Critiquing of the Crystal Skull - What Went Right?

Note: This thread is for in depth discussion of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, particularly about the film's strengths. For a more lighter discussion thread please go here.

For a critiquing of the film's flaws, go here.

 

Well, it took a long time to get it made, but eventually it did get made.

 

There are a lot of things that are very very right with Indy 4. Obviously I think that for a lot of people it was hard to see them at first, because we needed a small period of readjustment after nearly 20 years of not having watched a new Indy movie.

I've mentioned many of the things I loved about this movie. One that I'm not sure I've mentioned is that wonderful bit of body language that Indy does when he first sees Marion. The little thing with the shoulders, you know? It was a wonderful little touch, that Harrison to his credit managed to make it seem very spontaneous and sort of a very natural surprise, when one kind of lets go of one's normal façade. It was a great touch!

 

There was enough action and humor to make it good.

 

The warehouse/doomtown sequence fulfilled the role of the opening action setpeice, while still pertaining to the rest of the story directly. (In the other 3, it was more like a self contained story separate from the main narrative.

The Crystal Skull was a great supernatural artifact.

Irina Spalko was the best villain yet in the Indiana Jones series.

Mac was a wonderful new dynamic for a side kick.

Harrison Ford is still Indiana Jones.

Mutt was a decent choice to play his son.

Karen Allen still had that smile and Kasdan's help with her and Indy's dialog really brought me back to that feeling in Raiders.

The way Indiana turned around on Mutt when he realized he was his father. "You are going back to school!"

 

Those were all great moments.

I also loved the look Indy have Mutt right after the Soviets crash into Marcus Brody's statue. Just one look, and it said so much.....

 

The entire first half of the movie, at least, is sheer perfection, featuring the best, most entertaining, most character-descriptive Indiana Jones material since Raiders.

 

This movie is what GL is. He likes to tell stories in the bygone eras that combine very good story telling with the visuals. He is a mix of 1930's through the 60's, and that is what makes him great. Every time you watch a GL movie, you can bet your socks that it will be serial type, with maybe some stilited lines, but tremedous visuals. The visuals have a purpose, their not just their to look pretty. That alone makes GL very different than any other film maker today. Indy-4 was succesful becuase it brings the 50's with the supernatural event, which was so prevelant back then, and combines it together. Slap some real events that occurred and you have a fun, historical, archeological movie that was very damn good. It's this magic that has gotten GL success with the Star Wars movies, the prior three Indie film's, American Graffitti, THX-1138, and even the epcot movie Captain Eo.

When you compare for example Speed Racer, which was a gorgeous film. The question was, why did it tank? Well for one thing the visuals, weren't really enhancing the story, it became the story, and took away from the actual story experience. This is the type of pitfall that GL avoids. Even the first two prequel movies, which recieved the bulk of the negative reviews from the critics and the casual fan, was way better than Speed Racer.

 

I think he deserves a lot of the credit, of course, but doesn't Steven Spielberg also deserve some?

 

Mutt's character was done exactly right. He was smart, mature and interesting. I was afraid he would be a whiny annoyance like Robin in Batman Forever, or Anakin in AOTC.

Indy was perfect.

The 50s stuff was well done, including the references to McCarthyism, the Red scare and all.

The plot was interesting. I liked the fusion of conquistador history, El Dorado, Roswell, UFOs and the paranormal. Very cool stuff, and the most original plot since Raiders.

 

I thought the story elements were very well selected, and totally in keeping with the 50's spirit. One thing that puzzled me is that even after 4 viewings, I couldn't quite place the movie posters to which they got the rights (don't ask me why you need to license a movie poster in order for it to appear in another movie). But you can see which movie posters they got rights to if you watch the closing credits. The only odd choice was Vertigo, because it actually came out in 1958. But I suppose it could have been a "teaser" poster.

 

Yeah that was really funny. He kind of looked... idk like a nervous excitement.

 

I really liked how the movie had that old film look about it. Kind of the hazy... "vignette" look. They were trying to recreate the same film look that the old trilogy had. It, didn't really look the same but I love the look anyway. Yes Ms Spalka was awesome. I Loved the tough, ....... fighter attitude she had.. and the accent was addictive.

