Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (use spoiler tags!)

[MasterWaffle]

Well, today's the day Indiana Jones IV is out. Anyone else going to see it? I've got my tickets and I can't wait.

[Shem]

Originally Posted by MasterWaffle

Well, today's the day Indiana Jones V is out.

You mean "IV"? V = 5, IV = 4.

Originally Posted by MasterWaffle

Anyone else going to see it? I've got my tickets and I can't wait.

My wife and I plan on seeing it on Friday.

[MasterWaffle]

Whoops, I guess I was too distracted watching trailers to remember my roman numerals.

[Boba Rhett]

Just got back from seeing it. I need to sleep on it and see it again but right now I'm going to say it's a very fun ride but the weakest of the four by a fair stretch. Some things just confused me, other things upset me and a few things they just didn't tie down and explain well enough.

[Jae Onasi]

Nothing can possibly be worse than Short Round or Capshaw whining 'Innnndddddyyyy!!!!'.


Please, for those of you who have seen it, make sure to use spoiler tags when you post!!

[Aash Li]

Originally Posted by Shem

You mean "IV"? V = 5, IV = 4.

My wife and I plan on seeing it on Friday.

Umm... what was the 4th one? Theres only been three movies until now.

I. Raiders of the Lost Ark
II. Temple of Doom
III. Last Crusade

and now

IV. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

the Young Indiana Jones series doesnt count as a movie. :P

Im going to see it on friday. Got a free movie pass.

[Diego Varen]

I hope to see it this Saturday. Plus, this weekend, I don't have to worry about Doctor Who being on, since Eurovision has taken it over for a week.

[Prime]

Got my ticket for tonight!

[Commander Obi-Wan]

I'll be seeing it Sunday after work.

[mimartin]

I’m going to the Sunday matinee to see it, but first I'm going to watch the three other movies in the series over the next three nights/days to get myself prepared. I’m taking me 13-year old and 9-year old cousins and they have never see an Indy movie. I told them it was Han Solo with a whip and now they are all fired up to see it even though they wanted me to take them to Speed Racer or Iron Man this weekend.

[EnderWiggin]

Originally Posted by Prime

Got my ticket for tonight!

Lucky!

I was supposed to go see it with my girlfriend tonight, but something came up. So now we can't see it until like next week or maybe even next weekend.

And now I'm worried after what Rhett said.

_EW_

[Jeff]

I saw it at the midnight showing. I really enjoyed it and will probably see it again but it was definitely no Raiders. Some of the dialog was suspect and

spoiler:

I just don't know how I feel about the whole alien thing, it was a bit out there

But overall very enjoyable. Harrison Ford still kicks ass at 65.

[MasterWaffle]

I've got 6 1/2 hours left until I see it. All I'm hoping for is to be amused, seeing as if I keep my expectations low I probably won't be disappointed.

Originally Posted by Darth Moeller

But overall very enjoyable. Harrison Ford still kicks ass at 65.

I think Harrison Ford will still be kicking ass when he's 102, breaking bad guys legs with his walker and such. Can you say electric scooter chase?

[Fredi]

Great movie ... I saw it like ... 5 hours ago ... I love'd it...

[General LiWar]

I saw it at the midnight showing, overall pretty good, it fit the feel of the others. the one part i didn't feel was necessary

spoiler:

the alien skeletons forming one alien to destroy whats her face with knowledge

[Mav]

I just saw it a couple of hours ago, and honestly in my opinion it wasn't on par with the previous three, although I wasn't expecting it to be either. I will say however that it definitely still had those "Indy moments" and certain parts still had that classic feel, so it was a good movie it just wasn't as great as the previous three.

[MasterWaffle]

I liked it. It was fun. I really wanted to love it, but it was not as great as the others. It just really didn't feel like Indy to me.

Spoilered for safety.

spoiler:

They really had more of a group dynamic going on. In the other movies it's more of Indy haphazardly kicking ass while the other characters tried to keep up, whereas in this one Mutt kind of took over the action sequences. I wanted Indy swinging like Tarzan and sword fighting the Soviets!
The plot was kind of meh in my book. The alien thing was a bit out there, but it didn't ruin the movie for me. It branched off into an area the others didn't.
I'll have to see it again before I really figure out what I think of it, but my initial reaction is that it's underwhelming. Not disappointing, but... not what I wanted. It's kind of what I expected.

[DarthJebus05]

I totally agree with you there MW. I just got back from seeing it, and it could have been way better. But I enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Prime]

Originally Posted by Darth Moeller

I saw it at the midnight showing. I really enjoyed it and will probably see it again but it was definitely no Raiders. Some of the dialog was suspect and

spoiler:

I just don't know how I feel about the whole alien thing, it was a bit out there

But overall very enjoyable. Harrison Ford still kicks ass at 65.

