Astoundingly, the fifth Indiana Jones film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Mangold, 2023) is due to release in a few days. To mark the occasion, I’ve been dedicating every Sunday to revisiting the movies that made him a household icon in addition to some bonus Indy content on Wednesdays.

This review has been supported by Chiara Cooper.
If you’d like to support the site, you can do so at my Ko-Fi page.

Released: 22 May 2008
Director: Steven Spielberg
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $185 million
Stars: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, and John Hurt

The Plot:
When greaser Mutt Williams (LaBeouf) drops into his life with the news that his old friend, Professor Harold Oxley (Hurt), has gone insane and been captured by Nazi forces seeking the legendary Crystal Skulls, aging archaeologist and adventure-seeker Doctor Henry Jones Jr. (Ford), better known as “Indiana Jones” (or simply “Indy”), sets out on a life-changing rescue mission.

The Background:
Inspired by the pulp serials of his youth, George Lucas came up with the concept of Indiana Jones in the 1970s and, alongside director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford, produced the critical and commercial hit Raiders of the Lost Ark (Spielberg, 1981), the controversially violent Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (ibid, 1984), and the highly-lauded (and highly profitable) third entry, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (ibid, 1989) to create one of cinema’s most influential franchises. Lucas and Spielberg initially made a deal to make five Indiana Jones movies for Paramount Pictures but, when they struggled to come up with a suitable story for a fourth film, focus shifted to the prequel series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992 to 1993). While filming Harrison Ford’s cameo as an aged version of Indy for this series, Lucas was inspired by the concept of an older character tangling with B-movie-style aliens in the 1950s; although both Ford and Spielberg criticised the idea, Lucas pushed forward with a script, which would include the return of Sean Connery and Indy getting married, but the idea was summarily quashed upon the blockbuster release of Independence Day (Emmerich, 1996). However, by 2000, the idea was revived and refined to centre around the mysterious crystal skulls. Work on the script, and getting the project off the ground, stalled between 2002 and 2005 as the plot shifted away from the Nazis and towards the Cold War and, when filming finally began in June 2007, the production stayed firmly in the United States so Spielberg could stay close to his family. Although practical stunts and effects were emphasised to retain the style of the previous films, with the aging Ford still performing many of his own stunts, over 450 CGI shots ended up being incorporated to create the sci-fi elements and more dangerous aspects of the action, the quality of which was the subject of scathing criticism. Indeed, while Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’s $790.7 million worldwide box office made it a huge success, reviews were mixed; while the action sequences and lead performances were praised, its execution and effects were criticised. The film was openly mocked for its more over the top elements and even star Shia LaBeouf spoke out against the film, a decision he later came to regret and potentially impacted his future in the franchise. Despite the overwhelming negative reception of the film, a fifth entry was announced soon after the franchise fell under the vast umbrella of the Walt Disney Company to continue the series, for better or worse.

The Review:
Unlike many my age, I didn’t really grow up with the Indiana Jones movies; I’d seen bits of them, maybe all of one, as a kid but it wasn’t until I was a little older that I really started getting into them. For years, it was one of the great constants and reliefs of my life that we had these three movies, a pretty consistent trilogy that was largely well regarded, and that I didn’t have to worry about any re-releases taking up more of my time, space, or money. And then, out of nowhere, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came along. Almost twenty years after the last Indiana Jones adventure, in a climate where action cinema had not only changed so much but was on the cusp of exploding into fantastical superhero productions, Indiana Jones was set to return and I, like many, met this with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. Harrison Ford had aged pretty well but had largely moved on from his more action-orientated roles, to say nothing of outright disowning some of them, but the concept of an aging hero returning to the fold was becoming popular at the time and, like Lucas’s epic sci-fi series, Indiana Jones is as much a popular brand as it is a character so it was guaranteed to bring audiences in on the name alone. For me, this movie also offered the first chance I’d ever had to see an Indiana Jones adventure on the big screen, adding to its allure, despite my personal dislike for Shia LeBeouf and the scepticism I had about the film, negatives that ultimately came to influence my perception of the movie, especially compared to its predecessors.

