Indiana Jones is good enough. By that I mean it doesn't do what numerous sequels have done and make you wish the movie was never made at all. This movie is mediocre true, but at least Indy doesn't suffer a harsh fate like the Bruce Willis' John McClane (Die Hard) whose wife divorces him before every sequel or Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K (Men in Black) who also gets dumped as a sacrifice to an inferior sequel. The worst perhaps was Sigourney Weaver's tragic fate between Aliens and Alien 3. At least Harrison Ford's entire family doesn't die nor is he somehow impregnated with a killer ET. Instead Indy is reunited with an old flame from the 1st movie, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and they actually hit it off together. How sweet.
It's also good to note that Spielberg's fun action chops are still in good form also. There are a duo of good chases sequences, a couple nice fist fights, and I especially liked the addition of man eating ants to the lexicon of snakes, bugs, and rats.
Shia LeBouf, although an actor I respect, doesn't scream action hero or greaser badass to me. I'm not sure who I would cast in his stead but I'd be surprised if there weren't a better unknown out there. Someone with a little more dangerous edge. Cate (the Great) Blanchett also leaves something to be desired as the Soviet dominatrix Dr. Irina Spalko. Try as she might I couldn't help but be reminded of that movie cliche 'the Implausibly tough girl.' Is it really believable that she can do all those physical feats with that skinny build.
Still Shia and Cate are never entirely unenjoyable. What huge flaw this movie has concerns the aliens, which in this movie take the place of earlier mystical stalwarts like God and Indian Voodoo. The problem with aliens though is that they don't come equipped with any real sense of purpose. I mean, I can understand why God hates Nazis or why a Cultish deity would desire blood sacrifice, but I don't get why aliens would especially dislike Soviets. I still don't understand how Cate actually met her fate or why the aliens would want to kill her. If Lucas and Spielberg could have given reasonable motivation to the ET's I think this movie could have been just as good as the other three.
There is still plenty to like here though. I especially like the fifties stereotypes. The Anti-communist rally, the fight between the squares and greasers, and especially the completely unexpected involvement of a (Spoiler Alert!) nuclear blast. (Spoiler Ended)
Almost Spielberg and Lucas Almost. They haven't killed the franchise yet by the way. They could conceivably make another one and I would probably find my way to seeing it.
(The last movie I saw at the Odeon in Firenze)
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