Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull Discussion Thread (Spoilers)

[lynn koch]

Where do I list the code for free movie tickets to Indiana Jones & the Kiingdom of the Crystal Skull?

 

[Indiana Jones]

https://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22591

Empire gives a brief view on watching Indy at Cannes.....

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Sounds like it's gonna be fast and fun.

 

[Matt S]

Sounds like it's gonna be fast and fun.

That's all I could ever hope for - cant wait!

 

[jocco]

Well, I just saw this at a press showing... AND I swear to God that there was a scene were Indiana hides in a refrigerator during an atomic explosion. NO JOKE!

 

[tomandshell]

This part of the Dark Horizons review has me slightly nervous:

Like the "Star Wars" prequels, real location filming has been replaced by predominantly green screen sound stage work. Moments of truly suspenseful action have been exchanged for CG-enhanced stunts that remove the last vestiges of remote believability. The narrative and the central macguffin isn't interesting enough to justify a sequel, let alone one that took so long to develop. Finally the tone is far more comical, light and flamboyant than even 'The Last Crusade'.

But only slightly. TLC was as broad and comic as I wanted the series to get, so I will prepare myself for something even more comical than that.

 

[The Mike]

Since this is a SPOILER Thread I was shocked when I read this on another site:

The film ends on a nice note. Indy is now Dean (or maybe asst. Dean), and we see the wedding of Indy and Marion. A GREAT moment happens when, as the ceremony ends, the doors are blown open and Indy's hat is blown off the stand and down to Mutts feet. Mutt picks it up, looks at it as if "this belongs to me now" and is about to place it on his head when Indiana snatches it from Mutt's hands, put it on, and Marion on arm, leaves the church, smiling as if to say "this is my hat/franchise/story, kid". I loved it. Spielberg knows our fears, and plays with us.

The Wedding of Indy and Marion? I never would have predicted that! WOW!

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

KOTCS, was a very so/so film, if that makes any sense. The biggest dissapointment came with the film's final wedding scene. Where were the links to Indy's past? The whole film I was expecting for Short Round, and Sallah to pop up in the expected wedding ending, but they were nowhere to be found. What a dick Indy is for not inviting his original "son", and his good friend (to both him and Marion) to his most special event.

Having them appear would have redeemed the whole film. But alas, they didn't.

 

[Seretur]

Like the "Star Wars" prequels, real location filming has been replaced by predominantly green screen sound stage work.

Untrue. Just untrue. ROTK is vastly more guilty of that than KOTCS.

Moments of truly suspenseful action have been exchanged for CG-enhanced stunts that remove the last vestiges of remote believability.

And this as opposed to 6" dolls in mine cars?

The narrative and the central macguffin isn't interesting enough to justify a sequel, let alone one that took so long to develop.

This tells me that the Garth Franklins of this world should read books instead of panning movies.

Finally the tone is far more comical, light and flamboyant than even 'The Last Crusade'.

Uh, WHAT? This just makes zero sense. Especially as it's untrue, and even if true, how could that be construed as a negative?

I won't even go into the lack of cameos in the wedding scene -- you do realize that those would be geek panderings of the lowest sort, do you?

 

[DarkArtist81]

Totally agree with you Seratur... Some people just wanted this film to be the second coming or something. It was great. It doesn't top Raiders, but it is right up there.

I'm glad they didn't make the wedding cameo heavy, it would have made it a bit laughable. Besides, who knows if those characters are still alive at the time?

The film begins with Indy pretty much alone and lost, as if he had lost everything and everyone that mattered to him. Would have been going against that a bit if all of a sudden Sallah and Shortie are there at the wedding.

 

[Entropy]

Totally agree with you Seratur... Some people just wanted this film to be the second coming or something. It was great. It doesn't top Raiders, but it is right up there.

I'm glad they didn't make the wedding cameo heavy, it would have made it a bit laughable. Besides, who knows if those characters are still alive at the time?

