BEYOND REELS:

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF CRYSTAL SKULL

As I write this review, John Williams’ wonderful soundtrack of Indiana Jones plays into my ears. I wish I could say that the movie is as wonderful as the soundtrack but get no wrong intentions it’s not that bad, especially after Narnia.

Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones II(Harrison Ford, reprises his popular role for the fourth and does well indeed) is captured along with mate Mac by the KGB headed by a lean-mean Irina Spalko (Multiple award nominee Cate Blanchett) who by the way is interested in psychic powers which could control the universe as we come to know it later.

Jones is now a professor at Marshall College and makes numerous remarks about his age during the course of the movie, “It’s not easy as it used to be”. Harrison Ford we know now has worked harder for the movie as George Lucas and Steven Spielberg believe that Jones is not about age but mileage (great thinking guys), sent away from college on a long leave and half the feds behind him, Jones bumps into the ‘should I reveal the suspense’ character who is searching for his mother who also happens to be another ‘should I reveal the suspense character’ along with buddy professor Harold Oxley(John Hurt) referred in the movie a million times as ‘ox’  searching for a crystal skull in the depths of Peru.

It’s nothing new we have not heard before, El Dorado the city of gold and man’s quest in seeking ultimate power. Legend has it that people who have this elongated transparent skull should it return it to the lost city to get that ultimate power making it easier for Cate Blanchett to pursue.

Jones and his newly found bike liking school drop out played by Shia LaBeouf (good fun) travel to Peru and find the crystal skull only to be captured by Irina again the only difference being they find the mom (Karen Allen) and Professor Harold who has now become mad and speaks in limericks which irritate the brain out of you.

The adventure proceeds, sometimes interestingly sometimes being an unworthy challenge to your intelligence, the actors do what much is expected of them. Lucas seems to have put much of Star Wars in to Indiana Jones which is quite good and the sci-fi part comes in when you least expect it.

Overall a movie to be watched but the franchise followers might be just a little bit disappointed, watch it as the theatres have nothing good to offer rite now. Crystal Skull is your best bet as we wait for Kamal Haasan to finally release his recent magnum opus.

Phew interestingly I have been the only reviewer to have not mentioned a fedora in my review.

Satyeki