FilmFlicking

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 9674

I seen the new Indy movie the other night and first off the bat I did really enjoy it...it was good to see Jones back doing what he does and like the other three films its a put your feet up and get the popcorn out affair... but... and here's the big ....BUT!...Its the most unrealistic Indy to date...Yeah I know the other Indy films were hardly factual documentaries however there was a stable realism to them..in other words they didn't go too far...this film I think does and parts of it I was saying to myself.."Oh c'mon...your not serious" Now you may think I'm referring merely to the alien associations? No....Afraid not...but more to the parts where they are pulled out of quicksand using a snake as a rope? or Shia, (whose character I liked) swings like Tarzan through the trees followed by a load of monkeys

. I was expecting him to do that Tarzan yell next

Speaking of the monkeys..they're addition also compounded another thing about the film....it seemed to constantly want to bring in stuff from the previous films almost to the point where you start thinking is there any new ideas here? We got the warehouse, Marion, the betraying assistant, Indy with another rocket launcher, bugs, etc. In fact I think alot of the fantastic or unreal elements of the original trilogy came more from Indy's persistance in chasing or fighting although like I said earlier this
was kept in check not to completely push it beyond reality. Don't get me wrong now I did enjoy it lol but I have heard others comment that its not as good as Raiders or Crusade but better than Temple however I beg to differ I much preferred Temple of Doom to this film (then again I always thought Temple got a raw deal)
The film also could act as a hand over film to Shia giving him certain action sequences and mannerisms like Indy's and I did like the character yet he's not Indiana Jones...sorry! Well not yet anyway?...I say this because I can see Lucas waiting a few years probably after the new Star Wars tv series to see how that does and if successful he might plan a new young Indy tv series with Mutt perhaps later leading to a film? What I do know is that he needs to get a bit smarter with all the archeologist stuff
and perhaps he will go back to school like his Dad wants? lol but until then he's no Dr Jones for me.
The acting is quite good Shia LaBeouf in particular pulls his role off very well (and I had doubts that he would) the others like Ray Winstone, Karen Allen, John Hurt and Jim Broadbent play it by the numbers and of course Harrison Ford could play the part with his eyes shut I think

. Who I did like and I know some others weren't so keen was Cate Blanchet portrayal of a weird Russian Mystic Meg

. Though I do think they could have thrown in another evil head guy there too

I don't want to give the complete wrong signal here....the film is good and we get to see Indy do his stuff again but for hardcore Indiana fans expecting to see a real continuation I think its a slight disappointment and although Lucas more than likely as high aspirations of a 'Mutt Jones' for the future ...part of me kind of wants to hear the word 'reimagined' once again used

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Emperor Morphetine · Oscar Winner Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 1912

I'm hopefully seeing it tomorrow and your review sounds like a lot of what I've read in my local newspapers on the subject. The first three are among my favourites and I've got a feeling this one won't be as good but hopefully there are still positives to be drawn from it.
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Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 9674

Oh definitely Morphy ...its still very enjoyable..
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Jipdog · Projectionist Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 228

I didn't mind the alien aspect of it as it fits in with the time period. I think that went over a lot of peoples heads, IMO. I have to say, when I was a kid, I really did enjoy Temple of Doom, but I think it was more to do with the action scenes more than anything else. As I got older, and started appreciating other aspects of films such as plot, charcterisation etc, I started to go off it as I didn't think the tone felt right and I thought the villians were pretty weak. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the film but I think it is the weakest of all 4.

I can see how Lucas is trying to pass the mantle onto Shia, but, as good as I thought he was in the film, I think it would be a wrong move as it wouldn't be Indiana Jones.
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Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 9674

I guess its individual taste at the end of the day....
Though on the final part mate we are definitely in agreement as I think it would be a mistake too.....I think they should just later re-cast the Indy role in a new film...surely there has to be an actor out there that can pull it off??? It would also mean being able to bring it back to pre-WW2 and up against those Nazi villains

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Catnapper · Site Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 6237

I enjoyed it......it had all the action and fun scenes I love about the Indy films and if anyone thinks Harrison Ford's too old.....they should see him climbing a stack of crates like a mountain goat

Sure, some scenes stretched credibility......the snake one and the monkeys, but it was all done with a lot of humour and I hope they make some more Indy films.

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 9674

Oh I hope they make more too babe but it did ring to me like an end to the series now more than ever and I'm not sure about Shia's Mutt taking over as a new Jones??
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Catnapper · Site Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 6237

I can see how you think it's the last one Luc cause of the final scene maybe? But I got the impression that Mutt has to wait a while before Indy gives up!

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 9674

Or it could just be a reminder to people that he may be a future option but he ain't ready for it yet

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Emperor Morphetine · Oscar Winner Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 1912

I saw it this afternoon and I'll admit it was a lot better than what I had expected. Luckily they kept all the classic Indy elements (action etc) intact, but it got a bit predictable after a while...you could see that Marion still had feelings for him, and that Mutt was going to be connected to him as more than a 'buddy' character. The alien plot was just plain weird and to be honest quite unexpected!

But the action sequences ( the chase etc) were still really good, and I take back thinking that Harrison Ford was too old, he still looked capable of doing the stunts. They put some rather good one liners in there too, and I liked the fact that the baddie, Spalko, was actually believable ( though Cate Blanchett's Russian accent wasn't that good!)

All in all a harmless afternoon's entertainment though.
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The Dark Side is a pathway to many abilities, some considered to be..unnatural.