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After seeing "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the
Crystal Skull" theatrically, I wrote an
article on my thoughts about the film
at that time. It's been a few months since I laid my soul out on
electric paper, if you will. I've had time to recompose my thoughts and
initial reaction to the film.
"Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull" is available on DVD and Blu-ray
disc. This is a review of the Blu-ray.
Unfortunately, I still don't like the latest Indy movie. I honestly
tried sitting through it again, and came away with the same feelings I
had for it when it was in theaters. This isn't the same smart and gruff
hero I enjoyed in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." It just isn't the same Indy
I grew up watching into early adulthood, despite the uneven "Temple of
Doom." It doesn't have 80% of what made "Raiders" great in "The Last
Crusade." "Crystal Skull" is watered down with too many supporting
characters, a story that isn't compelling, unremarkable villains, some
questionable visual effects, the plot twist, and an ending which I
nearly screamed out, "What the hell????" I may seem like I'm being too
harsh on a movie that clearly had a lot going for it. Steven Spielberg
is an outstanding director. George Lucas is one of the most creative
minds in the business. Harrison Ford is a great actor. Yet I still come
away from this movie disappointed.
I had to think of what made the original Indy movie so great, and why
"Crystal Skull" is not so wonderful. It's not the fact that Indy is now
older and has more mileage on the odometer. I can buy that Spielberg,
Lucas and company probably felt it was necessary to take Indy in his 60s
and stick to the hazards, sadness and regrets of older age. What I can't
buy, especially after seeing this latest film, is how tired Indy is.
It's Indy Lite. He doesn't have the energy he once had, and I don't mean
physical energy. He still kicks bad guy tush like nobody's business. I
mean his spunk, his smart ass demeanor, his drive, his guts.
I'm surprised with is how much the David Keopp script seemed to borrow
from the imaginary book of "Don't Make the Mistake of Borrowing Clichés
from Bad Television Shows." He's a fine writer, don't get me wrong. But
for this script, which is supposedly the best one written, he (and
Lucas) put in enough bad television clichés to make an Indy's head spin.
These are elements in the story that shouldn't be used...ever. That is
don't reveal a long lost child with a person you once loved. Don't bring
back a favorite character and have that character simply argue with Indy
for very little reason. Don't have that same character grin like a goof.
Don't have your main character get married. Don't wimp out on the
qualities that made your lead character so incredibly great. Don't have
make Indy act like a helpless hero. Don't have a sidekick who isn't
Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). Don't have a convoluted plot. Don't let the
film drag for a good 30-45 minutes in the middle with dialogue scenes
and little action. When we watch Indy, we want action and no goofy plot
developments. Don't chicken out on what made Indy great in the first
place.
"Raiders" was quite a thrilling movie. It didn't slow down its pace and
it had the cojones to have fun. "Crystal Skull" isn't a fun movie and
frankly, it's timid in its approach. I'm not sure if it's because almost
the entire main cast and crew that made "Raiders" so many years ago is
older and wiser today, but the film plays itself safe. It's not to say
that there isn't action and elaborate set pieces and some good sequences
in "Crystal Skull." After watching the supplemental disc on the Blu-ray,
I was impressed by the scope of the film. But it has none of the mystery
or fun factor that made "Raiders," and the two following sequels (in
parts), so much fun to watch.
"Crystal Skull" has some good moments. I liked the beginning of the
movie, which feels like an Indy film. But then the film falls far short
of what Spielberg/Lucas and Co. have done on previous Indy films. This
is the one Indy film that I wouldn't consider seeing in a revival
screening. Is the film bad? Depends on your point-of-view, I suppose. If
this were the first movie in the Indiana Jones franchise, do you think
it would've been given a free pass by most critics and audiences?
But enough complaining about the movie. The Blu-ray version is
exceptional on picture quality, and very good on sound. The film was the
first film in years that Spielberg used anamorphic (i.e. widescreen
capable) lenses. Early in his career, he used anamorphic a lot. But he
cut back on widescreen movies once he made "E.T." I've always been a fan
of anamorphic lenses in movies, because they can be sharp and I like the
look. This film has all the cliché lens flairs a movie geek would
notice. So the picture on the Blu-ray is sharp and smooth looking.
I did have trouble reviewing the sound quality, though. The Blu-ray
contains a Dolby TrueHD mix. My sound system is fine, and the mix on
"Crystal Skull" is very good. But I found the score and some of the
sound effects lacking that usual punch and kick associated with the Indy
films. Sound designer Ben Burtt is perhaps one of the best in the
business, but I found this mix to be unusually low in volume. I recall
that even the theatrical Dolby Digital sound presentation I saw and
heard was lacking, and those theater speakers are nowhere near being
accurate transducers of sound. The John Williams score doesn't have the
same overall volume that I've experienced before. In previous Indy
films, the music is nice and robust and I want to jump out of my chair
and march to John Williams's score. Not this time.
The sound effects, many of which were taken from the Lucasfilm/Ben Burtt
recorded audio library, will sound very familiar to Indy fans. The
gunshots and punches still have those signature sound effects. But I
think the soundtrack lacks bite. I'm not sure if the sound was mixed
lower than usual on the music or sound effects tracks. I'm not sure if
it's the fact that the original three Indy films were recorded and mixed
in analog sound that they sounded better to my ears. Honestly, I can't
pinpoint it. Ben Burtt is an awesome sound designer and sound editor. I
just don't know what happened here. All I can say is that the Blu-ray
soundtrack is very good, but it doesn't toss me into the back of my seat
like the previous movies. And I know my hearing is perfectly fine.
This is a movie that has probably polarized Indy fans. I'm sure that
many think it's a great edition to the Indy line-up and that I'm
probably being too hard on it. It's a movie, after all. Some others
watching the film may feel disappointed as I did. Just as franchises
like James Bond have had hits and misses, perhaps "Crystal Skull" is an
oddity in the Indy franchise. There is a rumor that an "Indy 5" might be
in the cards. I hope that we won't be seeing Indy as a grandpa teaching
his grandchildren his ways of the world. But I wouldn't pass it by Lucas
to come up with a story along those lines.
Bill Kallay
Special thanks to Click Communications
Photos: © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
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