![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Keeping Up With The Jonses
May. 26th, 2008 07:20 amI deliberately went into Kingdom of the Crystal Skull with low expectations -- and I had a good time.
Ford/Jones is definitely a lot older, but I thought they did a nice job in acknowledging the passage of time, not just physically but in his attitudes. The fact that Ford still did many of his own stunts lends a bit of authenticity to what Indiana Jones was able to do (not that he was ever entirely plausible, of course).
The McGuffin of the crystal skull was an okay plot device, given that Jones has always been a character out of the pulps. The adventure motifs were formulaic: half-naked natives with blow-pipes in the jungle, architectural puzzle/traps, the need to flee a collapsing stronghold, certain stock supporting characters. But that was to be expected. This crew has done better, but it was a reunion movie. It was about getting the old gang together (behind the cameras as well as in front). Besides, the story was George Lucas's idea, and one he had to revise multiple times before Spielberg and Ford would accept it -- which meant that I went in expecting nothing from the plot.
It was frustrating to watch the sublime Cate Blanchett having to deliver her lines in a thick Boris-and-Natasha accent, but her presence was only slightly marred by the black bob they gave her. And she had a sword that she knew how to use, which of course scored points with me.
There were a couple of lovely tribute moments to past movies, most especially the passing of Denholm Elliott who played Marcus Brody in the first three movies. As a soundtrack afficianado, the moments when John Williams introduced themes from previous movies over visual references (the warehouse of Top Secret crates, for example) were delightful -- although he rightly confined himself to references from previous Indiana Jones movies. Spielberg covered some additional old ground here, and Williams might have referenced that as well, but it would have been jarring. (Although I'm sure there's a gag reel somewhere -- or there will be a YouTube video up before long -- that makes those points musically.)
It was particularly poignant watching this with my dad, who is a few years older than Ford and who has begun to show serious signs of advancing age over the past year. He has Parkinsons, which has slowed him down considerably, and brought a stoop to his posture and a shuffle to his step. It's heartbreaking to watch. There were a couple of times during the movie when I heard him make a soft sound of agreement when Ford made some comment on the toll the years had taken.
Ford/Jones is definitely a lot older, but I thought they did a nice job in acknowledging the passage of time, not just physically but in his attitudes. The fact that Ford still did many of his own stunts lends a bit of authenticity to what Indiana Jones was able to do (not that he was ever entirely plausible, of course).
The McGuffin of the crystal skull was an okay plot device, given that Jones has always been a character out of the pulps. The adventure motifs were formulaic: half-naked natives with blow-pipes in the jungle, architectural puzzle/traps, the need to flee a collapsing stronghold, certain stock supporting characters. But that was to be expected. This crew has done better, but it was a reunion movie. It was about getting the old gang together (behind the cameras as well as in front). Besides, the story was George Lucas's idea, and one he had to revise multiple times before Spielberg and Ford would accept it -- which meant that I went in expecting nothing from the plot.
It was frustrating to watch the sublime Cate Blanchett having to deliver her lines in a thick Boris-and-Natasha accent, but her presence was only slightly marred by the black bob they gave her. And she had a sword that she knew how to use, which of course scored points with me.
There were a couple of lovely tribute moments to past movies, most especially the passing of Denholm Elliott who played Marcus Brody in the first three movies. As a soundtrack afficianado, the moments when John Williams introduced themes from previous movies over visual references (the warehouse of Top Secret crates, for example) were delightful -- although he rightly confined himself to references from previous Indiana Jones movies. Spielberg covered some additional old ground here, and Williams might have referenced that as well, but it would have been jarring. (Although I'm sure there's a gag reel somewhere -- or there will be a YouTube video up before long -- that makes those points musically.)
It was particularly poignant watching this with my dad, who is a few years older than Ford and who has begun to show serious signs of advancing age over the past year. He has Parkinsons, which has slowed him down considerably, and brought a stoop to his posture and a shuffle to his step. It's heartbreaking to watch. There were a couple of times during the movie when I heard him make a soft sound of agreement when Ford made some comment on the toll the years had taken.