As ever, Indy’s reputation proceeds him; he’s specifically captured by the Russians because of his knowledge of Area 51 and, similar to the ending of Raider of the Lost Ark, is just as intrigued and excited by the secrets that are contained within it even when he has a butt-load of guns pointing at him. Seemingly having learned nothing after his experiences both on and, presumably, off-screen, Indy continues to scoff at superstitions and legends, particularly the idea of psychic powers, and is instead driven by the science and opportunity presented by such artefacts as the titular crystal skull. Interestingly, between movies, Indy was drafted into the war effort and contributed to the fight against the Axis Powers, coming out the other side with a war record and the rank of Colonel, indicating a development from a morally grey mercenary and tomb raider, to scholar and part-time government agent, to a fully-fledged and highly decorated patriot willing to go to war for his country. He’s thus understandably infuriated to be accused of treason thanks to his association with turncoat former MI6 agent George “Mac” McHale (Winstone), and with the shroud of secrecy and paranoia that has overtaken the American government since the war, especially concerning the Roswell incident that he was forced to advise on, and force both him and his friend, Dean Charles Stanforth (Broadbent), out of the university. Interestingly, Indy has noticeably grown in other ways; he’s more likely to consider the consequences of his actions and recognises the odds are against him now that he’s older, and also encourages his students to get out of the library, which is in stark contrast to his teachings from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Yet, at the same time, it seems Indy has resigned himself to his teaching; he’s taken away from the classroom against his will and even openly introduces and refers to himself as Henry Jones, Jr. rather than his more adventurous nickname. Indy remains as well-read and learned as ever; of course, in this case, it helps that he advised on the Roswell remains and that he has first-hand knowledge of the crystal skulls thanks to his former friendship with Harold Oxley. It’s because of this that he’s able to decipher Oxley’s riddles and begin the film’s globe-trotting adventure, one that seems him decoding the old man’s mad scribbles and notes very similar to piecing together the notes from his father’s diary in the last film.

Thanks to being set in 1957, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull takes place during a time of free-spirited teenage rebellion; fun-loving kids take joyrides through the desert for a thrill, hang out at diners, and obsess over rock ‘n’ roll music. Accordingly, image and style are important to these youths, none more so than greaser Mutt Williams, a hot-headed upstart garbed in a leather jacket, infatuated with his slicked hair, and quick to defend his mother and himself from any perceived slights. Embodying a “too cool for school” attitude, Mutt was raised by his mother, Marion Ravenwood (Allen), without any knowledge of his true father; instead, he saw Oxley as father figure after his own father died in the war and has no idea that Oxley’s old protégé, Indy, is his real father. Of course, anyone with half a brain can see this twist coming a mile away but Indy remains oblivious for some time, meaning he and Mutt initially bond as peers; Indy encourages him to do his own thing and to follow his passions, advice he immediately retracts once he learns he’s Mutt’s father. As the youngest of the film’s protagonists, Mutt naturally takes centre stage in many of the action sequences; armed with a switchblade, the fighting spirit of youth, and willing to throw or ride into danger without a thought for the consequences, Mutt is very much the rebellious boy Indy was seen as by his own father. Though he’s still capable of holding his own in a fight, venturing into the field, and pulling off some insane tricks when his back’s against the wall, even Indy despairs of Mutt’s cavalier attitude; he’s of a generation that Indy doesn’t quite understand, forcing Indy into a scolding, cantankerous role of disgruntled mentor and father not entirely unlike the strict demeanour of Professor Henry Jones, Sr. (Sean Connery). While there’s a lot he admires about Mutt, the youngster is an emotional and volatile greaser who underestimates Indy’s skills and abilities and yet is dependent on his elder to figure out what happened to Oxley since mythology and history aren’t Mutt’s strength.

