Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - initial impressions and casual discussion

No Ticket · May 25, 2008

Peacock's-Eye said:
Wow. I cannot believe the anger & vitriol being aimed at this movie. I went to see it on Thursday with my brother - we saw Raiders back in '81 together, and we both LOVED KotCS. We were grinning from ear to ear. We cheered, applauded, gasped & laughed along with the sizable audience.

I agree that the ending - upon first viewing - was a letdown, and that the script had way too many things going on at once. Just like TOD, which I love. So we have two strong Indy's (RotLA & LC) and two weaker entries (TOD & KotCS). So what? This flic was ridiculously fun & inventive. Mutt was awesome, Marion was great, Spalko was cool (as was her underused henchman) and Indy - c'mon, he rocked this movie, a cross between Doc Savage & Allan Quatermain.

A coupla quick things:
1] I thought the ending was confusing until I checked out the scene as described in the novelization & comic book: nope, what you think happens is what happens - Spalko's body is burned up but her mind joins with the Entities & all the rest are trapped in the "space between spaces". Could it have been done better - yeah. But the movie was made by humans - sometimes even the most talented people get things wrong.
2] Read some articles & magazine interviews: most of the pic was done old-school with sets & locations. It was filmed digitally so it has that pristine look - I regret that, but it is NOT all CGI.
3] Koepp worked with Spielberg NOT Lucas (latest ish of Creative Screenwriting) stop blaming GL for every little thing you didn't like in the movie.

Anyway, there are lots of popular movies I'm not crazy about, if you don't like this, cool. But why so angry? It's just a movie.

Wait, wait... ........... WHAT?!!

It was filmed DIGITALLY!!???!!!

I thought Spielberg got Lucas to agree to do it on film... the old-fashioned way, because Spielberg never filmed a film digitally. This better not be true or I'm slightly angry at Sir Spielberg for giving in on something that important.

Iandiana · May 25, 2008

I'm loving these critiques:

"Indy never fired his gun." SO WHAT? He isn't Arnold. If you want to watch a man in a fedora killing people then go watch Nightmare On Elm Street you psychos.

"Not enough Jungle Cutter." From what I can see the Jungle Cutter has only gained notoriety because out of the couple of things you could make into toys that is the only one. That and maybe a plane. Was it any more central to plot or sequence than the flying wing? And who cares when it's destruction kicked off an awesome jungle chase?!

And now people are complaining about the type of camera used??

Hope it never gets out he used a 320 Digtal Audio Boom instead of his usual Mono 210!

ResidentAlien · May 25, 2008

No Ticket said:
Wait, wait... ........... WHAT?!!

It was filmed DIGITALLY!!???!!!

I thought Spielberg got Lucas to agree to do it on film... the old-fashioned way, because Spielberg never filmed a film digitally. This better not be true or I'm slightly angry at Sir Spielberg for giving in on something that important.

It was shot on film and then obviously transfered to a digital intermediary for effects processing. Then transfered back and edited on a Moviola.

Indy Jones · May 25, 2008

ResidentAlien said:
FOA did NOT hint at Aliens. At all. Maybe in the comic, but not in the game.

Sophia's speech about Atlantis that Indy interrupts discusses the idea of aliens being involved, does it not?

And although it hints at the idea through that scene, it doesn't conclude that aliens were behind anything.

Aggie Crusade · May 25, 2008

No Ticket said:
Still my least favorite, but it was actually pretty good. I think with more viewings I like it more. I kind of want to see an Indy 5 now. So long as it's about INDIANA JONES and NOT Mutt.

I think if you compare it to the originals, it seems like it sucks, but when you treat it as a movie by itself, compared to other movies in the past 10 years, it's not that bad at all.

ResidentAlien · May 25, 2008

Indy Jones said:
Sophia's speech about Atlantis that Indy interrupts discusses the idea of aliens being involved, does it not?

And although it hints at the idea through that scene, it doesn't conclude that aliens were behind anything.

Sophia's fraud speech at the beginning of the game before the quest even starts?

Hell no. She was a FRAUD. She was a con.

The Atlantis as discovered had nothing to do with aliens.

James · May 25, 2008

God'sRadio said:
Is Indy not in the phone book?

Why after the bike chase don't the Russians just visit him at home?

This is addressed in the novelization. Indy stakes out his own house until he's convinced it's safe to return. Once there, he quickly does his research and warns Mutt that they can't hang around long.

I have a feeling a lot of these little plot holes are the result of Spielberg trimming the film down from 140 minutes.

God'sRadio · May 25, 2008

James said:
This is addressed in the novelization. Indy stakes out his own house until he's convinced it's safe to return. Once there, he quickly does his research and warns Mutt that they can't hang around long.

I have a feeling a lot of these little plot holes are the result of Spielberg trimming the film down from 140 minutes.

You mean I got another 90 seconds of monkeys or a third waterfall instead?

Indy Jones · May 25, 2008

ResidentAlien said:
Sophia's fraud speech at the beginning of the game before the quest even starts?

Hell no. She was a FRAUD. She was a con.

The Atlantis as discovered had nothing to do with aliens.

Since they don't cover what really is behind Atlantis, I think it's fair to assume Aliens might have had something to do with it.

