Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - initial impressions and casual discussion
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northernsoul
New member
I've finally seen it! And I loved it. Major sigh of relief.
The dialogue felt so unIndy-like at the beginning ( "Drop dead comrade" - seriously?) but it seemed to get better as it went along. I loved "this is intolerable!", "I'm sinking but I'm calm", "why the hell didn't you make him finish school?" etc. And the Solo reference, heh.
Maybe my low expectations helped but all the scenes I was worried about not working I really enjoyed - doomtown, the motorcycle chase, the snake scene , Indy and Marion's reunion, the ants... It was all rather... fun! Could have done without the Tarzan scene and the truck-onto-a-tree bit but thankfully the moments of silliness didn't last too long
And I really like the bit at the end when Indy was explaining the 'knowledge' thing to Mutt, and the Last Crusade music played...
Character-wise I thought Indy had developed nicely. I liked Ox and his riddles and Mac was no Sallah, but quite entertaining. Shia did a nice job with Mutt but I thought he was nothing special as a character.
Downsides - I wasn't expecting the alien theme to be so... explicit I have to say. But I never once questioned people melting and hearts being ripped out when I was a kid, so many it's just a case of getting used to it. I also didn't expect the wedding to be such a... wedding, either! Crazy.
Bottom line is - I never once thought I'd get to see my childhood hero on the big screen again, and there he was. It was over the top, slightly ridiculous, a bit camp, but it didn't matter. I was eight years old again!!
The dialogue felt so unIndy-like at the beginning ( "Drop dead comrade" - seriously?) but it seemed to get better as it went along. I loved "this is intolerable!", "I'm sinking but I'm calm", "why the hell didn't you make him finish school?" etc. And the Solo reference, heh.
Maybe my low expectations helped but all the scenes I was worried about not working I really enjoyed - doomtown, the motorcycle chase, the snake scene , Indy and Marion's reunion, the ants... It was all rather... fun! Could have done without the Tarzan scene and the truck-onto-a-tree bit but thankfully the moments of silliness didn't last too long
And I really like the bit at the end when Indy was explaining the 'knowledge' thing to Mutt, and the Last Crusade music played...Character-wise I thought Indy had developed nicely. I liked Ox and his riddles and Mac was no Sallah, but quite entertaining. Shia did a nice job with Mutt but I thought he was nothing special as a character.
Downsides - I wasn't expecting the alien theme to be so... explicit I have to say. But I never once questioned people melting and hearts being ripped out when I was a kid, so many it's just a case of getting used to it. I also didn't expect the wedding to be such a... wedding, either! Crazy.
Bottom line is - I never once thought I'd get to see my childhood hero on the big screen again, and there he was. It was over the top, slightly ridiculous, a bit camp, but it didn't matter. I was eight years old again!!
Darth Vile
New member
If anyone is slating KOTCS whilst applauding Iron Man, you've just lost your credibility. Iron Man was dull, wall to wall CGI, unbelievable and generally poor in most departments (sans RDJ).
UltimateManGod
New member
I just thought of this, so I'll look next time I see the film, but did anyone see anyone who looked like Jack Shannon in the wedding scene? That would have been a great nod to the books, considering he shows up in a number of them, and was a good friend of Indy's at college. I doubt there was anyone like that though. And for the record, I found Iron Man just as enjoyable as Indy. I just won't discuss it here.
Crusade>Raiders
New member
Darth Vile said:
LOL massive failure
Peacock's-Eye
New member
>>Wow, let me guess, you probably also loved Pirates 2, Matrix 3, Spidey 3, and Phantom Menace, right? I feel like I've entered some strange, backwards dimension here<<
One in which people actually disagree with you?
It's called planet earth.
One in which people actually disagree with you?
It's called planet earth.
sandiegojones
New member
I find it odd that some people are surprised these films are popular. I mean, where do you think the millions of dollars they earn or DVD sales come from? Millions of people like them. I can't believe people watch reality TV but millions do, so whatever!davejames said:
Mrs_Fedora
New member
As more people here, i walked out after this movie a bit puzzled. I didn't know what to think about it. It was a yes, no, yes, no, i dunno...
