Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review

And so it is…after 20 long years everyone's favourite archaeologist is back for another mystical jaunt.

Deep in the Nevada dessert a convoy of KGB soldiers pull up outside Area 51. Two crumpled up figures are pulled out of the boot of a car - all the while held hostage at gunpoint. One of the captives is unceremoniously shoved to the floor, his dusty fedora tumbling to the ground. The man picks himself up, dusts himself off and returns the trusty hat to its rightful home. John Williams' famous theme rises…and there he is! One Dr. Henry Jones Jr. or Indiana Jones if you prefer.

This re-introduction to the character is a wonderful moment in a film lacking too few instances of such ingenuity. That may be a little unfair as Spielberg and Lucas have crafted an exciting ride yet there's none of that early inspiration that so littered the original series. But then again there was never going to be! After all, two decades have passed and things have changed somewhat for the filmmakers and for Indy alike.

This time around the weathered Dr. Jones finds himself in the midst of the 50's, communist paranoia is rife and not even Indy is immune to the sting of wild accusations. This set-up is just one of many neat little nods to the decade from Spielberg and writer David Koepp. Mutt (Shia La Beouf) literally comes riding in to the film a la Marlon Brando in "On The Waterfront", saving Indy from yet more KGB and setting the good doctor off on the trail of the Crystal Skull - an object of myth and legend. The skull is said to hold all the powers of Akator (or more commonly known as the lost city of El Dorado). It would seem that Indy's good friend, Professor Oxley (John Hurt) has unlocked the secrets of the skull, secrets now currently in the possession of Russian operative Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett). What does Indy do? Well, what he always does of course. He sets off on a global adventure to retrieve the artefact and rescue his friend with new charge Mutt in tow.

The MacGuffin of the Crystal Skull, and its origins, may not be in keeping with the Indy tradition but the action certainly is. Spielberg, after an explosive opening gambit, positively imbues the film with lovingly choreographed set-pieces. The jungle car chase for one is both inventive and unbelievably tense without being too far removed from the old-skool fun on offer in Indy's past sojourns. This really is an Indiana Jones movie and all involved are clearly having a lot of fun. Ford simply dons the character like a well-worn jacket and it's a winning return from him. Of the newcomers, Cate Blanchett is the standout. Her Ice Maiden routine makes for a solid counterpoint for our hero (even if her accent warbles all over the place). Strangely, it's Mutt who feels like a spare part - Shia La Beouf does the best of a bad job knowing that his character is underwritten and a hastily conceived plot contrivance. His reason for being only becomes clear towards the final reel and even then it's to validate the worst kept secret in cinema!

Ultimately it's George Lucas' touch to the story that threatens to unbalance the whole thing. It's widely known that the extraterrestrial theme was conceived many years ago by Lucas but it takes Indy into uncomfortable territory. This flight of fancy (quite literally at the end) feels out of place and rather counter to the great adventure up to that point. And let's face it…Indiana Jones only does great adventures!