The 4th installment of the Indiana Jones series has arrived, and the thralls rejoice! Is it all it’s been hyped up to be?
Of course not. These days, movies that large are never able to live up to the hype. If there’s one thing we’ve all learned from a Grecian urn, it’s that the human mind can always conjur ideas that far surpass what human hands can actually produce. And that is sad. But then, no movie can be all things to all people.
From the trailers, we can see that Indy is back… and he’s old. I had a grand fear that this movie was going to be one long joke at the expense of Indy’s age. Well, allay those fears, folks. There are a few comments about his age, but it’s not an issue for our intrepid hero. In fact, he doesn’t even seem slowed by it.
It’s also evident that Karen Allen is back, reprising her role as Marion Ravenwood from the first Indiana Jones movie. It’s a welcome circle-of-life kind of thing.
But the movie is good. Not great, just good. It seems to suffer from the same problem that all sequels/series do: each has to outdo the last. Raiders of the Lost Ark was full of off-the-hook, over-the-top action. But the great thing is that it never seems totally implausible. Kingdom, on the other hand, has to outdo the 3 movies before it. It goes back to some of the old shticks that made the series great, like fights on a moving convoy of vehicles. But where Raiders got that right, Kingdom drops the ball. Do we really believe that two characters are going to have a fencing match between two moving vehicles? As well, do we really believe one of the characters can instinctively do a Tarzan vine-to-vine swing through a jungle? Puh-lease.
In any case, the usual formula is there, big as ever. The bad guys — Russians, this time, since the movie takes place in 1957, after the Nazi regime has ended — are after relics of unspeakable psychic and occult-like power. In steps Indiana Jones to save the day by beating the bad guys to the artifacts. But Indy’s lost a step. He doesn’t think things through and formulate plans so much anymore; he seems to just fly by the seat of his pants, relying on the idea that he’s the action hero, and the bad guys should just get used to losing.
The biggest takeaway from this movie, however, were the several mentions to Indy’s dealings during the war. The first three Indiana Jones movies were set before WWII, and this one is after, so that period was skipped. Well, we learn that Indy is/was a Colonel and was in the OSS (the predecessor organization to the CIA). Apparently, Indy did some war-time spying on the Nazis, even to the point of being a double-agent while in Berlin. This is, to me, far more interesting than Indy’s archaeological exploits, and I would love to see a series of movies depicting what all he did. This could get bigger than Bond, bigger than Jack Ryan, bigger than Batman. Well, maybe not Batman. Unfortunately, it would probably be difficult to keep Harrison Ford doing these films much longer. No offense, but Mr. Ford, turning 66 this year, isn’t a Spring Chicken anymore, and Indy would be in his 40s during WWII.
So who could fill those shoes? It would probably have to be an actor in his mid-30s, so that he could reprise the role for at least 3 or 4 movies. I, personally, would love to see an actor like George Clooney take this on, although even he is 47 now.
In any case, Indy fans will see this movie whether they want to or not; it’s pretty much required. Those that aren’t true Indy fans won’t feel slighted, so go ahead and see it. Truly, it is a good movie. But it won’t be my vote for the top movie of this Summer Movie Season.
Related Posts on This Topic:
DRM Woes — I Told Ya So!
Summer Movies, Derailed but Still Going Strong
Summer Movies: Iron Man
Keeping the Peace
Another “I Told Ya So”
Good review. I watched Indiana Jones last night. I agree this was a good movie. Not a great movie but a good movie. Sequels do not usually live up to the hype of the original. A sequel when released in theaters usually does better opening weekend than the original movie but after that loses interest and makes less money.
I couldn’t see anyone else play the role of Indiana Jones than Harrison Ford. Your right he is getting kind of old to play Indy and doubt he can continue to make many more Indy movies in the future. However, Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones and to hire anyone else younger than him to play Indy in a new movie wouldn’t be the same as watching a young Harrison Ford in that role. Young or old Harrison Ford is Indy — as noted in this movie he played an old Indiana Jones — despite the fact Harrison Ford is now older he was still able to play Indy in this movie. How? Characters evolve and they explained why Indy looked old in this movie by saying he was old.
So when you see Harrison Ford in this movie as an older man and think wait isn’t his character Indy supposed to be young the answer in the earlier movies is yes but this movie no.
When Harrison Ford decides to stop making Indy movies then the studios making the movies should explore other ideas and find other types of action movies to make. Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford possible but not a good idea. Your statement of Indy fans seeing the movie whether they want to or not seems wrong. It’s not like an Indy fan will be forcefully dragged to the theater to see the movie if they don’t do so of their own free will. If they feel compelled they are compelling themselves to see it. No one else is compelling them. Its not like the law requires an Indy fan to see the movie. The law doesn’t know who all are Indy fans and who aren’t.
