Just went to see KotCS the second time, this time with my father. I was pretty curious how my father would react to the movie, because on the one hand he likes the character of Indy (he's not a what I would call a fan though) and he also likes American 50s culture a lot (I was almost certain he'd like Mutt), on the other hand he's very critical of plot holes and scientific implausibilities. I can't forget his incredulous stare when Indy survived the nuclear blast in the fridge. Fortunately, he decided to take it as a "duck and cover" spoof. He didn't regard some of the later parts of the action as kindly, though. In the end, it was a tie I guess. He enjoyed the characters, banter and settings a lot, but he wasn't so fond of the plot and over-the-top action.
Well, I can't blame him. These important aspects could have been a lot better, there's no doubt about that. But on the other hand, I realized that I like this movie a lot. Like in every Indy movie, there are some little gems of scenes that seperate it from the vast majority of other action and adventure movies. On the top of my head, here are a few that I recall:
- The whole opening scene establishes the 50s mood perfectly. And just look closely at the glances that the Soviets exchange.
- The scene where Indy and Mutt are walking through the streets in Peru, is beautifully shot, acted and even - yes, I dare say it - well written.
- The talk between Indy and Stanforth in his home is great. Most of the time, the movie knows when humor would destroy a scene. This is a very sad and serious scene and it gives us an impression where Indy now stands in his life.
- I still think the quicksand scene is one of the funniest scenes in all of the Indy movies.
- The scene in the diner where Mutt and Indy have their first talk. It elegantly introduces the skull and its historical background (for a moment even in the of the diner the scene has an almost mysterious air), gives a first hint at the family thread and establishes the relationship between the two men.
All in all, I feel that this movie is nowhere near as shallow as some make it out to be. It sure has its ridiculous parts, but there is also a lot to be enjoyed about it.