Despite the tensions running throughout the United States and federal agents being quick to point the finger at him, Indy still isn’t short on allies; while the bumbling Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) and Indy’s own father have died between movies (proving once and for all that, despite vague allusions to the contrary, neither Henry or Indy were granted everlasting youth or immortality by the Holy Grail), Indy still has a friend at the university, one willing to put his own career on the line to at least keep Indy tenuously connected to the institute, and eventually comes to bond with Mutt despite them both being aghast to learn of their true heritage. Indy and Marion’s reunion goes about as well as in Raiders of the Lost Ark but is given an extra wrinkle by the fact that she managed to move on after him and has become determined to shield her son from following Indy’s reckless ways to the point where she’s very overprotective of him and reluctantly reveals that his true name is Henry Jones III only when she and Indy face imminent death from a dry sand pit. From there, she gets swept up in their adventure as Indy’s deciphering of Oxley’s mad ravings leads them through the hazardous Amazon jungle to the lost city of Akator, resulting in some heated exchanges and, ultimately, the rekindling of their romance as neither can deny the attraction they still feel and are united in their affection for Mutt. Indy is distraught after seeing his old friend and mentor’s mental state when reunited with him in Peru; driven mad by prolonged contact with a crystal skull, Oxley is little more than a raving lunatic, a fact that breaks Mutt’s heart and unsettles Indy, who scoffs at the legends and rumours surrounding the crystalline artefacts. While largely relegated to comic relief, more of Oxley’s true self begins to bubble to the surface as he sees Indy in action and his research proves crucial to locating Akator, though only Indy is able to make practical use of it since Oxley’s in no state to share his knowledge and his rantings are beyond the expertise of the Russians.

In a nice change of pace, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull uses the Soviets as its primary antagonist rather than the Nazis; while functionally not too different, the Russian antagonists rely more on subterfuge and deception that blunt execution, posing as American military personnel to force their way into Area 51 and allowing Indy to do all the heavy lifting for them. The sense of distrust and geopolitical tension between these two superpowers is best embodied by Mac, an old ally of Indy’s from the Second World War who routinely betrays both friend and foe alike, his motivations never fully known, all to serve his own ends. Mac’s constant betrayals end up coming across more as a running gag and a constant annoyance; since we’ve never seen this character before, it’s hard to care when he turns on Indy and I can’t help but feel it might’ve meant more if this had been a character like Sallah (John Rhys-Davis) who we’d had a previous relationship with. His knowledge of Indy’s methods is invaluable to the alluring and menacing Colonel-Doctor Irina Spalko (Blanchett), a cold-hearted Russian agent who seems to example some form of telepathy, or at least empathetic powers, in order to forcibly extract information from her victims. An efficient and driven individual, Irinia maintains her composure at all times, proving swift and deft with her rapier and maintaining an eerie, unblinking façade no matter what’s happening around her. With little time for Indy’s antics or pointless delays, Irina isn’t above slaughtering an entire people or threatening anyone and everyone that gets in her way, torturing Oxley and holding him captive to the point of driving him to near madness in her search for the fabled crystal skulls, with which she and her fellow comrades plan to brainwash the world into following their will. While we don’t really learn all that much about her, Irina has a strange allure to her; she and Indy have a bit of a love/hate relationship which means that actually work well together when figuring out Akator’s location, and they could’ve been allies or perhaps even lovers in another set of circumstances, but her ruthlessness and dreams of world conquest are decidedly at odds with Indy’s quest to return the crystal skull to is resting place so its masters can finally leave our world.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull seeks to evoke the spirit of Raiders of the Lost Ark, essentially tarnishing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as an aberration, a perpetual and unfortunate black sheep whose themes and presentation are secondary to the title font, structure, and narrative of the first movie. This means we not only get a classic Paramount Pictures logo, the return of the more subdued credits font, and a chance to see Indy teaching at the university, but also that the film explicitly references the first movie by finally exploring that secret government warehouse where the Ark of the Covenant was stored at the end of Raiders. To be fair, Indy still cuts an impressive figure despite his advanced age, but there’s a gruffness and weariness about him that’s to be expected now that he’s past his prime; he’s as adaptable as ever, maintaining his adventurous spirit and still capable of tackling multiple foes at once, but he’s much less optimistic about his odds and relies far more on elaborate tricks rather than his fists. Indeed, it’s telling that he barely uses his whip in this movie (though, to be fair, he didn’t use it much in Raiders…) and that there are numerous references to his age getting the better of him. These are played for laughs and give the character a sense of vulnerability and desperation that was either lacking or framed somewhat differently in the previous movies, where he was always flying by the seat of his pants, but do make me question the logic of portraying an older Indy in such an action-orientated fashion. Sure, Harrison Ford can clearly still go, or at least to the best of his ability, but recontextualising him in a way where he’s coming to the end of his adventurous ways (or, to put it another way, getting “too old for this shit”) and having to begrudgingly rely on Mutt in a twist on Indy’s relationship with his eccentric father might’ve been a better fit for me since I feel Indy’s character works best when he’s in his physical prime.

