes and rats. The nail-biting action, the impressive stunts and the witty banter was, in in my opinion, spot on, giving me an entertaining ride from start to finish. As his Fonzie-fied sidekick, Shia wasn’t too annoying, although I kept waiting on him to break out in “Greased Lightning” or do the Hand Jive, baby.
I think some might be disappointed in the focal point of Indy’s quest this time around, but I really didn’t imagine him to keep chasing Biblical artifacts. It’s a movie and like Lucas commented in an interview, it makes sense for the time period it’s supposed to take place in. Where I don’t necessarily agree with him is where he said he’d have preferred more CGI and I think this one almost has too much. I do miss the old days of wrangling actual animals and bugs to pour over hapless victims but I guess we can get our fix of that on reruns of Fear Factor.
Welcome back, Indy. Don’t be a stranger, even if you have to leave the whip in the hands of Shia LaBabarino and move to the mentoring role. We’re never too old for another adventure.
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