 

-Harrison ford was spot on Indy. 'nuff said.

-They played the age angle perfectly. Age was mentioned a couple of times, but it didn't really hold Indy up that much. He still swung, punched, whipped, etc.

-Mutt was actually a good, interesting character able to hold his own. I ended up liking the 'greaser' part even though before I thought it would be stupid. Favorite scene of his was when he started to form his escape 'plan' at the camp.

-I also liked that reaction Indy had to seeing Marion

-Area 51 warehouse scenes were great.

-Motorcycle chase felt like the old movies.

-Like someone else said, the first half was mostly all good. What happened after that though....well I covered that in the 'other' thread.

 

I liked the first half a lot, but it was the 2nd half that was the real payoff, because it's only then that Indy learns Mutt's his son and Marion's, and they get back together again. I mean, if you think about it, some of us have spent 28 years sorta wondering if Indy and Marion would ever get back together again. That's almost 30 years of waiting around, and the response is in the 2nd half of Indy 4.

 

I think he deserves a lot of the credit, of course, but doesn't Steven Spielberg also deserve some?

Are you kidding? Spielberg is already receiving credit for everything right about the movie and other INDY films. Whereas Lucas receives the blame for anything that is flawed.

 

Not in the post I was replying to.

 

Now that would be new for me.

 

Well, I'm sure that both Lucas and Spielberg have strengths and weaknesses as artists and filmmakers, but to me personally the overall balance is totally positive. That would include how much I fell in love with cinema in general, largely as a result of loving many of the movies they've made.

 

That's exactly how it is.... or was for me. If it weren't for all the Indy movies I might not be going to college, majoring in film making.

 

That's awesome, any particular area of film making you are interested in? The sound, the editing, the production design?

 

Indy/Henry and Marion getting married and Indy and Marion's love theme playing during this. They belong together.

Indy's hat blowing to Mutt's feet, Mutt picking it up and starting to put it on his head and Indy taking it from him and at the last instant and putting it on his head instead as Indy and Marion are walking by as a married couple and the Indy theme playing with great timing to this scene.

"They weren't you, Honey." The lead up to this line, Indy saying this line and Marion's reaction to this line (great reaction from her and totally fitting for her) and then Indy escaping and saving the day, once again and the music.

The opening warehouse scene at Area 51 (including the music), especially the first time Indiana Jones turns that allows his face to be seen (classic INDIANA JONES) and Indiana Jones using the wip.

Marions reaction to seeing Indy, Indy's reaction to seeing her, the reveal that she is Mutt's mother and Indy's reaction to finding out.

The sand pit. The reveal that Indy and Mutt are father and son by Marion and Indy's reaction and the use of the snake and Indy's reaction.

Mutt's reaction to finding out Indy is his father and the resulting conversation between Indy, Marion and Mutt through to the resulting subduing of Dovchenko as father and son team together to accomplish this.

The ants scene. Especially the Indy and Dovchenko fight and the ants taking Dovchenko to their nest and Irina Spalko crushing the ant with her knees and Indy using the crystal skull to get his hat back from the ants.

The flying saucer coming out of the ground and then suddenly disappearing and the debris hovering then suddenly falling and the water rushing in while Indy watches all this take place.

The mororcycle chase (including the music). Indy punching, Indy being pulled into the car, Indy climbing out of the car back onto Mutt's mororcycle, Indy having trouble getting seated and Mutt using the breaks to remedy this. Mutt smiling after what happens to the KGB and the statue of Brody while Indy does not (along the lines of INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE and it's morotcycle chase and Indy smiling in satisfaction with his actions and the results and his father not smiling). Also, nice use of the Wilhelm scream.

Indy coming out of nowhere and blowing the poison dart in the opposite direction in time to save Mutt.

Indiana Jones saying "I've got a bad feeling about this."

And so much more.

I've seen INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL seven times and I absolutely enjoy it.

 

Your enthusiasm is contagious!

 

Seven times and will see it again this weekend.