So, yeah, being the ultimate super nerd that I am, I went to see Indy 4 at midnight. Now, before I get into the gory details (I will leave out all spoilers) of my impressions of Indy 4, I need to give a basic understanding of my appreciation for the past movies.
The Indy trilogy (although it can no longer be referred to as such) held a special place in my heart since I was a kid because I was basically addicted to the movies. I even remember that the first jigsaw puzzle I put together was some friggin abnormally huge poster for Last Crusade. Now, my love for the movies came from the Nazi/Penkot palace guard beating, witty, gritty action sequences. One of the things I loved about these movies is that if there was any special effects, they would only be near the end of the movie so that it did not interfere with the action sequences. I greatly appreciated that regardless of whether or not it was because of the year the movies were created. Indy, to me, doesn't scream big special effects box office mega-movie. Now, this is why I entered the movie worried. I was worried that I would go see Indy but receive a 21st century action/special effects movie. Additionally, I was worried bout Transformers boy. Indy's sidekicks were awesome in the past; I mean, who didn't like Short Round or Henry Jones Sr. But this kid, I dunno, I had my doubts. In essence, I entered the theater excited yet wary.
In all honesty, it is hard to give my criticisms of the movie without giving away certain plot lines, so, if I am cryptic, forgive me. However, I guarantee you that if you see it, you will understand. Anyways, in regards to my initial worry that too much CG would be used, yeah, there was a good amount used. BUT, surprisingly, it was tasteful enough that I partially accepted it. That is until the end of the movie. That was just a giant clusterfuck due to the absurd plot.
Speaking of plot, before I forget... WTF? Im cool with replacing Nazis with Commies, but these crystal skull deals, wow. I never expected Indy to be mixed with that plot EVER. I truly feel that the plot took a great deal away from the authentic Indy feel. At some points (near the end) I felt like I was watching a different movie and not an Indy movie.
Another thing that was hard for me to accept was some of the visual scenes placed into the movie. Lets just put it this way, Spielberg had some wild hair up his ass that made him want to film Indy standing dramatically in front of absurd things. I wish I could tell you one of them, it was so damn absurd, but I will leave well enough alone. So lets sum this up by saying the following: Negatives - Plot didn't feel like an Indy movie, Indy in STRANGE scenes, CG got a bit overwhelming near the end and in the jungle (you will see), and overall, there was just a bad taste in my mouth when I left, something I just couldn't put a finger on.
Now, in all honesty, for what it was, it was not a bad movie by any means. I left the movie feeling like I saw an Indy movie due to the actors witty charm and sharp yet cheesy humor. Harrison Ford did a damn good job for his age and it seemed so natural for him to play the role that, unless he took his hat off and you saw all the gray hair, you forgot about his age. Shaya... surprisingly, wasn't horrible. I still don't like him, but, he kept up and played a decent sidekick.
Really, this is a movie that a new generation will probably love because it has the feel of a more modern movie, whereas, fans of the original trilogy might feel upset by the movie's unorthodox feel, yet glad that they didn't change Indy's character. Either way, I feel it is definitely worth a shot. I mean, Indy lover or not, its a good action movie that deserves some respect. And yes, as a fan of the original trilogy, I will accept it as a new addition is opposed to the many who (I am sure) will think its blasphemy and a blemish on a good trilogy.
Overall:
Indy Super Nerd - 1.5/5
Indy Fan - 3.5/5
Fan of action movies (not necessarily Indy) - 4/5
Me personally - 3/5
