Leonard Maltin and the Mystery of the Changing Rating

Every year I pick up a new copy of Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide. I eagerly look through to what ratings he's given to new films released in the previous year. Last year in the 2009 Edition Leonard Maltin gave Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull a ***1/2 rating out of ****. This year for the 2010 Edition the rating has changed to *** out of ****.

This raises a couple of questions. What's the actual rating? There are three possibilities.

1. 2009 Typo - The rating was always intended to be *** but a typo or error printed it as ***1/2.
2. 2010 Typo - The rating should have remained as ***1/2 but a typo or error printed it as ***.
3. Reevaluation - Leonard Maltin has simply changed his mind. He overrated the film and has corrected it for this edition.

While 1 and 2 are possibilities the latter is the most likely. Mr. Maltin has in the past changed ratings for films from one edition to the next. For example. Groundhog Day has had it's rating changed from *** to ***1/2. Alien has changed from **1/2 to ***1/2.

Here's Mr. Maltin's ratings for the Indy series.

Raiders of the Lost Ark ****
Temple of Doom **
The Last Crusade **1/2
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ***1/2 (2009) *** (2010)

I remember when reading the 2009 edition I was very surprised he rated KotCS so high based on his rating for Doom and Crusade. I just assumed he was one of the few who just loved the film like myself. I'm considering e-mailing Mr. Maltin to see what if he can explain the rating change.

For fun my own ratings for the Indy series.

Raider of the Lost Ark ****
Temple of Doom ***1/2
The Last Crusade ***1/2
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ***1/2

 

I've always liked Maltin. My explanation is that it's a typo.

 

Interesting. I would say he's cooled off on his enthusiasm, but who knows. I get the feeling that a lot of people were just happy to see Harrison Ford in the hat again, and may have overrated it.

Then again, it looks like didn't care for either previous sequel...so why would he get all excited and nostalgic after seeing KOTCS?

 

Yeah that is surprising he felt the sequels were so mediocre.

 

I think it's just a reevaluation.People make a big deal negatively when fans or critics change there opinion of a movie but the true is it happens all the time.People just get caught up in the buzz of a movie,or are just excited that a beloved character is on the big screen again their are so many reasons it happens.

Ebert changed his reviews for Groundhog Day because I believe he said he underestimated it's virtues and changed his GTBU review because he though that the genre it was in prevented it from being great.