Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" does not disappoint. Rather than wondering why they would make another Indy movie, I left the theater glad that they did.

What more do I really need to say? This is Indiana Jones for crying out loud! George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have brought our favorite archaeologist out of moth balls for another fun, light, and lively adventure. They have not tried to reinvent the wheel but have stayed with the tried and true. Harrison Ford, while older and grayer, can still wear the hat like none other. At the same time, Indiana's age is showing, and others remind him of it throughout the story. This includes Shia LaBeouf, who turns out to be a solid sidekick for our hero.

The storyline itself involves a crystal skull, Communists, the Cold War, and perhaps some aliens. By the end things start to get a little messy, pushing the limits of believability. The action goes over the top at times, whether it involves Indy surviving a nuclear blast in a refrigerator or LaBeouf swinging through the jungle on vines. Still, these are the kind of things we come to expect from Indiana Jones movies.

While it's not necessary to have seen the other movies (do such people exist?), it helps. "Crystal Skull" is a great popcorn movie to watch unfold. Certainly not the weakest in the series, I give it a B+.

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is rated PG-13 with a running time of 124 minutes.