Thursday, August 23, 2012

Review: Indiana Jones

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf

Year: 2008

Genre: Action/Adventure

Rated: PG-13

Length: 122 min.

IMDB Summary: Famed archaeologist/adventurer Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.

Review:
Although lacking the charisma of the originals, Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a fair reboot of the series. The Cold War provides many plot opportunities, and Blanchett is great as a ruthless Soviet official. What Ford lacks in physical stamina is countered by the addition of LaBeouf, who plays an integral part in action sequences. Surprisingly, I found this film equally fast-paced and less violent than the originals. The science fiction element of the film is rather cheap, but it helps that the historical setting is The Cold War (and that the director is none other than Spielberg). What makes this film work are the constant references to the originals (a photo of Marcus, the return of Indy's ex-girlfriend), the underlying theme of Ford passing the torch to LaBeouf and the fact that this film doesn't take itself too seriously. Harrowing and adventurous, Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an action flick that's worth a watch.

For Parents:
Action violence, including hand-to-hand combat, guns, and a bug scene

My Rating:
***

Image from imdb.com

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