Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Wow, 2 new movies in less than a month! What are the odds? Where did he get the money? Why is he wasting it at a movie theater? Ok, so maybe that too much prattling, but here's the skinny...
My feeling about the movie is very much like the Harley Davidson motorcycle used in the film. Now I like Harley motorcycles (I have a '95 Fatboy, white on teal retro style paint, S&S carb, Vance and Heynes long shot pipes with Smart Partz baffles, Saddleman saddlebags, a big Rifle windscreen, and passenger floorboards), so I pay attention to them in movies. The film is set in 1957, and the motorcycle that Mutt (the younger hero of the film) rides has a mid '50s paint scheme, early '50s style tombstone taillights, a wide curved handlebar and -- wait a second, is that an Evo motor on that bike? It should have a Panhead, or maybe a Knucklehead motor, not a motor built in the late '80s! I want a better look, but they show the bike from the left side most of the time (where most Harley engines look similar at a glance). Hold on, that's a modern throttle control and switch assembly - what's going on? Turns out, rather than find a mid '50s authentic Panhead, Harley custom made a soft tail springer model with retro touches (thus explaining why the engine looked like an Evo - the twin cam motors look like the Evo).
The movie is a lot like that motorcycle, it looks good - and at first glance authentic - but when you look too close something seems off. In this case, it's a matter of trying to remember what movie you saw a certain gag, stunt, or effect in. Oh sure, recycling old tricks from the previous films is expected (including the unique Indy Jones fight sequence sounds Skywalker Sound pulled out of the vault), but do we have to see yet another chase through the jungle (desert, canyons, foothills) involving military vehicles? The Nazi's are swapped for Commies. Indy is scared by a snake. The Ark of the Covenant make a cameo appearance. But then there's the bit from "National Treasure II", and the bit from "The Mummy", and the bit from "The Mummy II". I'll give them props for at least mentioning one of the scientific improbabilities in film. I'll give them a raspberry for once again perpetuating the theory that "since we can't figure out how ancient people did something, it must have been aliens". And we even have an Area 51 reference. Marian Ravenwood is back, and to spoil a little, she finally gets her man at the end.
So did I dislike the movie (Jimmy said it sucks)? Well, it's like this - there was something not quite right about that Harley early in the movie, but I'll always like a Harley. There was something not quite right about this movie, but I still enjoyed it - and aside from closing out Harrison Ford's story, opens a door to start a new series with the newest young hipster action star, Shia LeBouf (yes, Stanley Yelnats from the movie "Holes"). Will I see it again? Yes, in 6-8 months when it comes out on DVD,
My feeling about the movie is very much like the Harley Davidson motorcycle used in the film. Now I like Harley motorcycles (I have a '95 Fatboy, white on teal retro style paint, S&S carb, Vance and Heynes long shot pipes with Smart Partz baffles, Saddleman saddlebags, a big Rifle windscreen, and passenger floorboards), so I pay attention to them in movies. The film is set in 1957, and the motorcycle that Mutt (the younger hero of the film) rides has a mid '50s paint scheme, early '50s style tombstone taillights, a wide curved handlebar and -- wait a second, is that an Evo motor on that bike? It should have a Panhead, or maybe a Knucklehead motor, not a motor built in the late '80s! I want a better look, but they show the bike from the left side most of the time (where most Harley engines look similar at a glance). Hold on, that's a modern throttle control and switch assembly - what's going on? Turns out, rather than find a mid '50s authentic Panhead, Harley custom made a soft tail springer model with retro touches (thus explaining why the engine looked like an Evo - the twin cam motors look like the Evo).
The movie is a lot like that motorcycle, it looks good - and at first glance authentic - but when you look too close something seems off. In this case, it's a matter of trying to remember what movie you saw a certain gag, stunt, or effect in. Oh sure, recycling old tricks from the previous films is expected (including the unique Indy Jones fight sequence sounds Skywalker Sound pulled out of the vault), but do we have to see yet another chase through the jungle (desert, canyons, foothills) involving military vehicles? The Nazi's are swapped for Commies. Indy is scared by a snake. The Ark of the Covenant make a cameo appearance. But then there's the bit from "National Treasure II", and the bit from "The Mummy", and the bit from "The Mummy II". I'll give them props for at least mentioning one of the scientific improbabilities in film. I'll give them a raspberry for once again perpetuating the theory that "since we can't figure out how ancient people did something, it must have been aliens". And we even have an Area 51 reference. Marian Ravenwood is back, and to spoil a little, she finally gets her man at the end.
So did I dislike the movie (Jimmy said it sucks)? Well, it's like this - there was something not quite right about that Harley early in the movie, but I'll always like a Harley. There was something not quite right about this movie, but I still enjoyed it - and aside from closing out Harrison Ford's story, opens a door to start a new series with the newest young hipster action star, Shia LeBouf (yes, Stanley Yelnats from the movie "Holes"). Will I see it again? Yes, in 6-8 months when it comes out on DVD,
posted by little willie at
8:24 PM
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