The New Indiana Jones

[ender098]

I Loved "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", but a lot of people keep saying "It's just not Indy!" I keep asking them why,and here are some of the answers I get;

"It was too Sci-Fi"

"Aliens? C'mon"

"It was too far fetched"

What do you think? I personally have an easier time believing in Aliens than I do a Gold Box with the Wrath of God inside it, or a Cup that can give you eternal life. And Should Indy look that old after he drank from the Holy Grail? hmmmm.....


I gotta admit, the nuking the refrigerator scene was WAY over the top, but the rest of it was just a fun ride!

[Swindle]

The only problem I had with the movie was the CGI/movie lot feel to it. The originals had a charm about them because they were filmed in great locations. This one seems very glossy.

I was happy to see Marion back. I liked Mac. Didn't mind Mutt. The badguys weren't the best. Coming up with an item for Indy to be chasing is tough. I got no issue with the Skulls and besides, to the culture that encountered those guys, they were Gods.

I remember the Southpark ep that mocked the movie, at the end Butters says he thought it was pretty good, well, I guess I'm kind of in the Butters category. Also, Willie will always be the Jar Jar of Indy, imo.

[Self-Modifier]

I enjoyed it. I just re-watched it on Christmas with my family. I do agree with Swindle that it seemed too CGI'd, and obviously filmed on soundstages, but I read somewhere that Spielberg didn't want to travel for this one, so he was happy to use Lucas's green screen technology.

I also agree with Ender that it seems silly that the movie's critics can't accept aliens when they are able to live with God in a Box, removing someone's still-beating heart from their chest, and a cup that gives eternal life.

I didn't really care about getting Marion back... I've never understood why people think she's "the one" for Indy. I never picked up anything more between them in Raiders than we saw from Willie in Temple of Doom or even Elsa (before we knew she was evil) in Last Crusade.

I also agree that Mac was great, but I wish he'd stayed good in the end. The movie could have used some Sallah, though.

Somewhere, floating around the internet, is a script for George Lucas's original idea, "Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men From Mars." I've never read it, but I hear it's pretty good. Obviously as the title indicates, there's way more aliens involved. Lucas's idea was that since the originals were set in the 30s and were a tribute to 30s adventure serials, then a movie set in the 50s should be a tribute to 50s sci-fi B-movies. That actually makes a lot of sense to me, but I guess Spielberg and Ford disagreed.

[Rambo]

I'm with you Frank, if I can stand the Ark I can stand the Aliens. But I missed Sean Connery as Indy's father.

[Black Knight]

My problem with the movie is the aliens, but not so much that the aliens were in it, as more along the line as Indy always delt with the "religious" and "supernatural" not the "science-fiction". The first 3 all revolved around religious icons with a supernatural feel to them, the new one focused on a religious icon with a science-fiction feel. It was still a good movie, just not a great movie in my book. Mutt was cool, but the "fencing" thing was a little silly, as was his "nickname".

I remember about 2-3 years ago, before they decided on the new script, the concept was tossed between Excaliber or Atlantis... I would have loved to see Indy hunting down Excaliber, now that would have been awesome... but thats coming from a sword nut.

Oh yeah, as for Indy Senior, atleast the mentioned him and not dismissed him, I was pleased to see that.

[jcast]

Here's a graphic I posted a few times:

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[Outrider]

Like Star Wars, I didn't think it lived up to the standard of the originals, but then again I'm old and cynical, so what do I know? As a piece of entertainment to fill in a couple of hours it was okay, but like a lot of others, the aliens spoiled it for me. It's one of those films I'm glad I've seen, but have no desire to watch again.

[Sonneilon]

I had this conversation with a buddy of mine. It was pretty eerie in how he said the same things are you. I had a hard time with the aliens stuff. I can dig it with Stargate. But uh... There is so much in this world that is ultra weird and funky that I can believe in the power of the ancients and mystical forces. More than aliens visiting us.