My vote for the top movie of this summer season anyway is Iron Man. Unless the Dark Knight is much better than it even — that movie has not yet been released I don’t know about that movie yet — but I can honestly say Iron Man so far is the best in my opinion.
Posted May 28th, 2008 at 4:02 pm Michael Swanberg Says:
I’m not sure I get your point about the old Indy and the young Indy. There shouldn’t be any question why Indy looks and is older in this latest film… it’s set 21 years after the first film. Unless Indy is an immortal from Highlander, he’s bound to age.
As such, Harrison Ford can’t de-age, so he really couldn’t play Indy 10-15 years prior to this movie. That would have to be some great makeup!
The only two ways to make the movies about Indy during WWII are to either use another actor, or go all CG (like Beowulf).
I don’t think you understood my point about Indy fans not having a choice. I was being tongue-in-cheek facetious. My point is that no Indiana Jones fan is going to be swayed by a review, good or bad. They’ll see the movie regardless.
Additionally, I was making the point that my review wasn’t for Indy fans, as they would see the movie anyway. But I was reviewing the movie for non-Indy fans; as such, my take is that they would probably enjoy the movie, but not love it.
Methinks you took me too literally…
Iron Man is an awesome movie, but I think Dark Knight will be even better.
-Mike
Posted May 29th, 2008 at 2:53 pm CW Says:
Mike, did you just suggest that George Clooney play Indiana Jones? I feel almost obligated to find you and back-hand you, except that of course you’re bigger than me. Wasn’t his laughable stint as Batman enough? He’s a good enough actor, but he’s no action hero in my opinion. More the Ulysses Everitt McGill type.
Posted May 29th, 2008 at 6:28 pm Michael Swanberg Says:
Go rent “The Peacemaker” and “Three Kings.” Clooney is a fine actor, even in action roles. But yeah, I don’t really see him as Indy either.
I was simply thinking, hm, who is… handsome, good screen presence, good actor, rugged, slightly grizzled, and in his 40s? Clooney popped into my head, but I agree that he wouldn’t be ideal.
I would prefer a Christian Bale type, but he may be a tad too young.
All in all, we saw in the 3rd Indy movie, the first bit took place in 1912, and he was, oh, I’d say about 15 or 16 there. So, Indy was born, say, in 1896-7. So, by 1941, he would be 44 or 45. Now, if we say 4 movies chronicling Indy in WWII, and each movie will probably take 3-4 years to shoot, then we need an actor that can be mid-40s-looking for the next 12-16 years (assuming filming begins immediately).
So, who would you suggest?
Some actors I would like to see take on the role, although they just wouldn’t “be” Indy: Brad Pitt, Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton, Ewan McGregor… all fine actors and about the right age.
Of course, it’s all wishful thinking on my part. 
-Mike
Posted May 30th, 2008 at 8:44 am manpan Says:
Yeah I think Dark Knight will be an awesome movie — maybe even better than Iron Man but I can’t make that distinction until I’ve seen the movie.
Your right there is no way Harrison Ford can play a young Indy Jones again — hence your comment about a lot of makeup or a special type of makeup to make him look younger. My point is I couldn’t see anyone else playing the role of Indiana Jones hence whenever Harrison Ford decides to call it quits for doing more Indy movies perhaps they should stop making Indy movies. I think no one can replace Harrison Ford in the role of Indiana Jones.
So I wouldn’t see any other actor play Indiana Jones either as a young man or an old man. Only Harrison Ford can play Indy whether it is a young Indy or an old Indy Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones.
Posted June 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm Michael Swanberg Says:
Well, to be sure, I think we’ve seen the last Indy film. I really doubt that they will take the franchise any further…
I was just wishing to see the stories of Indy in the OSS. And Harrison Ford is simply too old to play Indy in those movies if they were to ever get made.
However, if they were to get heavy into CG, it might be possible. After all, the CG creatures in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were pretty convincing.
My girlfriend and I have been having an ongoing conversation about who might be able to take on the role, if it were ever to happen. We happened to be watching the second Pirates movie and she thought that the guy who played Commodore Norrington would be a good choice. I came up with Matthew Fox (plays Jack Shepard on Lost). He’s really impressing me as an actor lately.
Ah well, it’s all wishful thinking. I really doubt that this last movie will revive the franchise enough to make it lucrative to make any more. And this one seems really final in the way it ended. No more new Indy adventures…
-Mike
Posted June 2nd, 2008 at 8:47 am
« Good Ideas! Taming the Schedule, Part 1 »
