I listened to Us Weekly staff writer Daniel Holloway's review on Indiana Jones and the Kindgom of the Crystal Skull this morning which was titled 'Indiana': Great Name, Nice Guy, Bad Movie. Daniel and Bryant Park continue to poke fun at the film and trash talk George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Trash talking Lucas isn't a new thing, there was plenty of that going on when he helmed the new Star Wars trilogy, especially the often annoying Phantom Menace. Daniel compares Shia Lebouf's character Mutt to Jar Jar Binks and the two agree that while Lucas's original trilogies are great, he seems to lose inspiration and fall short when he makes a 4th movie.
First of all, stepping back from my distaste of Jar Jar Binks (the kids seem to like him, he's an Ewok for a new generation), The Phantom Menace really wasn't all that bad. Recapturing greatness is very difficult, what that film does that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does is bring you back to the familiar. The opening scenes of both films reintroduce us to our beloved heroes and show us exactly what they are still capable of doing, exciting us. The two critics also throw in a slight stab at Spielberg, by questioning his re-editing of E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial, which I didn't like, but I can certain understand his good intentions of taking the guns out of the film. I saw E.T. when I was five years old in the theater, and if I had a five year old I could certainly undersand the desire to not subject your child to an image of violence.
What it comes down to is fun, this is what Star Wars, E.T., and Indiana Jones all have in common. They are captivating movies that stimulate the audience, they don't need to be critical successes. If you want critical success, go watch Citizen Kane, but if you want adventure and excitement, go watch Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It's exactly what every nostalgic person needs, a little of the familiar. As for George and Steven, give them a break, they've earned the right to make whatever movie they want to, their films don't always have to be genius, but they are always fun.