The film begins with Indy pretty much alone and lost, as if he had lost everything and everyone that mattered to him. Would have been going against that a bit if all of a sudden Sallah and Shortie are there at the wedding.

They should've had a ghost Henry Jones and Marcus Brody at the wedding ala ROTJ. It wouldn't have been any goofier than what they did with the CGI alien crystal skeleton or that Tarzan monkey business.

I'm glad you guys enjoyed the film, and it was indeed fun, but it's certainly the weakest of the series. Given some sleep and time, I'll post a more detailed analysis.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

The film begins with Indy pretty much alone and lost, as if he had lost everything and everyone that mattered to him. Would have been going against that a bit if all of a sudden Sallah and Shortie are there at the wedding.

yeah thats one thing i liked about it. it showed that things are different and his journeys are almost at a close. however, even a mention of short round would've been nice. i was pissed that he wasn't in Crusade, but it would've complicated that movie more than it already was.
~~Ok, I was 100% happy with the movie until the Alien thing kept coming up.... sure the Roswell idea was cool, but when they find the temple and the CGI space ship started popping up.... I wanted to cry and I almost threw up in my mouth. I wish they would've found a way to not show that part. and the wedding scene was very nicely done. gave some closure to Indy and Marion. She is my favorite Indy girl out of all three. Cate Blanchett is hot in the movie too!!! I dig that whole swash buckling Soviet KGB agent.

 

[Gruson]

Ok,

I just saw it.

AWFUL movie on so many levels.

No drama, tension, substance, or anything at all.

The CGI animal scenes made me want to puke. Gophers watching the action? LOL

Indy's kid swinging from vines with monkeys? LOL

Indy in a fridge while a nuke goes off? Man....

The statue of Brody's head falling off!!! what??!

So stupid.

This is no where near the level of the original Indiana Jones movies.

Boring, way too much forced comedy, and not Indy IMO.

My entire group was let down by this one...big time.

I just don't understand how Steven, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, or anyone else would think this was actually good!!!!!

Give me Mola Ram and Temple any day over this. That movie was exciting and fun!

The Indiana Jones "magic" was not there.

 

[el81295]

Reading the reviews is getting me bummed. I'm a lemming so I'll still go and see the movie, but a small part of me wants to skip it, so I can remember Indy the way I do right now.

 

[DarkArtist81]

yeah thats one thing i liked about it. it showed that things are different and his journeys are almost at a close. however, even a mention of short round would've been nice. i was pissed that he wasn't in Crusade, but it would've complicated that movie more than it already was.
~~Ok, I was 100% happy with the movie until the Alien thing kept coming up.... sure the Roswell idea was cool, but when they find the temple and the CGI space ship started popping up.... I wanted to cry and I almost threw up in my mouth. I wish they would've found a way to not show that part. and the wedding scene was very nicely done. gave some closure to Indy and Marion. She is my favorite Indy girl out of all three. Cate Blanchett is hot in the movie too!!! I dig that whole swash buckling Soviet KGB agent.

The aliens didn't bother me in the least. It fits in with the period AND it is a major major part of Crystal Skull lore. For me, someone who has followed the story of the skulls... it was great to see it all play out like that.

I'm really shocked at the reaction to this film. The theater I was in, people were loving it. There was even applause at the end. Sure, there were some silly bits. But there was tension in the film also. In the end it still felt like Indy to me, and I loved it.

I have a feeling that people will be polarized on this film. Some will love it, some will hate it. And I guess I'm in the minority here.

I can understand people tearing apart Speed Racer like this, that movie was terrible. But Indy? It wasn't that bad.

 

[choopie]

I liked the time period, and I have no issues with the whole alien idea, but for some reason, the story just wasn't clicking with me. I felt there wasn't much cohesiveness with the plot (but I will see it at least one more time, so those views might change).