This means that Indy is even more on the backfoot than ever before which, again, is great for crafting a wily and vulnerable action hero but can lead to him looking a little foolish at times as he’s dominated by physically fitter enemies and forced to rely on pratfalls like incinerating a bunch of soldiers using a rocket engine and causing a brawl at a diner to escape the Russkies. Although I consider it an under-rated entry in the franchise, even I cant deny that Temple of Doom went a little over the top with its cartoonish humour and action sequences, but Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has it beaten thanks to two notorious set pieces. The first sees Indy stumble into a makeshift town designed to test the effects of an atomic bomb; literally at ground zero, Indy chooses to ride out the blast by shutting himself in a lead-lined fridge freezer. Somehow, despite being blasted clear across town by the resulting explosion, Indy emerges with barely a scratch on him and then immediately stops to admire the immense mushroom cloud left by the explosion, surely undoing whatever protection this tactic would’ve granted him and resulting in a sequence that’s so over the top that it may as well be in orbit! Mutt certainly follows in his old man’s footsteps in this regard; not only does he lash out at the Russians without a clear plan in mind, he’s able to put his fencing skills to the test against Irina while…somehow…maintaining his balance between two vehicles as the jungle swats at his crotch. Although he puts up a decent fight, he’s massively outclassed by the Russian, and most foes; like his father, Mutt has wiles and guts but not the greatest finesse in a fight. Given when the film was made, and the reputation of George Lucas at the time, it’s no surprise that CGI is a huge part of the film; even seemingly innocuous elements, like rodents, monkeys, and army ants are now rendered using dated and largely cartoonish computer effects rather than the tried-and-true practical efforts of the previous films. To be fair, there are many practical effects, car chases, and fight sequences that are more in keeping with the previous movies, especially when Indy and Mutt are exploring the ruins in Peru and the ancient hieroglyphics of Akator, but many of these are unnecessarily “enhanced” by ugly CGI.

It’s been said by many that one of the reasons Kingdom of the Crystal Skull doesn’t work is because of the central narrative involving aliens, an element that many feel doesn’t belong in an Indiana Jones. I’m not entirely convinced that this is true; yes, the previous movies all had a supernatural and paranormal bent, ones deeply entrenched in religion, but Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is expanding upon real-world myths and conspiracy theories, such as the Roswell spacecraft crash and the titular crustal skulls, which have long been believed by many to be extraterrestial in origin, and these elements are framed in a way that’s in keeping with the previous films, where elements such as voodoo and religious mythology were revered in an almost magical context. Ultimately, my issue isn’t that aliens were included; in fact, I quite enjoy the depictions of the creatures and their crafts, which is in keeping with sci-fi movies and stories of the time. No, my issue is in the execution of the aliens, especially in the finale, where they’re brought to life through some truly horrendous CGI, and the explanation that they are “interdimensional beings” from “the space between spaces”, as though the filmmakers backed out at the very last minute regarding the extraterrestial nature of these beings. Another butt-ugly sequence sees Spielberg abandon practical effects in favour of cartoonish CGI and an obvious overabundance of green screen during the jeep chase through the Amazon jungle. Here, disturbingly fake trees and hazards whip by in a blur and Mutt ends up ridiculously swinging from vines alongside a gaggle of moneys, with the only thing missing being a Tarzan scream, which blasts the realms of believability right out of the water.

