The fourth of the Indian Jones series takes an ageing but no less feisty Indy, famed archaeologist and whip-cracking adventurer (Harrison Ford) to a series of exotic places including no less - the KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.  This time around, he fights the Russians to save the world.  In the process, Indy encounters the past and his lost love, Marion (Karen Allen).  Yes, the romance works here.

Harrison Ford proves that he has what it takes to be a star.  One still wishes for a Sean Connery cameo.  But the best performance belongs to Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (ELIZABETH, I’M NOT THERE) as the East European villainess, Irina Spalko.  The risk of having a female villain pays off as Blanchett is a fine actress offering a welcome change.

Producer George Lucas rejected Frank Darabont’s original script, unhappy with the first storyline.  He eventually settled with David Koepp’s (PANIC ROOM, SPIDER-MAN)’s script.  Lucas, director Spielberg and crew work very hard on this film and it shows.  For one, Indy Jones tries very hard at all the various age markets.  The filmmakers are around the 60 mark but that audience is assured.  With Shia LaBeouf as the rebellious Mutt, the teen group is also cornered.  But what does not work is the cutesy animal effects (for the younger audience perhaps?) scattered out throughout the film.  The swinging monkeys and the smirking groundhogs give the film an awkward childish look.

The film arrives with mixed reviews and quite a bit of negative hype.  Lucas himself, when introducing the film premiering at Cannes asked the audience to hold on to their tomatoes though insisting that the film is pure fun and that the filmmakers had fun doing it.  True – this fourth edition is a rollicking roller coaster ride.  Spielberg takes a few calculated risks (such as a different opening sequence, a female villain….), most of which succeed well.  His camera work is still impressive.  The best segment involves story tracking which begins with Indy explaining to Mutt about the Kingdom, opening a book with drawings that eventually evolve to a map and a plane that ends with a scene in Peru with chickens in the background.

Two-time Oscar winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, SCHINDLER’S LIST) creates a nostalgic though crisp look of the 50’s.  The car chase sequences (with lots of dust kicked up) are the most exciting, whether taking place along the Peruvian jungle tracks on through the university grounds.  Spielberg puts in lots of good old fashioned spectacle with lots of stunt work that includes fist fights and fencing.  The CGI effects such as the ones involving the man-eating ants are frightening and Spielberg is unafraid to show a bit of blood and gore.  But nothing beats genuine cinematic created suspense like the quicksand sequence.

THE CRYSTAL SKULL is not the best of the Indiana Jones but it is the best (in my humble opinion) of the blockbuster films released so far.  You will leave humming the John Williams’ Indy Jones theme tune.