I gave myself a couple of days to think it over, and, thank God, i think that KoTCS is not so bad at all. Okay, it has it's problems (aliens? fridge escape?) but still, Indy keeps on ruling. I mean, it's 20 yrs later, what did i expect? Indy chasing Nazi's again?
Yes i was slightly dissapointed at first, but i think it's like a.. how should i name it.. trilogy syndrome?. We love RoTLA, TOD and LC and deep inside, we were expecting this one to be the same.. wich i think is not the case.
But what the h*ll, give it some years and it will be a classic too. The first three movies are our babies, sooner or later the fourth one will be also
(and for some it is already).
Indy, your'e still my hero!
(oh, that cleaning with brooms scene, hilarious!!)
I gave myself a couple of days to think it over, and, thank God, i think that KoTCS is not so bad at all. Okay, it has it's problems (aliens? fridge escape?) but still, Indy keeps on ruling. I mean, it's 20 yrs later, what did i expect? Indy chasing Nazi's again?
Yes i was slightly dissapointed at first, but i think it's like a.. how should i name it.. trilogy syndrome?. We love RoTLA, TOD and LC and deep inside, we were expecting this one to be the same.. wich i think is not the case.
But what the h*ll, give it some years and it will be a classic too. The first three movies are our babies, sooner or later the fourth one will be also
(and for some it is already).
Indy, your'e still my hero!
(oh, that cleaning with brooms scene, hilarious!!
)RocketSledFight
New member
Mrs_Fedora said:
I loved the movie both times I've seen it, and though the fridge bothered me the first time, it didn't half as much the second, and given more days to let the tide settle it really doesn't bother me at all. It's fun, it's ridiculous, but the filmmakers do go out of their way to show why it's not completely absurd (the distance of the blast, the fridge lining).
I do think it's funny that IJ4 discussions involve a fridge, though. Would never ever have guessed that.
Peacock's-Eye
New member
>>it had almost no positives outside of Harrison Ford and Karen Allan.<<
Hey,thanks for your opinion!
I loved Mutt & Spalko, the action sequences, the sets, costumes & sfx.
I loved the pararmal lore, the Nazca tomb & the classic rock n roll.
Those are 'positives', no?
Hey,thanks for your opinion!
I loved Mutt & Spalko, the action sequences, the sets, costumes & sfx.
I loved the pararmal lore, the Nazca tomb & the classic rock n roll.
Those are 'positives', no?
son of Indy
New member
Again, maybe I'm just very easy to please, but today I saw the film for the second time.
Over the last few days I have re-screened all the previous films. One good thing about doing so is I've come to appreciate TOD more than ever before.
However, I must say, after seeing IJ4 this second time, I liked it even more than the first time. And I really liked it the first time.
To me, it's just a whole new "flavor" of Indy. I still think that the Doom Town sequence is my favorite. To me, that shot of Indy looking up at that billowing mushroom cloud is what finally, fully brings us into the Post-War era. It almost reminds me of the moment in LONELY ARE THE BRAVE when Kirk Douglas, a cowboy who is no longer relevant in our modern society, looks up from a barbed-wire fence closing-off the open range, and sees a modern jetliner crossing the sky.
Yes, there were a few moments and gags that strained credulity. But, ALL of the other films have those, too. This film will have a place of honor in my DVD collection when the time comes.
Over the last few days I have re-screened all the previous films. One good thing about doing so is I've come to appreciate TOD more than ever before.
However, I must say, after seeing IJ4 this second time, I liked it even more than the first time. And I really liked it the first time.
To me, it's just a whole new "flavor" of Indy. I still think that the Doom Town sequence is my favorite. To me, that shot of Indy looking up at that billowing mushroom cloud is what finally, fully brings us into the Post-War era. It almost reminds me of the moment in LONELY ARE THE BRAVE when Kirk Douglas, a cowboy who is no longer relevant in our modern society, looks up from a barbed-wire fence closing-off the open range, and sees a modern jetliner crossing the sky.
Yes, there were a few moments and gags that strained credulity. But, ALL of the other films have those, too. This film will have a place of honor in my DVD collection when the time comes.
son of Indy
New member
son of Indy said:
On the second viewing, I looked closely: it was a bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, a popular "working man's" beer in the U.S. at the time. It's still around, too.