I agree with the cgi aspect. I was never a HUGE Indy fan but anyway. At least a movie like Mummy, you know it's gonna be a good popcorn movie. But this Indy wasn't nearly as cerebral as the others.

[yorktownjoe]

[QUOTE=Outrider]It's one of those films I'm glad I've seen, but have no desire to watch again.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. I liked parts of all of the movies. I liked most of Raiders, only a little of Temple, Last Crusade a lot, and about 80% of Crystal Skull. I would possibly watch Raiders or Last Crusade again. I really believe I'll never watch Crystal Skull or Temple again. But to each their own.

At the end of the Crystal Skull, my wife and I looked at each other and said: "The kids aren't watching this, they have enough bad dreams from cartoons..."

[troopsofdoom]

It felt like a re-hash of the trilogy with way too much CGI thrown in. The first of the movie set the tone with Indy surviving an A-Bomb in a fridge without even getting a bruise. Too silly.

[vader9900]

[QUOTE=Outrider]Like Star Wars, I didn't think it lived up to the standard of the originals, but then again I'm old and cynical, so what do I know? As a piece of entertainment to fill in a couple of hours it was okay, but like a lot of others, the aliens spoiled it for me. It's one of those films I'm glad I've seen, but have no desire to watch again.[/QUOTE]
I could not agree more with every word you stated. Obviously I am a Star Wars fan, I was sooo excited about the prequels. Now I sort of wish I never knew Darth Vader's origins, that he was a sniveling, whining little man. KOTCS was good entertainment, but lacked the charm & personality of ROTLA! In hindsight I could of done without the SW prequels & the new IJ.

Indy surviving an A-Bomb in a fridge without even getting a bruise. Too silly....and he didn't even crap his depends! :eek:

[ender098]

I dunno. The first Indy movie I saw (And the only one until I got the Trilogy on DVD back in June) was "Temple of Doom". When I saw it, I wondered why people thought Indiana Jones was cool. I thought it was a terrible movie. Now that I've seen the Trilogy, I see why! Of the first 3, it sucked the worst! I Liked the first one and the "Last Crusade", but I really dug "KOTCS". Maybe it's because I like games like "Fallout" that have references to the 50's, the Red Scare and Civil Defense.

Maybe I'm too scientific, but I find it easier to believe in life on other worlds than God. I tend to over analyze things and be too critical. Like the ants......"Siafu" are from Africa, and don't build Colonies or Mounds...but still, I could suspend my disbelief long enough to make the Movie enjoyable. To me, it was the Indy I ALWAYS wanted to see. Also realize that when I was 5-6 years old I actually sat down and read "Chariots of the Gods". It figures....the one Movie I enjoy and DON'T criticize, MOST OTHER people don't like! LOL!

[silentdusty]

I really enjoyed KotCS, just because they kept up with the times, in the 30's (the first & 3rd) it was the big bad Nazis, they tried to switch it up with the Thugees in ToD but it was a lacklustre effort. This one I really liked, it took place in the 50's, aliens and UFO's were the big draw at the time, and throw in the Soviets, and voila a pulp picture for the time it is set in. Every time I watch the Indiana Jones movies, it takes me back to watching the old pulp serials of the 30's and 40's when I was a kid on PBS, things along the lines of Flash Gordon, Zorro, Buck Rogers, Fu Manchu, Jungle Girl, etc. While this outing isn't as good as RotA and TLC, it was very entertaining, and very inkeeping with the time it is set in.

[Sonneilon]

I loved the refridgerator scene!




As for the Star Wars prequels... When I was kid, I wanted to know what happened AFTER Return of the Jedi. I had no interest in how Anakin became Darth Vader. It was enough to that Luke's father went bad. Undertaker and Kane started as bad guys and nobody really cares WHY! I like the SW Prequels well enough but I can't help think that things went backwards with the original trilogy. I mean in terms of technology, how good the Clone/Storm Troopers were, lightsaber battles, etc. Anyway... Next!

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red]ill just say it was different for indy, but still great. i wish they kept the toys going.[/COLOR]