Peacock's-Eye · May 25, 2008

>>I thought Spielberg got Lucas to agree to do it on film... the old-fashioned way, because Spielberg never filmed a film digitally. This better not be true or I'm slightly angry at Sir Spielberg for giving in on something that important<<

You seem to be right!

I didn't follow every last piece of news on this movie - the last thing I heard it was gonna be shot digital. Looks like GL relented. I LOVE the way it looked -super vivid, paintbox colors, like a giant cake! Actually it looked like some pulp art (Frank Paul) - hmm, fitting since this was sci-fi. Way better than LC which was far too clean & glossy for my taste. This got the sweat & grit back into the series. Not taking anything from DS, but the 80's got way too obsessed with giving everything a super-polished look.

PS: My brother and I didn't enjoy this out of nostalgia: he doesn't like the SW Prequels (his kids love 'em!) and thinks TOD stinks. KotCS just happens to be really good!

|ZiR| · May 25, 2008

Peacock's-Eye said:
I LOVE the way it looked -super vivid, paintbox colors, like a giant cake! Actually it looked like some pulp art (Frank Paul) - hmm, fitting since this was sci-fi. Way better than LC which was far too clean & glossy for my taste. This got the sweat & grit back into the series. Not taking anything from DS, but the 80's got way too obsessed with giving everything a super-polished look.

I thought so too. The colors in the beginning of the movie were so pretty -- they really stood out, especially in the scenes outside of the warehouse.

PS: My brother and I didn't enjoy this out of nostalgia: he doesn't like the SW Prequels (his kids love 'em!) and thinks TOD stinks. KotCS just happens to be really good!

Hells yeah.

davejames · May 25, 2008

Indy Jones said:
I grew up with these films, but I'm only 21, and I loved the hell out of KOTCS. It's because I'm not jaded with my head up my ass.

So many of the people who hate the film are people who came out of the woodwork only to hate it, nothing more. They're trolling. Hating the film is all they're doing here. They're probably all stupid kids.

So you didn't like a few things about the movie. It doesn't ruin the entire film. Anyone who lets aliens or some shaky CGI ruin the entire film for them wants it to be so.

Oh please. So when there was a movie YOU didn't like (whether it was Superman Returns, X3, or maybe Transformers), did that make you a childish, jaded "troll" for complaining about it online somewhere?

Those of us who didn't like this Indy movie have very genuine, thought out reasons for not liking it. And it's not just one little thing here and there that ruins it for us. It's a whole LAUNDRY LIST of things. For us, this movie just doesn't work.

ResidentAlien · May 25, 2008

Indy Jones said:
Since they don't cover what really is behind Atlantis, I think it's fair to assume Aliens might have had something to do with it.

Burden of Proof? That's a logical fallacy. You can't say that there are aliens just because they never said there weren't.

Nice try, though.

DanRO · May 25, 2008

Already saw the movie twice and I still intend to see it once more, perhaps twice depending on my schedule.

I cannot understand the way people are blocking this movie. it is quite a shame. I went in with two good friends of mine that not only love Indy but are very sceptical and critical about even the slightest signs of bad plots, especially towards sequels. Yet we all loved it

James · May 25, 2008

|ZiR| said:
I thought so too. The colors in the beginning of the movie were so pretty -- they really stood out, especially in the scenes outside of the warehouse.

I really liked the skyline in that scene, the lush colors of the jungle. It definitely had a pulp quality to it.

James · May 25, 2008

God'sRadio said:
You mean I got another 90 seconds of monkeys or a third waterfall instead?

I would've traded the monkeys for a few other moments, although I don't really consider the stake-out to be that vital. The original films all had details like that cut out.

davejames · May 25, 2008

DanRO said:
Already saw the movie twice and I still intend to see it once more, perhaps twice depending on my schedule.

I cannot understand the way people are blocking this movie. it is quite a shame. I went in with two good friends of mine that not only love Indy but are very sceptical and critical about even the slightest signs of bad plots, especially towards sequels. Yet we all loved it

You know, I'm starting to think maybe we really DID see a different movie from you guys! lol

Because all my friends and relatives couldn't stand it. And except for the motorcycle chase and the quicksand scene, the packed theater I was at was completely silent, and filed out at the end like they were all leaving a funeral.

And usually packed crowds in my city's theaters are loud and boisterous as HELL when watching a big summer movie like this. They certainly were for Iron Man.

Agent Spalko · May 25, 2008

Is there an alternate version of this movie out? This must be like Clue with 3 different endings.

Iandiana · May 25, 2008

James said:
I would've traded the monkeys for a few other moments, although I don't really consider the stake-out to be that vital. The original films all had details like that cut out.

THRILLS as Indy watches his house from ACROSS THE STREET!!!

Peacock's-Eye · May 25, 2008

>>And usually packed crowds in my city's theaters are loud and boisterous as HELL when watching a big summer movie like this. They certainly were for Iron Man.<<

Jesus f'n Christ - enough of the f'n "Iron Man" already!!!!
Go find an Iron Man mb if that movie was so hot.
I thought it was several leagues beneath KotCS myself - slick, easy to enjoy but...nowhere near this level of epic scope & imagination and pure giddy excitement.
And I'm sick n tired of hearing about it on an INDY board!

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - initial impressions and casual discussion

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