Paramount PicturesOh right, like you're not really sure whether you want to go see it.
Admit it, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had you as soon as you heard that rousing John Williams theme music again.
Fortunately, a smart script and great set pieces make this tale of Soviet spies, weird artifacts and a lost city a worthy capstone to the series.
Want the whole review? Read on...
It’s been about 20 years since The Last Crusade, on-screen and off, and Dr. Henry Jones Jr.—he’s pretty much dropped the nickname—is still searching for ancient mysteries, and still fighting bad guys. Only now, he’s traded Nazi spies for Russians, led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who want him to crack the secret of a crystal skull that promises vast power.
Rather than pretend he hasn’t aged a day, the script takes into account Indy’s advancing years. He’s not as quick with a whip as he used to be, and the world has changed, too. Dr. Jones finds himself under suspicion by the FBI, despite having saved the world for democracy several times, and his old allies are dead or gone.
Fortunately, he gets a new sidekick, a motorcycle punk named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf), to help pick up the slack. Mutt’s mom used to date Indy, and she’s gone missing while on the trail of—you guessed it—the same crystal skull.
He might be old, but once he gets out the leather jacket and fedora, Indy proves he’s still the best there is at dodging bullets, death traps, and flesh-devouring ants.
Our Grade: A