Welcome Back, Docta Jones

So last night I carted over to my local cinema to watch the highly anticipated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I’ve always been sort of lukewarm on the Indiana Jones franchise. I like them well enough, but I wouldn’t call myself a fan. As a kid, I watched Temple of Doom more than any of the others and it was my favorite.

Most respectable Indy fans will call Temple the worst of the bunch. Clearly, my Indiana-radar isn’t that good.

So it is with that grain of salt I give you my [spoiler free] review. To sum up: Awesome.

From the opening credits you realize that this isn’t today’s blockbuster. This is yesterday’s blockbuster. Neither Spielberg or Lucas bowed to modern-day convention to present their film.

The way in which they managed to capture the tone of the previous movies is really quite impressive.  Yes, Mr. Ford is 20 years older.  Yes, he’s not quite as spry as he used to be.

But that’s all wrapped up in the script.  It all makes sense.  Though he brings the pain just as before, he does so with a reluctant grimace.  He’s old, and no one’s trying to hide it.

Shia Labeouf delivers yet again with his performance of 50s greaser Mutt Williams.  I was actually impressed with the Beef’s performance, as he didn’t come across as the bumbling comedian that has made him famous.  Instead, he comes across as the badass his character is intended to be.

Until he meets Indiana Jones.  As ‘cool’ as Mutt is by 50s standards, Doctor Jones has more than a few things to teach the harley-riding tough guy.  This play between the characters is quite rewarding and yields more than a few genuine laughs.

Cate Blanchett plays the stereotypical Indiana Jones villain;  Forgettable and enjoyable at the same time.

Karen Allen’s return as Marion is really rewarding as well.  Though we’ve seen Indy through many girls, just seeing her show up reminds us that he knows and we know that she’s been the only girl for him all along.

And that really cuts to the magic of the film.  The fact that they waited 20 years to make the movie and the movie is set 20 years after the last makes it feel like we’re really catching up with an old friend.  A friend that even the most lukewarm Indy lovers missed.

The beginning is a little shaky, and some of the action borders on over the top.  There are times that the preposterous action scenes almost pull you out of the movie, but a whip crack and a wise crack later and you’re re-engaged.

It’s really Spielberg who deserves the credit for making this work.  The man is a genius director and is able to do things with Indy that most filmmakers would get lambasted for.  He pulls off cliches as if you’re seeing them for the first time.

The story was good too.  The old Indy films felt as if Lucas was giving us a glimpse of the sort of entertainment he enjoyed as a child.  But this film feels like Lucas is giving us a glimpse of the world he actually lived in as a kid.  The 50s were his playground, and the script is quite comfortable in that time period.

The supernatural stock of Indy’s past is merged with a 50s sensibility when technology started to pervade American culture.  It is this merging that yielded science fiction, and its influence is readily apparent in this film.

For its 20 year leave of absence, I had forgotten what Indiana Jones meant to movies.  So many times, I thought of the movies between the Indy films and how Indy completely schools them.

Pirates thought they were clever, but Indy is moreso.  Tomb Raider thought they had cool archaeological plots, but that’s just child’s play.  And we won’t even get into how bad National Treasure was compared to Indiana Jones.

Overall, this is a great summer film.  You’ll be able to forgive its slow start and over-the-top antics because we love Indiana Jones.  He’s about as American of a hero as this country has, and you won’t know how much you missed him until you see him again.

Verdict: A- Tilt: A+