Dr. Henry 'Indiana' Jones Jr.

Better late then never I always say. Mostly because I am quite the lazy bastard, but this time around was due to more personal matters. But I'm here now and feeling great-ish.

As you know (and if you don't get the fuck out) the 4th installment in the Indiana Jones franchise is upon us and have been so for a week now. I have been looking forward to this movie with the kind of gleeful expectation that will put the pedophile scouts master to shame. I have been a huge Indy fan since I secretly saw the first film at age whatever. Believe it was right after my Star Wars love affair. Since then Dr. Jones has been my role model and a better role model there ain't (except the real kind, but who needs them anyway). So when Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull was announced a good few years ago I was very excited indeed. Excited and weary. No not weary...mindful...or something. Point is I wasn't sure if the film would live up to my overly high expectations or not.

It did....kiiiiinda. I guess I should issue some kind of SPOILER ALERT! OMGZ SPOILERZZZZZ! Yes if you haven't seen it yet go do so, because I don't care about you in that regard. Shoo.

The film offers true to form action adventure through out, but hits a few snags here and there. The first of which is the main villain Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchette). It’s ever so cool (and logical) to have Russians as the bad guys this time around since the movie is set in 1950's. But Cate delivers what is probably the worst villain in the Indy series hands down. She never really comes off as a huge threat to anyone and her connection to some psychic power is elusive and vague at best. Not gonna attack the accent, its horrible and you know it's horrible.

The second big beef is with the CGI (computer generated imagery). This always happens when you bring back a movie franchise form the time where models where the big thing in Hollywood (some may even say when charm was a big thing in Hollywood. Oh no you didn't! Oh yes I did). CGI in Indiana Jones just feels wrong. There are a few places where it works pretty good, but more places it doesn't. Since we are so used to seeing real effects in our Indy films makes these CGI moments stand out even more and it is a real shame (and using CGI where CGI is not needed is just crap. Make an effort and do a practical effect like to good old days).

The last big thing is the alien aspect of the story. Yes it's the 50's and paranoia was a big deal with communism and aliens and all that. Had it been up to me, and god willing one day it will be, I would have axed the whole alien story and replaced the alien crystal skull with an old mysterious artifact (could be a skull) that granted the holder the wisdom of the gods or something like that. Keep it in the religion family like the Indy's of old. Next to that I could have accepted the alien story line had it not been for the last 15 minutes of the film. A living, breathing alien (worst alien ever by the way. Something is wrong when the aliens from 1977 looks better then they do today) and a flippin flying saucer. Christ.

But did it stop me from seeing the movie twice in one weekend? Hell no it didn't. Did I like the return of Indiana Jones? OF COURSE! Its still Indiana Jones and the flaws do not take away from the joy of an adventure movie that defines the very genre. Shia LaBeouf works out pretty good, if not a little bland. But who can blame him, he is after all next to Harrison Ford who still kicks ass at 65.

Now all we have to do is wait for the DVD release and enjoy the rest of this years blockbuster season. Next up, The Incredible Hulk.