That is pretty much my reaction to it. But overall I really enjoyed it and I think it is a worthy addition to the series. It was fun in a way that I find most action movies aren't these days. I miss this kind of film. And I do like that they aged Indy's personality as well. Overall, great show!

As for Moel's spoiler,

spoiler:

for some reason I was a lot more accepting when I found out they were from another dimension and not another planet.

And for the record, Indy is still better than every other action hero out there.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Prime

As for Moel's spoiler,

spoiler:

for some reason I was a lot more accepting when I found out they were from another dimension and not another planet.

I agree with you about that,

spoiler:

I think another planet would have been too sci-fi-ish but another dimension kind of keeps with the for lack of a better term "powers" of the other movies.

[Astrotoy7]

Originally Posted by Prime

And for the record, Indy is still better than every other action hero out there.

why would they want to be....its pretty cornball stuff for contemporary standards. Nowdays, its mofos and machine guns, not nazis and snakes....and enough with the Nazis already Spielberg....ugh

get with the times old man

astro

[Boba Rhett]

Don't be dissing the Nazis. Those guys are my favorite movie fodder and they were sorely missed by me in KotCS.


Russian soldiers are boring and their women scare me because they all look as though they could kick my ass.

[MasterWaffle]

Originally Posted by Boba Rhett

Russian soldiers are boring and their women scare me because they all look as though they could kick my ass.

And German women can't?

[Totenkopf]

Well, maybe the former E. German ones. Will probably see it next month after the crowds die down or are distracted by The Hulk or Batman sequels.

[The Seeker]

Originally Posted by MasterWaffle

And German women can't?

Well sure they can, but when they look like Alison Doody...what a way to go.

Hottest Indy girl ever still. Blanchett just can't even come close with the angry villain chick look

[Nedak]

I have not seen it yet, but by the reviews it looks like a let down.

spoiler:

Why would they put an Alien ending in an Indy movie? Yet again, another failure by GL

[HerbieZ]

I just got back from watching it. It was brilliant. loved every second of it and although it was a little over the top in some parts, it had enough charm to win me over.

spoiler:

I loved the whole Atomic Bomb test situation he got in and the ark of the covenant that got a little airing at the warehouse was a great nod to that particular film. Spielberg was right though in saying how iconic Indy looked against the mushroom cloud. There was something really defining about that shot.

[Aash Li]

... just lost everything I typed. >.<

I just watched it. How can you guys be so down on the movie?

spoiler:

It seemed more like it was a promotional for Young Indiana Jones 2, than it was hey! Harrison Ford is playing Indiana Jones again! It felt more like he was back seat than he was center stage... where he should have been.

Why did they choose Labouf as his son? >.>

Soviets arent that big of a stretch, it was cold war era in that movie. 50s. Nazis would have been better, but then they couldnt have foisted Labouf on us either since Nazism had been defeated for 10-12 years...

The crystal skull, and the aliens theory isnt that big of a stretch either. Roswell happened around that time. Aliens were a big scifi subject because of the arms race and what not. Go use The Google to search the internets for info.

I liked it alot... I think the only thing I didnt like alot was the bait and switch they did with Indiana and his son... I wanted him fighting the soviets and swinging from the trees... not Transformers kid. >.<

I loved the nuclear test town scene, that was funny. Him standing before the mushroom cloud was just awesome...

Everything in the movie seemed to be echoing Raiders of the Lost Ark... and I thought the nod to the Ark in Area 51 was pretty sweet too.

If they offer it with the other three movies, Ill definitely buy it.

[Ravnas]

Just saw it a few hours ago, it was good, but not as good as the first three.

[EnderWiggin]

I think this thread is more white from spoiler hiding than it is actual text.

I'm going to have an aneurysm if I don't get to see it soon

_EW_

EDIT:: Shem -

spoiler:

Aliens? What the hell? I didn't know that was the topic. I'm kind of a bit disappointed though - Indy has always been about the ancient tales, with history and archeology. But I'll reserve judgement until I actually see how they pull it off.

[Shem]

Originally Posted by Ravnas

Just saw it a few hours ago, it was good, but not as good as the first three.

I'm sorry, but I never really liked the Temple of Doom movie. That would was just too weird for me.

I liked the movie a lot and the alien thing isn't a stretch because Indiana Jones has always been about mythological tales. Remember most of us were kids when the first three came out so we didn't have our adult perspectives. I remember some adults growing up thinking other Indiana Jones movies were a stretch with some of the storyline plots, but we were more open minded as children to not think of the stories like that.

Anyway, good job George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

[Aash Li]

Exactly! Too many people go to movies as a critic, they have their adult brain turned on. You take a kid to see a movie, they will have a completely different view of the movie than an adult will.

Adults are jaded... the trick is to stop being analytical and just enjoy it for what it is. Entertainment. Its like those twits that ran around wailing that 300 wasnt the slightest bit historically accurate. No kidding! Its basically an eye-candy movie based on history...

