Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Entertainment › Movies (Theatrical) › *** Official Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Discussion Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

*** Official Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Discussion Thread - Page 2

post #31 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:32pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
Rob Cohen....you mean Sommers evil twin?

Doug

Reply
post #32 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:34pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

I guess it could've been worse. Brett Ratner, anyone?
Reply
post #33 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:36pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Allred
I think a lot of people *want* to like the movie and so their reviews reflect that.

That's the kind of attitude that makes the Star Wars prequel threads so acrimonious. If you don't like Indy IV, that's fine. I won't look for an ulterior motive from you for that, so please don't look for one from those of us who do like the movie.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent M
Funny thing is they're both directed by the same guy(Steven Sommers) who did the first Mummy which was actually a good flick. I guess he's the definition of "one hit wonder" and as far as I'm concerned he should have his director's license revoked after making those other two disasters.

Similar could be said about Gore Verbinski for the Pirates sequels, though those weren't quite bad enough to call for his license.
Reply
post #34 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:40pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent M
I guess it could've been worse. Brett Ratner, anyone?

Actually I really liked Brett Ratner's Red Dragon.

Doug
Reply
post #35 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:43pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete-D
If Indy IV wasn't an Indy film but just a generic adventure film, it would be getting slammed a lot harder for dull action scenes and poor villains.

Again I beg to differ. I would like this film Indy or not. I just really had a great time watching it. Had a big grin on my face through the whole thing.

Doug
Reply
post #36 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:50pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
My problem is they are doing G.I. Joe from when the action figures were shrunk down! I come from the 12 inch G.I. Joe era when he was still just a soldier and not some kind of super spy/action hero thingie.

Doug

Well I grew up with the super soldier Joes (the cooler ones, lol.) You must admit, if they went with the old school Joes, it's just be another war movie. With the 80s version, we got colorful characters with a rich and interesting (though admittedly comic book-ish) backstories.

Which do you think is an easier sell?
Reply
post #37 of 434
5/25/08 at 11:53pm

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Allred
Well I grew up with the super soldier Joes (the cooler ones, lol.) You must admit, if they went with the old school Joes, it's just be another war movie. With the 80s version, we got colorful characters with a rich and interesting (though admittedly comic book-ish) backstories.

Which do you think is an easier sell?

Well this is quite true, unless they went with the late 70s G.J. Joe Adventure Team ideas. Don't know if you remember those. Actually that stuff was very Indiana Jones like.

Doug
Reply
post #38 of 434
5/26/08 at 12:06am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete-D
dull action scenes

Nope. Disagree there.

I just saw the film a second time and confirmed my original estimation that the set-pieces in this film feature top notch, Spielberg craftsmanship.

Unlike "Last Crusade".

Jungle chase set-piece is great and will hold up much better than the tank scene in "Crusade". It's visceral, adrenaline-pumping, and most of all, fun. Great editing, geography, etc.. Loved it even more on second viewing.

Love the motorcycle chase for it's old school thrills, but the jungle chase is my favorite.
Reply
post #39 of 434
5/26/08 at 12:07am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

My biggest critique on second viewing was some of the Crystal Skull exposition seemed especially dull (especially during the cemetary tomb). That's the beginning of middle slowdown people have mentioned in some reviews. But I gotta be honest, I thought the same thing about the Grail stuff in "Last Crusade". (There's that film again ) . 20 years ago, I remember thinking, "this is just Raiders lite". But it's tolerable now all those many viewings later. Who knows maybe the same fate will occur with this flick's overlong exposition.

Anyone get a Hammer vibe in the cemetary? I guess it would make sense to pay homage.

So yeah, second viewing, same result...

Raiders
-
-
-
-
-
Doom
-
Crystal Skull
-
-
-
Last Crusade
Reply
post #40 of 434
5/26/08 at 12:30am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeRS
My biggest critique on second viewing was some of the Crystal Skull exposition seemed especially dull (especially during the cemetary tomb). That's the beginning of middle slowdown people have mentioned in some reviews. But I gotta be honest, I thought the same thing about the Grail stuff in "Last Crusade". (There's that film again ) . 20 years ago, I remember thinking, "this is just Raiders lite". But it's tolerable now all those many viewings later. Who knows maybe the same fate will occur with this flick's overlong exposition.

Anyone get a Hammer vibe in the cemetary? I guess it would make sense to pay homage.

So yeah, second viewing, same result...

Raiders
-
-
-
-
-
Doom
-
Crystal Skull
-
-
-
Last Crusade

I didn't at the time but now that you mention it, yes very Hammer! Good call.

As for me I rate them:

#1 Raiders
#2 Crystal Scull
#3 Crusade
#4 Doom

Doug
Reply
post #41 of 434
5/26/08 at 12:46am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeRS
Anyone get a Hammer vibe in the cemetary?

I gave off a vibe? Sorry, didn't mean to but I had a big lunch and I...ohhhhh.



I also resent the notion that I liked Harrison and the film simply because I wanted to and for merely nostaligic purposes. As others have said this was an older Indy, in fact I found that to be quite poignant because we recall the man he used to be and we also know that he has seen and done it all.