After overcoming a series of hazards each more comical than the last, including surviving three waterfalls and the aforementioned army ants, Indy and the others finally find the lost city of Akator, where they’re attacked by a tribe of savages. Thankfully, these primitives both revere and fear the crystal skull our heroes possess, allowing them to scale the overgrown pyramid-like temple and finally figure a way inside, where they’re met by a series of suitably thrilling boobytraps such as temporary stone platforms and a spike pit filled with less fortunate tomb raiders. Even Indy is awestruck by the collection of treasures held within but, while Mac loads himself up with as much gold as he can carry to satisfy his greed, Indy uses the skull to unlock a door to an impressive chamber seemingly made of gold and in which sit the crystalline skeletons of thirteen extraterrestrial visitors, one of which is missing its skull. Betrayed by Mac one last time, Indy and the others can only watch as the captivated Irinia enters the chamber and reunites the skeleton with its skull; speaking through Oxley, the creature offers to reward them and Irinia volunteers without hesitation, desperate to know the truth and the limits of the aliens’ powers and origins. She gets far more than she could’ve ever imagined, however, when the temple whirs to life, crumbling away around them; the Russkies are swept away to another dimension, Mac is unable to control his greed and perishes as a result despite Indy’s best efforts, and Irinia is so overwhelmed by the aliens’ true nature that she immolates into nothingness from the sheer awesomeness of their psychic power. Indy and the others are swept to safety by a sudden rush of water and can only watch in awe as the flying saucer disappears out of existence, the experience having returned Oxley to his senses and brought Indy and Marion back together. Indeed, after years of messing around and denying their feelings, the two finally marry in the finale, seemingly putting an end to Indy’s adventurous ways. However, as Mutt retrieves his father’s hat and prepares to don it for himself, Indy snatches it away at the last second with a cheeky smile, indicating that he’s not quite ready to pass the torch on to the next generation.

The Summary:
If there’s a word to describe Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it’s definitely “divisive”. Like many people, I came away from this movie feeling less than impressed and, even now, it’s my least watched of the entire franchise. Whenever it’s on television I avoid it and I went into this review fully expecting to give it a sold two-star summary, but I’m actually going to be a little lenient on it and bump it up to three stars. Is it perfect? No, not even a little bit. Is it on par with any of the previous movies? Absolutely not, but how much of that is down to nostalgia raising their quality in our eyes as fans of the franchise and its star? There are some good qualities to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; it continues the adventurous spirit of the previous films, expands and explores Indy’s character in new ways, and does a pretty good job of depicting him as a disgruntled, aging hero who’s suddenly forced into becoming the last thing he ever expected: a father. Mutt, in concept, is a pretty good counterpart to Indy; filled with the gusto of rebellious youth, he’s everything Indy isn’t and yet they share the same spirit and compliment each other well, despite my dislike for Shia LaBeouf. I enjoy the few practical effects employed in the movie and that the film uses new antagonists and goes down new avenues; even the idea of aliens being the focal point of the film is intriguing to me. However, some of the execution is flawed and it definitely hobbles the film; the CGI, some of the characterisations, and the decision to even depict an older Indy chief amongst them. Yet, I quite enjoyed this latest watch of it; it’s definitely got way more issues than any of its predecessors but it’s entertaining enough for what it is, though I’d still recommend you just re-watch The Last Crusade again instead.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Are you a fan of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? What did you think to the idea of an aging Indy? Which of the film’s more ridiculous aspects annoyed or entertained you the most? Were you a fan of Mutt and the idea of Indy being a father? What did you think to the incorporation of aliens into the franchise, and do you think they are suitable for an Indiana Jones film? If not, what would you have preferred to see in their place? What is your current ranking of the Indiana Jones movies? Whatever you think about Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, feel free to share your memories of Indiana Jones in the comments or on my social media.