But as we have a somewhat complicated cultural relationship with know-it-alls, Jones is actually composed of two identities. Indy’s character celebrates nerdishly obsessive expertise. The fourth film in the Indiana Jones franchise is all about the search for knowledge in fact, it’s what the series is built on. Indiana Jones and the search for knowledge With time running out – and Russian agents closing in – the pair head for South America on the trail of a mythical city of gold. Tearaway teen Mutt Williams (Shia LaBoeuf) reveals a mutual friend is missing, along with Mutt’s mother. Indy narrowly escapes, only to land in another scrape. Russian soldiers searching for classified US archaeological remains kidnap explorer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) to get what they want. But a little learning can be a dangerous thing … What is Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull about? Mutt rescuing Indy from quicksand doesn’t match Indy’s race to the Holy Grail to save his father, but let it shift your perspective slightly and watch the movie through a new lens.The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull sees Indiana Jones hunting for arcane and ancient knowledge. Call it schmoopy, maybe, and no one ever expected an Indy movie to finish with a wedding, but people forget how much the series has relied on family connections and just plain ol’ love. Indy’s role reversal from wayward son to fumbling father is a wonderful piece of growth for the character, and one which gets overlooked in amongst beings from another world. The father-son dynamic of Crystal Skull is one of its true delights, an echo of Last Crusade that bridges the gap and packs an extra punch with the off-screen death of Henry Sr. But unless you have an irrational hatred of him, he’s a good enough choice for a film that’s generally aiming at about that level (this is a second chance, after all, not an argument for a top spot in the franchise). Give him a Michael Bay explosion-fest, sure, but resting the Jones legacy on his shoulders might not have been Spielberg’s best decision. Paper bags over the head aside, Shia LeBeouf is both a more competent actor than he’s given credit for and absolutely the wrong casting choice for such a beloved franchise. Marion’s inclusion gateways the film’s personal element: a family dynamic. It’s far from perfect – Irina is too close to a femme fatale to break the mould and Marion spends too much of the film as a damsel in distress – but it’s better than the paint-by-numbers Willie in Temple of Doom or doll-like Nazi Dr. Their inclusion – one old, one new – symbolises the leap the world has taken and gives a little more to a series which hasn’t really done much for its women. Ray Winstone hams it up as an old WWII colleague-turned -urncoat, John Hurt brings his best old man game, and Karen Allen’s return as Marion Ravenwood is a reason to celebrate on its own she’s easily the best female presence in the franchise, with a little competition from Cate Blanchett as Crystal Skull‘s villain Irina. “This is crazy!” shouts Indy, and he’s right. Crystal Skull is pulpy and delightful, full of absurd car chases through the Amazon and a motorcycle crashing through a college library. Roger Ebert gave the film 3 1/2 stars out of 4 (the same score he’d given to Last Crusade) and captured it perfectly when he called it “goofy” action. So why does Crystal Skull deserve a second chance if it’s really that bad? Because IT’S REALLY NOT THAT BAD.
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