Shem and EW:
The crystal skulls are real, actually. And they are Mayan/Aztec/Incan... theres a lot of people that believe that aliens were involved with the ancient civilizations.

[El Sitherino]

Really? Other intelligent life is a stretch for you people? But not oh, I don't know, a gold box melting faces?

The first 10 minutes or so were a bit lengthy, but necessary to place the movie. From there it divebombs straight into classic Indy action and adventure.

I absolutely enjoyed the hell out of the film. I definitely cannot say it's the best Indy film made, but it's definitely not something that should be pushed aside because "Indy is old" or "there's aliens!". Indiana Jones is based on popular myth and idea. What big popular myths came from the 50's, other than the Red Scare terror and creatures from beyond our planet/dimension/etc.?

[JCarter426]

Originally Posted by Prime

spoiler:

for some reason I was a lot more accepting when I found out they were from another dimension and not another planet.

Originally Posted by Darth Moeller

spoiler:

I think another planet would have been too sci-fi-ish but another dimension kind of keeps with the for lack of a better term "powers" of the other movies.

Yeah, same here. It really wasn't any more out there than the supernatural elements from the other films, if you think about it.

spoiler:

I really think the whole A-bomb sequence and the following FBI investigation were completely unnecessary. Well, not unnecessary...they just didn't fit. Yes, the set up the mood, showing that Indy doesn't know who to trust anymore...but that feeling isn't evident during the rest of the film, because we don't see any more of the FBI after that, and Mack is so obviously working for the Russians the whole time.

It was an Indy movie, I can say that much. There are some parts I have issues with, but it's still enjoyable.

[Pavlos]

For the most part I felt that it was identifiable as an Indiana Jones even if it didn't feel like one all of the time -- there were some bits which hearkened back to ye olden dayes* -- but the final fifteen minutes or so made me feel as though I'd just had my childhood raped.

Indiana Jones is very colonialist in style; people who aren't from the States are often portrayed as either evil or lacking in personality -- a faceless mob of people. I like that (just as I like colonialist authors such as Greene or Orwell) even though I very much disagree, politically, with that sort of view of the world, but when Indy manages to become a war hero and a patriotic one at that I just feel like getting up and walking out of the cinema. I can't help but feel that Lucas and Spielberg tried to be too political in this one. Not to mention that certain sequences felt like they should have been followed up with "The University of Oxford -- teaching skills for life" or something, what with the huge rants about education. Although, that all seems to die out in the latter half of the film, giving way to the action; which is what Indiana Jones is all about!

Anyway, it was enjoyable, I'll say that. It just didn't feel like Indiana Jones... it's difficult to explain why, though.

Anyone else notice that Cate Blanchett's accent switched from Russian to her normal one every time she said, "Dr. Jones"?

*

spoiler:

The car chase where Indy and Mutt are racing away from the Russians springs to mind. I loved the way that one of them kept on getting slapped in the face with anti-Communist propaganda

[GeneralPloKoon]

I still haven't seen, arghhhhhh!!!!

[Rachel_Ewok]

It was great!! Saw it Friday night, it took me a little while to get used to an "old" looking Indy... and then Marion... But I think it was great.


And Shia LeBeouf was great. His acting, I think, is really amazing... did he do all his own stunts?

spoiler:

I still think that aliens in a Indiana Jones movie was a little much... But overall I think Steven did well with the alien thing... It was nearly believeable.... I think I was a tad annoyed with the aliens at first... But someone said, that it wasn't so bad when we found out they were from another dimension... not another planet. I agree.

I'm still thinkin' aliens in an Indy movie is a bit... cliche.

[Ctrl Alt Del]

As many others, I found the movie to be rather enjoyable, but not as good as Riders, for example. There were some pretty cheesy scenes here and there, but nothing unforgivable.

Now, I think I've detected a gap - a continuity error - on it...

spoiler:

By the time Jones, the other captives and the russians were crossing the Amazon river, they were most likely somewhere around here:


Then, there's that car pursuit and, suddenly, they found themselves on Iguaçu Falls, that's located there:


That's a bit too far for just a car run.

[Nedak]

I just saw it. I generally enjoyed it.

Lucas did however go overboard on the CGI like I predicted.

[General LiWar]

I'm posting again because I truly enjoyed it. It felt like the same old indy on a new adventure.

spoiler:

I don't really see the stretch with the aliens.
1) the crystal skull stories do have alien explanations, it wasn't made up for the movie
2) i remember peoples hearts being pulled out of their chests and these same people still living
3)indiana jones isn't solely about christian artifacts (i.e. holy grail/ark of covenant) he's an archeologist
4) i remember playing a game where indy fights in an alternate dimension and fights ghosts etc.

Originally Posted by han sala

Lucas did however go overboard on the CGI like I predicted.

I'm pretty sure Lucas wasn't in charge of CGI, and for the most part there wasn't much CGI, Speilberg stuck with old techniques to look/feel like the others