Indiana is like an old leather wallet, it may be 25 years old and may be beat up and weathered but it can still hold my money quite well.
Reply
post #42 of 434
5/26/08 at 1:05am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

I don't know enough Hammer to have gotten that vibe, but it was creepy the way those guys and the ones at the final temple moved. When the first one was shown down in the pit, I really thought it was some kind of ghoul.

There was earlier discussion that the killing of the guardians should have been shown. Even with the frank violence in the previous movies, I was still a little surprised when Indy blew the dart into the guy's throat.
Reply
post #43 of 434
5/26/08 at 1:25am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg_S_H
Even with the frank violence in the previous movies, I was still a little surprised when Indy blew the dart into the guy's throat.

To me this was vintage comical Indy offing someone in an extremely silly and Marx Bros kind of way. I mean when he casually pulled out his gun and shot that swordsman in Raiders it was no more or less brutal and frank than the Road Runner repeadadly "killing" the coyote in the Looney Toones cartoons.
Reply
post #44 of 434
5/26/08 at 1:44am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radioman970
Loved it. Thank you Spielberg and Lucas for bringing good old Indy back after all these years. It's like old seriels once again.

Didn't have any problem with the CGI. The process is still maturing but I'm amazed at what is coming out of Hollywood right now with effects. The military base scene was the only one that brought back the awkwardness of something like Sky Captain, which took several viewings for me to get used to. The rest of Indy was wonderful.

Really folks, I don't mean to judge anyone on their opinions, but this is just good old fun. You just have to sit back and not worry about everything so much. Who cares about monkeys in the movie? Who cares about computer graphics being used? Who cares about this and that? It's Indiana Jones, an older version of him played that way, some favorite characters coming back, nice exciting scenes done quite well with todays movie making technology.

Aw heck, perhaps second viewing you'll all love it. I was lucky on this first one I guess. The audience I saw it with loved it.

Take care.
still maturing? the cgi looked HURRENDOUS in this film...
Reply
post #45 of 434
5/26/08 at 5:48am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
I have to disagree with you Pete. This is really now one of my favorite films, and surely my second favorite Indy film.

Doug
Doug, I think you've stared into the skull for too long.

I kid, I kid.
Reply
post #46 of 434
5/26/08 at 6:07am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

I've seen no conversation on making sense of the Aliens and the movie's end. Should I give up on this, or is there a logic to it? Though I denjoyed the movie, the ending leaves me wholly perplexed: I can't fathom its internal coherency as I do with Raiders and Crusade.

What I've got is that 5000 years ago there were benevolent, archeologist Aliens that came to South America, taught the the natives how to farm, build crazy-big temples and ground carvings, and -- in their spare time -- collect artifacts from around the world. Which they kept in their South American summer home.

The 13 alien associate professors all died sitting in the control seats of the saucer / temple / boobytrap. There they remain for thousands of years.

Conquistador dude steals one of their skulls -- made of crystal, interestingly enough, with weird latent psychic and magnetic-like powers. The dude dies someplace else and is buried with the skull.

1957, Indiana Jones adventure ensues.

Crystal Skull is returned to its place on its owner's vertebrae, where it now powers up the whole saucer, reincarnates one alien from the skeletons of the 13, opens a wormhole, launches the saucer, kills any remaining inhabitants in the area, and flies home with their treasure trove.

So:

Why did the 13 skeletons transform into a new alien this time, when before they hadn't?

What was the wormhole for? They traveled by saucer, not Stargate.

Why did the benevolent aliens create a launch system guaranteed to kill all the locals?

Why was the alien so pissed off at Irina?

Wouldn't the alien be happy at finally being restored, so it can travel home, yet it seemed terribly annoyed at being woken from its crystalline nap. Just grumpy after an overlong snooze?

I simply can't get my head around this ending. Any help?
Reply
post #47 of 434
5/26/08 at 6:14am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
I'm starting to wonder if people have a problem with this just because its an Indy film. I wonder what people would say about this movie if it hadn't been an Indy film at all?
Honestly? I think it'd be at 40% at RT, and we'd be on page 3 of this discussion, not page 76. I won't say nostalgia is clouding any minds, but it certainly is smoothing some normally unforgiveable cinematic sins out.

I disagree with MikeRS (though I've only seen it once, and won't see it again on the big screen). The setpiece in the jungle is missing one huge element that each of the biggies in previous films had...something Spielberg is notoriously good for usually. A thematic point.

Raiders: Get the Ark from the Nazis.
Temple: Save the children and get out.
Crusade: Save his father.
Skull: Get away.

As per usual, the first three were proactive. This one was reactive, and I barely remember anything Indy does except for fighting the Russian. I do remember what Mutt does.

I did enjoy the college town chase. Thought it was better than the boat chase from Crusade.

And I loved doomtown. Spielberg was his usual brilliant self there. Though that had little point as well (narratively), it was important to tone, and it had a lot of energy.

