Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) * * 1/2

 

Directed by:  Steven Spielberg

Starring:  Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Jim Broadbent, John Hurt, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone

The fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series is only able to sparingly recapture the essence and exciting spirit of the first three films.    It has the look, but not the feel of an Indiana Jones adventure.  Perhaps it isn't possible to sustain that energy for a fourth film.   We have action, but the scenes are kicked off in the same fashion actors in a musical would burst into song.   In between the chases and fights, Indiana Jones spends an inordinate amount of time explaining the plot to his younger sidekick Mutt (LaBeouf).   This is likely for our benefit as well.  

Crystal Skull begins in 1957 with Dr. Jones racing the Soviets (the new villain du jour now that the Nazis were defeated) to find missing archaeologist Dr. Harold Oxley (Hurt), who was last seen in the Amazon jungle locating a crystal skull which may prove the existence of an alien race which landed on Earth hundreds of years ago.   According to the villain, Dr. Spalko (Blanchett), whomever reunites the skull with its race will grant that lucky person unlimited powers.   

Indy and Mutt are soon joined by Mutt's mother Marion Ravenwood (Allen), whom series fans will recall was Indy's feisty girlfriend in Raiders.   She is every bit a firecracker here.   It shouldn't come as much of a stretch that Mutt is actually Indy's son whose existence he wasn't aware of until now.   Dr. Oxley is found, but possession of the skull has rendered him muttering incoherently.   Meanwhile, Spalko is not far behind in her quest to gain whatever powers the skulls promise.  

The action scenes are well-choreographed but missing the hair-raising fun of similar scenes in the first three films.   Harrison Ford, of course, is indefatigable despite his advancing age.   The movie has some amusing scenes which show Indy can't necessarily do everything he used to.   But as a whole, Crystal Skull isn't exactly "been there, done that", but it sure feels that way through most of it.