Classic Review: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Upon its initial release, the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, wasn’t received particularly well by fans. Its over abundance of CGI, strange sci-fi story, irritating characters and lackluster action scenes, all culminated in an experience which doesn’t feel much like anything seen in the previous three films. While the film found success at the box office, there was always a divide between critics and audiences. So how does it hold up 15 years later? Who was right? Well, the answer is both. Although the film’s issues are still glaring, there is an undeniable nostalgic factor to it all.

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull sees renowned archeologist Indiana Jones (Ford) team up with a young man named Mutt Williams (Shia LaBoeuf) to unearth the mystery behind the legendary Crystal Skull. The Indiana Jones franchise is responsible for some of the best openings of all time. Raiders of the Lost Ark delivers an epic opener fueled by adventure, The Temple of Doom offers a bonkers, musical number before an awesome shootout, and The Last Crusade delivers a high-octane Indy origin story. However, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull kicks off with a peculiar opening, one where four college students racing a heavily armored army convoy. But as soon as Indy shows up on screen in his iconic fedora, that’s where it really takes off.

Unfortunately, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is full of unnecessary CGI which goes against the one thing the franchise has been known for which is its jaw-dropping practical stunt work. The action here just feels incredibly underwhelming, and lacks character. That being said, the film does have a few memorable set pieces, however, they are memorable for the wrong reasons. The moment when Mutt swings through the vines with monkeys is hilarious and ridiculous, and the moment when Indy climbs into a fridge to evade an atomic bomb is nonsense. There’s no sense of wonder or whimsy to be had, nor a sense of adventure, something that the Indiana Jones films are so well known for.

Likewise, the plot also doesn’t help its case. While the previous films in the franchise have centered around mystical objects, Spielberg always found a way to make an object that could melt faces, drastically increase ones aging within seconds, or make a bad guy want to rip out the hearts of their enemies, somewhat believable. However, this film lacks that same sense of realism which stems from the fact that the object in question here is an alien object. But despite all its faults, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is still a ton of fun.

Through the cast’s performances and John Williams’ epic score, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is full of nostalgia and adventure in a way that is sure to resonate with a lot of audiences. Ford once again kicks-ass as Indiana Jones and Blanchet is great as the villain, Irina Spalko,  and despite the hate that LaBeouf received as Mutt Williams, he was still a ton of fun. Meanwhile, it was awesome seeing Karen Allen return to the franchise once more as Marion Ravenwood. Her chemistry with Ford hasn’t aged a day and their relationship has not missed a beat.

In the end, despite the hate that The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull received, it is still a fun adventure movie. That being said, its faults can’t be easily dismissed. Ultimately, with its over-the-top energy, fantastic cast, and another iconic John Williams score, it is a film that definitely did not deserve all the hate that it got 15 years ago.

still courtesy of Lucasfilm

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Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.