Indiana Jones 4: Your Thoughts?

[ram]

My verdict: Indy 4 rules!

No plot spoilers in this post, I'm just offering some general opinions about the film.



I loved just about every minute of this movie. It's better than Temple of Doom, better than Last Crusade, and - once you strip away the nostalgia factor - just as good as Raiders of the Lost Ark. Maybe even better.

Harrison Ford looks great. Karen Allen looks great. Marion and Indy together again -- what more need be said?

Shia LaBeouf is good as Ford's "junior" sidekick. I find him likeable, even though he's supposed to be a smartass.

Cate Blanchett is a hoot as the Russian agent matching wits with Indy. Her character looks a tad outlandish, but hey, that fits in with all the other crazy stuff you see in an Indiana Jones movie. The only problem with the "Ruskies" being the antagonists is that they lack the malevolence of the Nazis. You simply cannot get "more" evil than the Nazis. But the Commies fit the timeline of the story, so I'm cool with that.

The movie is very well-paced. The action is tremendous when it needs to be, but there's a nice ebb-and-flow, so it's not a numbing onslaught to the senses. Also, I'm glad to report that Spielberg steers clear of Temple of Doom-type horrors. This is definitely my kind of Indy movie.

Indy 4 is the most visually gorgeous and complex of all the films. There is a great amount of things to look at in each shot. It's a feast for the eyes in a way that makes the previous films look almost anemic by comparison.

If this is really the final Indiana Jones movie, then it ends the series with a bang. I am very happy with Indy 4.

[thomasallencummins]

I still haven't seen IJ:4 but I intend to, especially after reading your review, ram. I'm realistic enough to know that I'm not going to see the second coming of Raiders. Like the other two sequels I'm just looking to have some fun with an old friend come back from the proverbial abyss. :-)

[ram]

I saw Indy 4 again on the weekend, and it was just as much fun the second time around.

The only thing stopping me from seeing it more times is that I really have to watch my money. It's not like the early '80s when I could get into movies for two dollars. Sigh.

[thomasallencummins]

Still haven't seen IJ4. Maybe my family will take me to see the film for Father's day on the 15th. :-)

[pgreen123]

It held my interest... I love them all, but my favorite is still Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[thomasallencummins]

Got to see IJ4 today. Much like many others I really enjoyed it. Now that there are 4 films to rate my order shifts to: Raiders, Crusade, Kingdom and Doom as I always suspected it would. Really cool to see another IJ film, especially one that didn't drop below my expectations. My only gripe would be concerning a certain refrigerator and what might happen to it's contents if they were jumbled about in such a way. :-)

[ram]

I figured it was either going to be the fridge scene or the "Tarzan" scene that would make you shake your head. ;D

(As long as you don't try to tell me that the other Indy movies didn't have their own seriously improbable moments.)

But I'm glad you enjoyed the movie overall.

Needless to say, I can't wait for the DVD.

[prorider514]

I thought it was awesome. I heard a lot of complaints about the sci fi aspect of it, but I thought that was an interesting way to go.

[ram]

Jun 23, 2008 9:18:50 GMT -5 prorider514 said:

I thought it was awesome. I heard a lot of complaints about the sci fi aspect of it, but I thought that was an interesting way to go.

Happy that you liked it!

Yeah, the sci-fi aspect is different, but I think it fits the new movie, in the sense that it's a "brave new world" that Indy finds himself in -- the 1950's, the Soviets, the atom bomb. And the UFO craze or paranoia skyrocketed in the 50's, I believe. So I see nothing wrong with Indiana Jones being put right in the middle of that. Besides, he's still a seeker of rare artifacts, regardless of whether such artifacts are "supernatural" or "sci-fi" in nature. Also, the crystal skull mystery ties in with Mayan mythology/archaelogy...and that's familiar Indiana Jones territory right there.