Were I to rank these:
Raiders
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Temple
Crusade
-
-
-
Skull
Reply
post #48 of 434
5/26/08 at 7:04am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Allred
I think a lot of people *want* to like the movie and so their reviews reflect that. To be frank, I think "The Phantom Menace" was afr more entertaining than Indy IV. Yes really.
I can't believe people now like TPM over this.

That Pod race was a bore. Like we didn't know who would win.
Reply
post #49 of 434
5/26/08 at 7:18am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd stone
still maturing? the cgi looked HURRENDOUS in this film...

I didn't notice any cgi in the film. Guess it didn't register as "horrendous" for me.
Reply
post #50 of 434
5/26/08 at 8:19am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Well i saw it yesterday and for me it was just abit to campy and over the top. Fun but for sure the 4th best of the 4. Still glad i saw it.
Reply
post #51 of 434
5/26/08 at 8:36am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

I agree with many of the negative comments, but I still thought it was good. It's not that memorable, and I would've preferred that they didn't make it.

~T
Reply
post #52 of 434
5/26/08 at 8:57am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Norm
I can't believe people now like TPM over this.


Believe it.
Reply
post #53 of 434
5/26/08 at 8:59am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brett_M
I didn't notice any cgi in the film. Guess it didn't register as "horrendous" for me.


You didn't notice how Shia's legs extended like Plastic Man when he was straddling the two Jeeps during the swordfight?
Reply
post #54 of 434
5/26/08 at 9:09am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Norm
I can't believe people now like TPM over this.

That Pod race was a bore. Like we didn't know who would win.


Not to get into a prequel debate, but I don't feel that's a valid criticism since it could be applied to just about any movie.

Could you say the Death Star battle is a bore just because we all knew Luke would destroy it in the end?

Or what about any action set piece in any Indiana Jones movie. Like we didn't know Indy would survive.

Die Hard movies, boring because we all knew John McClane's gonna save the day and so on.
Reply
post #55 of 434
5/26/08 at 9:24am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
Why did the 13 skeletons transform into a new alien this time, when before they hadn't?

What was the wormhole for? They traveled by saucer, not Stargate.

Why did the benevolent aliens create a launch system guaranteed to kill all the locals?

Why was the alien so pissed off at Irina?

Wouldn't the alien be happy at finally being restored, so it can travel home, yet it seemed terribly annoyed at being woken from its crystalline nap. Just grumpy after an overlong snooze?

I simply can't get my head around this ending. Any help?

I wouldn't worry too much about it. In fact, you should be proud to be confused over the ending. You are probably in august company with your confusion, because GL and SS, themselves, are probably still trying to figure out the answers to those questions.
Reply
post #56 of 434
5/26/08 at 10:07am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S
I wouldn't worry too much about it. In fact, you should be proud to be confused over the ending. You are probably in august company with your confusion, because GL and SS, themselves, are probably still trying to figure out the answers to those questions.
Yes, that's what I was afraid of.

The comment a few posts back about this being a reactive, and not proactive, adventure is a good insight. I felt that but hadn't gotten it to words.

Nonethemore, I enjoyed the movie and had a good time. I found it worked -- it did what it meant to and was exciting.
Reply
post #57 of 434
5/26/08 at 10:48am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent M
You didn't notice how Shia's legs extended like Plastic Man when he was straddling the two Jeeps during the swordfight?

No more than Short Round's arms extending in the mine car chase.
Reply
post #58 of 434
5/26/08 at 10:50am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by Norm
I can't believe people now like TPM over this.

That Pod race was a bore. Like we didn't know who would win.

There isn't a *single* scene in "Crystal Skull" that contains the kind of excitement and fire that the 2 vs 1 lightsaber duel at the end of "TPM" had. Not even close. I say now what I said back then, "TPM" was NOT a great movie but it was saved by that fight. I simply cannot say the same for Indy IV, nothing could save that film from being absolutely mediocre.

My rankings:

Raiders
Doom
Crusade
TPM (lol)

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Crystall Skull
Reply
post #59 of 434
5/26/08 at 10:53am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidPla
No more than Short Round's arms extending in the mine car chase.

We're not discussing Temple of Doom, though. At least I'm not. The fact remains that ILM has done the most seamless CGI work in the history of Hollywood, but parts of the desert chase sequence looked like they were done by a film student on 10 year old equipment. I can't figure out how Lucas and Spielberg could think it looked acceptable.
Reply
post #60 of 434
5/26/08 at 10:56am

Re: Interesting new Indiana Jones 4 news

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd stone
still maturing? the cgi looked HURRENDOUS in this film...
No it wasn't. Horrendous cgi? Watch a very old Hercules episode. The cgi looked fine. Maybe you were just looking for flaws a little too closely? Really, give me something specific that has legs... I felt this film was as much fun as TPM. But the CGI was much better here.

(addressing other posts here) The story? This isn't some biopic. It's a summer action movie. You buys your ticket, you overpays for yo popcorns, ya plant yourself for 2 hours and enjoy. What the hell is the problem?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Movies (Theatrical)
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Entertainment › Movies (Theatrical) › *** Official Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Discussion Thread