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List Price: $29.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 114994
Released: November 25, 2008 |
| Our Price: $12.40 |
| Used Price: $11.98 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 11/25/2008 Run time: 122 minutes Rating: Pg13
Description of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Wrapped and Ready for Christmas:
Nearly 20 years after riding his last Crusade, Harrison Ford makes a welcome return as archaeologist/relic hunter Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, an action-packed fourth installment that's, in a nutshell, less memorable than the first three but great nostalgia for fans of the series. Producer George Lucas and screenwriter David Koepp (War of the Worlds) set the film during the cold war, as the Soviets--replacing Nazis as Indy's villains of choice and led by a sword-wielding Cate Blanchett with black bob and sunglasses--are in pursuit of a crystal skull, which has mystical powers related to a city of gold. After escaping from them in a spectacular opening action sequence, Indy is coerced to head to Peru at the behest of a young greaser (Shia LaBeouf) whose friend--and Indy's colleague--Professor Oxley (John Hurt) has been captured for his knowledge of the skull's whereabouts. Whatever secrets the skull holds are tertiary; its reveal is the weakest part of the movie, as the CGI effects that inevitably accompany it feel jarring next to the boulder-rolling world of Indy audiences knew and loved. There's plenty of comedy, delightful stunts--ants play a deadly role here--and the return of Raiders love interest Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, once shrill but now softened, giving her ex-love bemused glances and eye-rolls as he huffs his way to save the day. Which brings us to Ford: bullwhip still in hand, he's a little creakier, a lot grayer, but still twice the action hero of anyone in film today. With all the anticipation and hype leading up to the film's release, perhaps no reunion is sweeter than that of Ford with the role that fits him as snugly as that fedora hat. --Ellen A. Kim
Stills from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Click for larger image)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Wrapped and Ready for Christmas Reviews:
No Phantom Menace 
2009-12-13 - I hoped and prayed that this film would never happen. In three sunny adventures Indiana Jones was timeless and ageless. He concluded them by riding off into the sunset and into our imaginations. The thought of a saggy, graying Indy played by a wearier, more gravelly Harrison Ford turned my stomach. And I hated, hated, hated this film in the theater because at first glance it was pretty much everything I anticipated. I didn't want to see a weary Indy talking about dead Sean Connery and dead Marcus Brody, but suddenly there it was up on the screen.
Taking it in on the smaller screen, some of those weaknesses have become strengths, and the sins of Crystal Skull are no greater than those of its predecessors. Is escaping from a nuclear blast in a lead-lined fridge really that much more of a stretch than free-falling from a plane on an inflated life raft? Is Mutt's moment of vine swinging (a pulp moment in a series full of them) any worse than Ford's faux Scottish accent scene in Last Crusade? As for the aforementioned Connery, the film pays his character a quick, noble tribute. The spirit of Denholm Elliott is alive and well in a new addition, Jim Broadbent.
Other new additions are very welcome. Ray Winstone has great chemistry (and dialogue) with Ford, and his character Mack is a welcome addition to the Indiana Jones universe. Spielberg's brief love of flavor-of-the-month Shia LaBoeuf may or may not be a thing of the past now, but LaBoeuf is actually Crystal Skull's trump card. He keeps the energy going, and is less bland and stunt-cast than floppy-haired River Phoenix was. I don't necessarily want Ford passing him the torch, but he supports him just fine.
George Lucas' latter-day tone deafness, exhibited in the Star Wars prequels, is thankfully kept to a minimum. Spielberg first shows deviation from previous formula in the zippy CGI-assisted camera moves of the opening car chase -- a holdover from War Of The Worlds -- but this actually adds to the old Indy energy. How turned off you are by the big jungle chase/sword fight later on will depend on your tolerance for blue screen and obvious, blurry CGI. Still, the previous films were not immune to distracting matte paintings and ropey effects, even the hallowed Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
The most comforting ingredients are all there. Those ridiculously exaggerated punch sounds. An alternately cartoony and poignant John Williams score. A real romantic sense of time and place, of history. A diverse cast of accomplished actors enjoying themselves in pulp mode. A Harrison Ford we can root for, wry and sly and imperiled and iconic -- where has he been all this time?
Indy is still great, but not as before. 
2009-12-11 - For so long the public wished for a another installment in the Indiana Jones (including me) and it has finally arrived! Was it worth the wait? Some might say so, but not me. Although the film is still watchable. Indy's back and he may be older but he still has it! The film takes place in 1957 and this time Soviets are the bad guys instead of the Nazis.
The movie suffers from some very "out-there" writing, I have the greatest respect for George Lucas but the lack of realism in this film saddens me. Indy survives a nuclear blast by hiding in a fridge! A FRIDGE! Including aliens (or dimensional beings) doesn't bother me, but the way they play out does. The film suffers from too much CGI, a trait Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has unfortunately become associated with.
The 2-Disc Special Edition is for fans only, as the film is only worth a rental. The first disc contains the special feature on a tribute to Indy as well as a feature on the pre-production of the film. The second disc contains a production diary and a pre-visualization feature. In the end the single-disc version is the one worth getting, or just renting it.
Sad 
2009-12-10 - I can only add to what others have said. This is a sad way to end the Indy series.
Writing was poor as was the acting and/or direction by supporting cast. Where are the old favorites?
I could have written a better script and I'm not even a Hollywood writer.
I painfully watched this movie twice, preying I had misjudged the first viewing... nope.. no magic the second time, I had to stop it half-way through. Sad.
W.
E. T. meets INDY ?
2009-12-07 - in a carear otherwise pockmarked with outstanding theatrical and telefilms , i gotta ask , BERG , what were ya thinkin' ? i've enjoyed watching STEVE riff on his favorite space cord for several the decade now . in retrospect , this may qualify as a true winner as it's so mentally challenged . i won't deny that i would aquire this "island of misfit toys" motif (were it to sell for $3 at the LOTS) . if i could collect all the action figures spun from this warped semi-gold i might just determine that STEVE (accidentally) made a very expensive CULT picture while perusing them in the years ahead . definitely worth revisiting . conflicted on this baby . it may be brilliantly flawed . like a sad diamond .
Indiana Jones - The Original Action Hero 
2009-11-23 - I',ll make this short. Down with the naysayers and movie snobs spouting bad reviews. The first 3 Indiana Jones movies paved the way for many action movies. Indy started it all! So maybe the Crystal Skull was lacking in areas but as a whole this collection is an action/adventure classic not to be missed. It's everything action movies should be.
Jeff Ainscough - Denver CO USA
