Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

[Raiders]

I blame this on George Lucas. Who's with me?

[Kurosawa Fan]

I blame this on George Lucas. Who's with me?

Me.

[Pop Trash]

I blame this on George Lucas. Who's with me?

George is fun to blame for the ills of the world. Just don't drag Spielberg into the mix.

[Sycophant]

I blame this on George Lucas. Who's with me?

I am!

For a moment, I forgot what thread I was in. The "this" could have been world hunger or the AIDS epidemic and I still would've been game.

[Wryan]

Nobody has made a great IJ4 banner. If someone does, it would likely go up. I don't choose the banner based solely on the film being great.

Hey now. I did design Roger Thornhill running away from the Sarlacc pit wearing Indy's fedora. If that doesn't deserve some kind of recognition, I don't know what does.

[Fezzik]

I blame this on George Lucas. Who's with me?

"I'm with you too." (c. Luke Skywalker, 1983).

There were scenes in IJIV that made me wonder how Lucas had drugged Spielberg and taken over directing duties for a few minutes, and snuck in some of his pet scenes. It had his fingerprints all over it...though one of my least favorite scenes in the movie (Indy in the fridge) was, as pointed out previously, all Spielberg.

[Ezee E]

I wonder what the draft by Darabont was like.

[Sycophant]

I wonder what the draft by Darabont was like.

Long?

[Grouchy]

I wonder what the draft by Darabont was like.

I've been wondering this too. It skipped Indy's son and had Indy's long lost brother instead. I read on Wikipedia they rejected it mainly on the ground that the villains were still Nazis instead of Soviets. I'd read it.

[Rowland]

Surprisingly boring... oh well. The first three are significantly superior.

[Robby P]

I'll agree with the majority. This was an awful movie.

[rocus]

While I was watching it, I thought that if this was any 14 year old's first Indy they would wonder why so much fuss about a National Treasure rip off.

[KK2.0]

Late to the party as usual.

I didn't hate Indy4 but i'm also disappointed, i have to agree with EvilShoe that the film felt neutered and ended up more like the lost Mummy episode than Indy.

Cute homage to Marlon Brando's The Wild One when Shia appears.

I blame this on George Lucas. Who's with me?

Me! Me!!

I can almost see the exchange:

Lucas - "Let's add CGI Gophers! LOL"

ILM drone - "As you wish, master"

[SirNewt]

While I was watching it, I thought that if this was any 14 year old's first Indy they would wonder why so much fuss about a National Treasure rip off.

I got the same vibe.

As for Lucas. Shall we prepareth the hooks of repentance and torch of cleansing?

[monolith94]

Hey now. I did design Roger Thornhill running away from the Sarlacc pit wearing Indy's fedora. If that doesn't deserve some kind of recognition, I don't know what does.

Link? Because that sounds awesome.

[Sycophant]

Link? Because that sounds awesome.

http://match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=37337&postcount=25

[SirNewt]

http://match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=37337&postcount=25

awesome

[Bosco B Thug]

There's something bubbling underneath the surface of this one... I'm not surprised at various writers' attempts to extract something out of its clever self-reflexivity. There are striking considerations of the new era the series takes place in now: the depictions of youth, the use of knowledge for intimidation, the very pettiness of the quest, the occasional sense of vulnerability allowed its Commie villains (i.e. the drag race in the awesome opening credits, Blanchett's admirably emotive performance). The film also seems to be striving to distill the very nature of the Indiana Jones films, what with its plot points concerning academia and adventure, and the revisions and referrals to history (the adventure seems to amount to little more than an opportunity for Spilko and Jones to horde knowledge and combat their principles towards discovery, at the expense of the remains of cruel conquistadors and humble natives).

But yeah, otherwise the movie just isn't very good. Silly, inane, too glossy, and the end is the definition of anti-climactic predictability. I hate to say it, but the movie could've used some... stronger violence? Ray Winstone's last scene is mind-bogglingly strange. And the whole movie is just another victim of the CGI age.

[Grouchy]

I spent yesterday night playing poker with friends and I spoiled some of the ending of Indiana Jones without even noticing, just making a casual comment. Specifically the fact that it has CGI aliens. One of them felt like strangling me with his bare hands.

Then I tried to make it up for him by explaining that it wasn't very good. Didn't work.

[Qrazy]

One of them felt like murdering me with my bare hands.

Then I tried to make it up for him by explaining that it wasn't very good. Didn't work.

The mechanics of that act are mind boggling.

[Grouchy]

The mechanics of that act are mind boggling.

I forgot to mention my friend has mental powers, like Jean Grey.

Okay, fixed it.

[Beau]

I liked it, actually. It is riddled with problems, but I suppose I dug the ridiculous cartoon tone of the endeavor, as well as the myriad of visual jokes, and Spielberg's use of the frame. That climax, though - I must agree. The worst in a franchise that is known for good climaxes.

[transmogrifier]

Yeah, the climax is just plain dumb. The nominal bad guy gets killed for wanting to gain knowledge, Indiana just sorts of stands around, and Winstone switches sides 57 more times. And then it splices in some lost Mummy Returns footage.

Ugh.

[Beau]

To be honest, I had no qualms about the climax the first time I saw the movie. However, after hearing some arguments, seeing some of the original films again, and re-watching Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I came to notice how structurally messy that final stretch really is...

[KK2.0]

I think 'cartoony' is a good description of Indy4