I felt no connection with any of the characters, not even Marion, who had such a more important role in Raiders. I felt she was just there to bring some familiarity to the film for the fans. If she was absent, it wouldn't have changed the flow of the film at all. I didn't like John Hurt's character (Oxley) one bit, and there was no sense of fear or threat with the Russians vying for power with the Crystal Skulls -- not like the Nazis with the Ark. I thought Shia's performance was good, which surprised me. Overall, I just felt the film had no energy, not like with previous Indy films. And, sad to say, Marion and Indy looked old and tired, and it is the first of the franchise where I really felt it wasn't an Indy film...just some of his quips and the marriage at the end...that's not Indy. Yes, we are getting a glimpse of more of his character, but it's not something we've really seen in the past.

Some of the scenes were silly: Shia swinging on the vines with the monkeys, and there was unnecessary humor with the gophers. No doubt that Lucas had a hand in those.

Scenes I loved:

The glimpse of the Ark at the beginning of the film.
The atomic bomb scene. I thought it was hilarious: Indy looked so out of place in a bright, shiny happy 1950s family setting.
The tribute to Marcus with the photograph -- the statue scene was ridiculous.
The scene with the ants. Although I wanted to see something more squeamish.
The sand pit scene pulling Indy out with the snake. "I think I can feel the bottom." I laughed so hard. Probably the best scene out of the whole movie.

Overall, I have to say I was disappointed. For as much as I love Indy, I sincerely hope they stop with this one.

 

[uscmhicks]

I loved this movie. I have no problems with the aliens ( its Steven and George , it gotta happen eventually ) and thought it brought more to the story. I loved the acting and thought the whole plot was excellent. It was non stop action right up until the end of the movie. What were some of you guys expecting ?. A masterpiece ?. Your not gonna ever get another raiders .. ever. Just love it for what it is.


Did anyone else find it strange to see indy wondering around those suburbs , it looked really strange !.
I think its great and am very very happy with it.

 

[scubasteve]

Reading the reviews is getting me bummed. I'm a lemming so I'll still go and see the movie, but a small part of me wants to skip it, so I can remember Indy the way I do right now.

Same. It sounds like this movie should have never been made.

 

[JAWS]

Ok,

I just saw it.

AWFUL movie on so many levels.

No drama, tension, substance, or anything at all.

The CGI animal scenes made me want to puke. Gophers watching the action? LOL

Indy's kid swinging from vines with monkeys? LOL

Indy in a fridge while a nuke goes off? Man....

The statue of Brody's head falling off!!! what??!

So stupid.

This is no where near the level of the original Indiana Jones movies.

Boring, way too much forced comedy, and not Indy IMO.

My entire group was let down by this one...big time.

I just don't understand how Steven, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, or anyone else would think this was actually good!!!!!

Give me Mola Ram and Temple any day over this. That movie was exciting and fun!

The Indiana Jones "magic" was not there.

I posted in the other thread How I totally agree with your opinion.

I can't believe so many give Temple a hard time and then heap praise on this film.

I wanted to like this film, I really did. But it failed on just too many levels.

 

[teemu]

Ok,

I just saw it.

AWFUL movie on so many levels.

No drama, tension, substance, or anything at all.

The CGI animal scenes made me want to puke. Gophers watching the action? LOL

Indy's kid swinging from vines with monkeys? LOL

Indy in a fridge while a nuke goes off? Man....

The statue of Brody's head falling off!!! what??!

So stupid.

This is no where near the level of the original Indiana Jones movies.

Boring, way too much forced comedy, and not Indy IMO.

My entire group was let down by this one...big time.

I just don't understand how Steven, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, or anyone else would think this was actually good!!!!!

Give me Mola Ram and Temple any day over this. That movie was exciting and fun!

The Indiana Jones "magic" was not there.

100% agreed...the movie stunk on many levels...so far fetched and stupid and not to mention the rediculous Alien crap!