Uncle Spielberg
Well-known member
Here is my review for what its worth. I have picked up a few negative comments on here and IMDB has received lots of very harsh reviews. It is still averaging a decent 7.3 from 10 after over 50000 votes and Rotten Tomatoes has it at 78% fresh. It is a curious thing in that there is a campaign on imdb to ruin the film from supposed fans. It is normally the critics that decide and often suceed in destroying a film before it has even got out of the starting stalls but the critical reviews were generally pretty good. Mail, Express, Times, NOTW, Sun all gave 4 stars. The braodsheets were not so generous but still found a lot to like in the film.
I remember The Temple of Doom got pretty negative critical reviews giving 2 stars on average when it come out in 1984 but the fans liked it and time has seen the critics grow to hold the film with some affection.
I saw the film on the very first showing at 12.05 am 22/5/08. I did say to Nibble that I was looking forward to the film very much but feared it could never live up to the weight of expectation and I think I was right. I thought it was the weakest of the 4 films but having said that still very much enjoyed it and thought it was a film for a 2 hours summer escapism with some pretty decent action scenes.
It started off very well although the thing I noticed most about the aging Indiana was not his pyschique but his voice. He sounds like an old man now and this took some getting used to. He has lost his sparkle of youth but thats to be expected and he is in great nick for 65. The scene in the Warehouse and rocket launcher was great. The CGI groundhogs were a little bizarre but did not really bother me. the much discussed nuclear explosion and fridge scene was pretty well done, ok, totally unbelievable but then Indiana Jones was always invincible wasn't he like jumping hundreds of feet from a plane with 3 people and an inflatable raft and surviving that and a 200 foot fall from a cliff into some rapids. I think the fridge was a Spielberg nod to Indiana's invincibilty but some people thought it was over the top, fair enough.
The introduction of Mutt and the bike chase was great fun and I thought Shia Labeouff did a decent performamnce but if he became Indiana Jones it just would not be the same. The middle bit sagged a bit when the story was laid down but I suppose en effort had to be made to tell a tale. When they arrived in Peru the film rattled on with the quicksand, jungle car chase, this section was very good imo, people did not like the Monkeys and rope swinging it seems and the driving off the cliff and 3 waterfalls was yes over the top and unbelievable but I do not go to see Indiana Jones for a sense of realism. The ending again has received a late of hate mail with the Aliens and flying saucer, it did not bother me as the film was based in 1957 with the Cold war , russain hostilities, alien paranioa and area 51 so the story reflected this period in time.
In summary there was a lot to enjoy and I think the film will be regarded in a fairer light in future years but some people seemed to expect or want Raiders Part 2 and time has moved on since then. I would have it as below
Last Crusade 8.9
Raiders 8.8
Temple of Doom 8.5
Crystal Skull 8.1
Good fun but the magic was somehow not quite there.
I remember The Temple of Doom got pretty negative critical reviews giving 2 stars on average when it come out in 1984 but the fans liked it and time has seen the critics grow to hold the film with some affection.
I saw the film on the very first showing at 12.05 am 22/5/08. I did say to Nibble that I was looking forward to the film very much but feared it could never live up to the weight of expectation and I think I was right. I thought it was the weakest of the 4 films but having said that still very much enjoyed it and thought it was a film for a 2 hours summer escapism with some pretty decent action scenes.
It started off very well although the thing I noticed most about the aging Indiana was not his pyschique but his voice. He sounds like an old man now and this took some getting used to. He has lost his sparkle of youth but thats to be expected and he is in great nick for 65. The scene in the Warehouse and rocket launcher was great. The CGI groundhogs were a little bizarre but did not really bother me. the much discussed nuclear explosion and fridge scene was pretty well done, ok, totally unbelievable but then Indiana Jones was always invincible wasn't he like jumping hundreds of feet from a plane with 3 people and an inflatable raft and surviving that and a 200 foot fall from a cliff into some rapids. I think the fridge was a Spielberg nod to Indiana's invincibilty but some people thought it was over the top, fair enough.
The introduction of Mutt and the bike chase was great fun and I thought Shia Labeouff did a decent performamnce but if he became Indiana Jones it just would not be the same. The middle bit sagged a bit when the story was laid down but I suppose en effort had to be made to tell a tale. When they arrived in Peru the film rattled on with the quicksand, jungle car chase, this section was very good imo, people did not like the Monkeys and rope swinging it seems and the driving off the cliff and 3 waterfalls was yes over the top and unbelievable but I do not go to see Indiana Jones for a sense of realism. The ending again has received a late of hate mail with the Aliens and flying saucer, it did not bother me as the film was based in 1957 with the Cold war , russain hostilities, alien paranioa and area 51 so the story reflected this period in time.
In summary there was a lot to enjoy and I think the film will be regarded in a fairer light in future years but some people seemed to expect or want Raiders Part 2 and time has moved on since then. I would have it as below
Last Crusade 8.9
Raiders 8.8
Temple of Doom 8.5
Crystal Skull 8.1
Good fun but the magic was somehow not quite there.
