oneloveall

Sorry fans, the cynics are going to win this one. I did not go into Crystal Skull expecting the second coming. What I did expect was to feel some semblance of that old Hollywood magic we were so accustomed to in the prior trilogy.

Not so with the latest Indiana. There just isn't any drive to this installment. Despite Spielberg and Lucas's blatant formula-following with all of the obligatory giant set-piece action scenes intact, two ingredients which feel sadly missed are heart and soul (despite trying to fulfill those categories late, it only feels more creatively creepy instead).

As soon as the film begins it becomes apparent that a time-warped fondness which possess it's creators will forbid the movie to shine in any current way, playing out more like a musty homage then a genuine sequel (which feels no more apparent then throughout Ford's tired, dispirited scowl-possessed demeanor). If anyone dropped the ball though, it seems to be Lucas, whose storytelling credibility has truly eroded to the core. Thanks to his plot guidance this retread becomes completely unnecessary and empty- an opposite of what the well-crafted prequels offered in escapist fare.

It seemed strange- In my memories I recalled Last Crusade being the most solid of the three Indiana adventures, capturing the Raiders sense of epic , historical adventure and Temple's humor and flair. Imagine my surprise that in retrospect, the third installment plays out less convincingly then the others.

It's hard to say why time has been less kind to Indiana's last undertaking as opposed to the two before it, though it generally seems to stem from an authentic lack of inspiration. Many scenes, whether they are of the exploratory or action-induced type, smell of mimicry, particularly the film's later sequences attempting to emulate Raider's desert action.

Thankfully Connery's elegant presence works wonders for the film's dynamic, who helps pull so many of the predictable but always impressive action sequences out of an impending mediocrity.

Temple of Doom always catches a bad rep for being too shallow and too dark of an adventure for standard Indy fans. Although compared to the other two I see their point, I always seemed to have very little problem with the way they made this sequel. I find it more fun and lively then the other's despite having less character and story. The pace remains thrilling throughout, and the set-pieces simply continue to outshine their predecessor's with reckless glee.

The essence of Indiana's second (but chronologically first) adventure may have been simplified, goofed on, and put through some kind of morbid angle, but the overall experience and pacing yielded an escapist film that even goes further to bring us along for the ride when being viewed for the first time at such a young age.