Kingdom comes in third/fourth for me. It kinda weird to compare a movie I just saw a week ago to films I've watched for years, but I feel this one has enough quality to be at Temple of Doom's level. Ford was still Indy, and that what I was most worried about. He never fired his gun, and he barely used his whip, but he still kicked ass. Shia was actually pretty good as Mutt, and I enjoyed all the scenes where him and Indy were talking. I smile every time he combs his hair. Mac was kind of a worthless character, but at least he was on the positive side of jokes, like when he walks in the room drunk and said "Thats the third time I saved your life*holds up four fingers*" John Hurt was wasted too as "Crazy Old Guy", but he also had some funny lines, and sometimes I just laughed at the way he delivered them("Henry Jones...Junior..." "Help!"). Marion should haven been introduced earlier in the story, because I love the interactions she had with Indy, and I really didn't buy the sudden wedding they pulled out at the end.
Kingdom also had some pretty fun, if a bit far-fetched set pieces. Doomtown, when you think about it, was stupid. But seeing Indy run around with no idea WTF was going on, and that really cool shot of him looking at the mushroom cloud was amazing. That jungle scene is probably my favorite set piece in the series(minus the Tarzan scene), but I can't shake the fact that the jungle cutter was totally wasted. Instead of monkeys, Shia could have fought on top of the cutter, thrown the guy into the cutter for a cool death scene, fail horribly at controlling the thing, get in the path of Spalko and jump off as the cutter goes flying off the cliff. "Whoa" indeed. That ending was weird too, but that CGI shot of the ol' school saucer flying off was actually really well done. Again, I didn't buy the whole wedding thing, but I loved the John Williams music, Weird Al as the priest cameo, and Indy taking the hat away from Shia at the last second. A solid entry in the Indiana Jones series.
Temple isn't bad, its just weaker than the other ones. The intro in Club Obi-Wan and the escape from the plane("That wasn't so bad huh? Oh shi--") was great, but then its time for boring exposition, annoying Willie moments, and corny gross out jokes. I like the way the diner scene was thought of(exposition talking on one side, jokes on the other), but I hated all the jokes. It doesn't get good again until Indy comes to Willie's room with fruit(I love the whole 5 min scene), and once Indy finds the room with the spike ceiling, it gets good again("We.AreGoing.ToDie. *exaggerated frown* hate that part). Mola Ram isn't my favorite viliian, but he's the most evil. When he standing there laughing with the flaming heart in his hand, you can just feel it. I love when the camera does that cool zoom-in on his face; its just the perfect face of evil. I hated the delivery of most of his lines though, sometimes I can't even understand him. Belloq > Mola Ram > Spalko > Donovan. Sidekick wise, Short Round is awesome. "You call him Dr.Jones doll!" "Dr.Jones, no time for love!" "Indy, you're my best friend!" God, I kinda wish he was in the sequel, even though he won't be as cute or have such bad English. No, the problem is Willie. Its not Kate Capshaw's fault, she plays the role well and looks damn cute doing it. Its just the role calls for lots of variations of screams and "Ooh Indy!". The reason we loved Marion so much its because she can kick as much ass as Indy(well, almost
) and their relationship felt real. Here, the only connection they ever really had was that "5 min" scene, which didn't end well, plus she's super-annoying. Please die in a fire Willie. I hated that stupid king/prince kid, and I don't even know who that other guy was, he sucked.
The last 45 mins is where the movie goes from "meh" to "pretty damn good". The thugee fight(despite how stupid the rock crusher thing was), the mine cart, and the bridge scenes are a lot of fun. That mine cart scene is truly a roller-coaster ride, and its so engaging you complete forgive the fact that it flies through the air and lands perfectly on the other side. That bridge scene was great too, and I love that shot of Indy, right arm sleeveless, holding that big blade and was like "oh sh!t...". Mola Ram got totally owned, but I always hated that half a dozen different shots of crocs eating him. Overall, despite the pacing being all over the place, corny jokes, and the most annoying heroine in cinema history, its a good film to watch every once in awhile after watching Raiders/Crusade for the 80th time