Snakes
Member
I thought everyone was against changing/editing scenes from the original theatrical release of Spielberg and Lucas films. Would removing the wedding or Mutt swinging from vines be any different that changing guns to walkie talkies or Greedo shooting first? I would maybe like to see more of the Cemetery fight added back in though. I think that was likely cut for length reasons.
review
Here are some things I would have liked to have see in the movie, changed, or just removed.
Here's some things I would have added
1. Marion Ravenwood.... er..... Williams... er.. Jones, beat up on some one(like a frying pan to the back of Spalko's head)
2. A gunfight of some sort. ( I mean com on Indy didn't even shoot his gun once )
3. Another fist fight more towards the end
Here's somethings I would have changed
1. Mutt/Tarzan scene. It would have been cooler if he swang once, not all the way through the Jungle, remove all those cgi monkeys and the scene would have rocked
2. Replace the cgi animals with the real things. They could have used real scorpions, not those fake ones ( because some of my favorite things about the first three where the REAL creepy crawlies, not cgi ones) but there were some things that they just couldn't do AKA the huge red ants, which are really dangerous, but I mean Cgi prarie dogs
3. More of the jungle cutter, I mean everyone made a big deal about it and they showed it like twice.
Here's somethings I would have taken out completely
1. The aliens, just like some other people said. They didn't show God at the end of ROTLA, they didn't show Sheeba at the end of TOD and they didn't show Jesus at the end of LC. They shouldn't have shown the aliens!
2. The script. You really can't fix it; it was that bad. "Don't call it a snake. Call it a rope!", anything that came out of Ox's mouth(even when he wasn't crazy) and the overall pace of the script seemed in slow-mo while the action kicked into high gear most of the movie.
3. Mac. He was pointless. There was really non need for him besides droping little beacons through the jungle, which really wasn't necicary. He was a big ol' cigar smoking waste of money
My overall impression of the movie is great (especially after a second viewing) And I think it's better than any other Indy wannabe Like National Treasure 1 & 2, Tomb Raiders 1 & 2 and the Librarian 1 & 2. So I happliy invite Indy V with welcome arms
Here are some things I would have liked to have see in the movie, changed, or just removed.
Here's some things I would have added
1. Marion Ravenwood.... er..... Williams... er.. Jones, beat up on some one(like a frying pan to the back of Spalko's head)
2. A gunfight of some sort. ( I mean com on Indy didn't even shoot his gun once
)3. Another fist fight more towards the end
Here's somethings I would have changed
1. Mutt/Tarzan scene. It would have been cooler if he swang once, not all the way through the Jungle, remove all those cgi monkeys and the scene would have rocked
2. Replace the cgi animals with the real things. They could have used real scorpions, not those fake ones ( because some of my favorite things about the first three where the REAL creepy crawlies, not cgi ones) but there were some things that they just couldn't do AKA the huge red ants, which are really dangerous, but I mean Cgi prarie dogs
3. More of the jungle cutter, I mean everyone made a big deal about it and they showed it like twice.
Here's somethings I would have taken out completely
1. The aliens, just like some other people said. They didn't show God at the end of ROTLA, they didn't show Sheeba at the end of TOD and they didn't show Jesus at the end of LC. They shouldn't have shown the aliens!
2. The script. You really can't fix it; it was that bad. "Don't call it a snake. Call it a rope!", anything that came out of Ox's mouth(even when he wasn't crazy) and the overall pace of the script seemed in slow-mo while the action kicked into high gear most of the movie.
3. Mac. He was pointless. There was really non need for him besides droping little beacons through the jungle, which really wasn't necicary. He was a big ol' cigar smoking waste of money
My overall impression of the movie is great (especially after a second viewing) And I think it's better than any other Indy wannabe Like National Treasure 1 & 2, Tomb Raiders 1 & 2 and the Librarian 1 & 2. So I happliy invite Indy V with welcome arms
Peacock's-Eye
New member
>>they didn't show Sheeba<<
SHIVE, BD, SHIVA.
Thank you.
SHIVE, BD, SHIVA.
Thank you.