Indiana Jones IV

I've just finished reading this screenplay and all I can say is Lucas, what do you think you're playing at? :mad:

The final version that they filmed was lacking in so many ways that to find out that they had a far better (and more coherent) script and decided not to use it sickens me.

Yes, the Darabont script is darker and more complicated, but it also captures the Marion/Indy dynamic perfectly and the air chase scene (as pictured in my mind) would have been mindblowing.

All I can think is that George Lucas has been a bit cynical and is hoping to extend the franchise with Shia Leboeuf's young indy (who doesn't appear in the Darabont script) as the main character.
 
This is where the delights of individual taste come in, as I always rated Last Crusade as the worst of the three originals...

PS: Note to professional critics who have picked up on the title of 'Last Crusade', the 'Last' refers to the actual historical crusades, and not Indy's adventures. Had to get that off my chest! Some were scoffing that 'Last Crusade' is now a defunct title because of 'Kingdom'

It isn't...!!

I have always put Raiders at the top of my list, as it is not just the best Indy film, but a cinematic masterpiece in just how adventure films are done, and should look

The much maligned Temple of Doom is actually my second favourite, and I wonder if that is down to nostalgia, and my own very, very fond memories of my dad taking me to see it as a 10 year old one hot sunny afternoon in 1984

Temple of Doom to me, moved into the fantastical, but I loved how the Mcguffin was not so much an 'object' like the 'ark', but the Indy character himself, he was the driving force behind the film to me, it was all about Indy.

From that film comes, to my mind, the most iconic photograph of Harrison as the character

http://www.solarnavigator.net/films...films_images/indiana_jones_temple_of_doom.jpg

and also the movie, that to me, epitomises in one single cinematic shot the sheer excitement of a 'hollywood adventure movie' and that is the grainy, pulpy shot at the end where Indy runs toward camera and stops in the middle of the rope bridge, whip in one hand, sword in the other, only one sleeve and a bag of treasure...
 
I saw this last night at a (relatively empty) 930 showing at the Odeon in Huddersfield.

I'll echo some previous comments that it does indeed take a while to get used to Harrison ford in the role - I'm thinking if I'd seen him most recently in firewall say, not the original trilogy the adjustment may have been more smooth - however it wasn't until after the 1st 2 scenes that I felt comfortable with him. Again I agree that they should have maybe dyed his hair.

I walked out of the cinema and gave it 3/5. I was thinking if I was a kid would I have watched it again and again on video (like i did with the first 2 movies) and, yes, I would have. It does have all the requisite elements of an Indy picture - but unfortunately many of the traits of a (recent) Lucas effort also.

In conclusion it's an enjoyable enough romp, and a decent movie but certainly the weakest of the series.

*I actually support the sci-fi themes of the movie - It's no different in my eyes to using religion - and fits the 50's like a glove - it's just somewhat overcooked*
 
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It was a great idea....I'd have given it a higher rating if they had had a clearer idea of where the hell they were going with it.

3 and a half out of 5 for the effort.
 
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