The interesting thing about these films is that they deeply appeal to the great mass of movie-goers, who are not interested in critiquing films. They deeply appeal to a part of us which one might even call... embarrassing. How many of you haven't been embarrassed expressing your excitement over these films w/ co-workers, etc. the past few weeks? You know, you feel like you're being a little immature? A little kid?
And so hundreds of sophisticated critics are put in the odd position of reviewing a film of enormous popularity, which makes everyone feel like a little kid, the enormousness of which they don't quite understand. And the legitimacy of the movie with the emotions of adults as well, they just don't understand. It's all a little awkward I think. And so they try to squint their eyes and put their best take on it, but at the end of the day they just see action, action, jokes. I mean come on, to compare it to National Treasure, you have to have your head in your butt.
They aren't able to allow the mythological recipe of Indiana Jones resonate in their psyche. They miss all the most basic elements which are the substructure of the film: the yearning for the supernatural, the sense of mystery/transcendence in exploration and travel, the basic idea of a hero's quest w/ trials, the pure joy of trying to understand the domino-effects and suspense of mechanical traps, and a sacramental object in which the transcendent inhabits the mundane world.
There really aren't any film-makers who employ basic elements of mythology in their story-telling... can you think of any? Indiana Jones is inspired by mythology. It is inspired by a shy, unspoilt place within each of us.
Critics use films as a way to propel their own aesthetic superiority over others, their own subtle, nuanced artistic taste for ideological concepts. And so when they watch this movie they see action, dialogue, action, dialogue, fantasy.
Harrison says he made this film for
"those who PAY TO GET IN" (emphasis mine) and those are the opinions that matter. If only critics could take responsibility for their own ability to like or dislike something, instead of responding carefully to fads with a politically correct sense of proportion. These films are fundamentally B-films. Cult-classics which are, strangely, not 'cult' in the sense of engendering a sub-culture. They do not appeal to the pride or the intellect, they appeal to basic human emotions and to mythological stories which resonate in the human psyche.