Dr Jones is back!

Well, the new Indiana Jones film is out…

In my opinion, go see it. Opinion of those I have spoken to seem to vary, but I loved it. I’m going to say exactly why, hopefully avoiding any major spoilers as I go…

Well to put it simply, it feels like an Indiana Jones film! It’s a proper sequel to one of the best trilogies ever made. Whether you find it a worthy sequel is down to your own opinion, but I will happily say that I find this superior to Temple of Doom. The overall feel of the film is so joyful, so unabashedly old fashioned, and so fun, that it’s just impossible not to enjoy the story.

And the story itself is a very interesting one… what is obviously known is that the film is set 19 years on from Indys last adventure,(the same as the length of actual years since the last film was released)  The last Crusade, and as such is set in 1957. No more Nazi’s people! No more do the classic film villains get another stab at ham-fisted glory! No, its now the ruskies chance at glory, and to be honest, their just like the Nazi’s were, so no problems there. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

As an actual note, its fun to see how the film adepts to the 20 year change. Russians reflect the fear of Communism in the 1950’s society, the nuclear age is shown in a way that will surprise those who see it, (and for those who have heard of it, yes IT IS that, and no, it doesn’t actually feel as ridiculous as it sounds) and gives the film a different kind of feel. The hilarious b-movies of the time are also given precedence, and shown in the different type of story compared to the previous films. The surprising thing is, despite being different in these ways the film feels very much like an Indiana Jones flick. This in part due to the direction itself, and of course due to the character himself.

Harrison Ford brandishes the bullwhip as if he had finished last crusade yesterday. A bold comment, but watching the film, you never sit there feeling that Ford is too old for the role, or that Indy is too old to be doing his stuff. In fact the film wields this expertly, bringing Indiana’s age when it needs to be, creating some very humorous moments, as well as some poignant ones, particularly for fans of the series. As for Ford himself, he’s clearly having a whale of a time, and fits into the role again perfectly. Personally I think Jones is Fords best and most definitive role (despite how brilliant Solo is) and this film cements it, even 20 odd years on. It’s the same old Indiana alright, just a little older and wiser… but not too much. That wouldn’t be any fun now would it?

Ray Winstone’s character is perfectly serviceable, but personally I think more could have been made more of him, particularly the history between him and Jones. Instead, he fits into a comic relief sort of role. Winstone does very well with it, but it’s a little bit of a missed opportunity. The same is true of Cate Blanchetts Russian villain. She seems to be a bit of a mash up of evil, displaying psychic powers at the beginning of the film that are never used again, and generally spends most of the film being stereotypically nasty. The nasty she does is good however, its just like Winestone, you get the feeling it could be slightly better.

Karen Allen is back as Marion Ravenwood, and this provides a nice link back to Raiders of the lost ark, although there’s another one of these hidden cleverly at the beginning of the film, which gave a few giggles to those who realised it. Allen is fantastic in the role, again the spark that existed between Indy and Marion is back (a spark that was never properly repeated in the subsequent films) and as strong as ever, and it’s most definitely one of the things that brings back nostalgic memories, and helps keep the Indy vibe going. It’s especially nice to have Marion back, as it completely turns the usual Jones “damsel romance” and gives a far more entertaining performance from the two actors because of it.

Shia LaBeouf was a highly scrutinised choice when it was announced he would be Indy’s primary sidekick for the film, but to be honest I think in terms of supporting characters he’s the films greatest asset. The banter between Jones and “Mutt” is brilliant, and LaBeouf also really helps bring the era into light, portraying brilliantly a “greaser” the complete opposite to Indiana’s sophisticated, educated side. Mutt as a character plays into the films better storyline, and is frankly brilliant to watch.

The films story successfully adds new styles, while also keeping itself squarely whithin the simple Indiana Jones story formula. While many have complained about the ending, I enjoyed it, and thought the story could have been expanded further. Whilst more could have been expanded on, such as Ray Winstones role, and Indiana’s relationship with his government, explained after the opening of the movie, the simple fact is that this is one of the funnest movies your likely to see all summer. It stays true to the spirit of the old films, and successfully carries on the torch.

It’s not the best movie so far this year (Iron Man hold that particular mantle for me) but it still deserves to be seen. Dr Jones is back.

After all, don’t you want to here that theme music boom out of cinema speakers once again?…