Cast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Karen Allen, Shia LeBeouf, Ray Winstone
Director: Steven Spielberg

So Indy is finally back for the long awaited fourth instalment of the popular Indiana Jones franchise which has over the years become part of almost every childhood.
This latest collaboration between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg sees swashbuckling archaeologist, Indy (Harrison Ford) quite characteristically,

kidnapped by the Soviet KGB who intend to use the remains of an extra terrestrial being from the Roswell crash to breed a new form of psychic weaponry. The story takes Indy to Peru to delve deeper into the Mayan ruins in order to return the crystallised skull of what appears to be an alien.

On his way he is joined by upcoming young star Shia Lebeouf (Transformers) who plays a biker/greaser named Mutt desperate to save his mother from the clutches of the KGB. Others like Harold Oxley (John Hurt) and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) who co-stars as the same character in Indy in the Raiders of the Lost Ark also join Dr. Jones on his journey. Ray Winstone (Beowulf) plays fellow treasure hunter Mac whose greed makes it difficult to know which side he's on.

Unfortunately Dr. Henry Jones Sr., who was played by the brilliant Sean Connery is no more alive in this film. So was Spielberg really able to capture the magic of the Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Last Crusade or is it clichéd and overcooked like the Temple of Doom?

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, just like its predecessors is not void of the awful one-liners, corny humour and over-the-top action sequences but honestly that is exactly what true Indy fans like myself hope for. This time Spielberg did not hold back from overwhelming the audience with any one of the important criteria which makes a good Indy flick.

The first positive aspect is probably that the plot does not take long to unravel and George Lucas makes sure the faithful feel right at home with Ford piling on the characteristically comic one-liners from the word go. The film does not take very long to get into the action sequences either as a much older Ford was certainly battered with whole clusters of them right throughout the two hours. The completely improbable stunts and the cheesy dialogue in between death-defying jumps brings back the true essence of the Indiana Jones adventures which in my opinion is best captured in the first and third instalments.

Ford delivers a truly nostalgic performance of Indy and certainly does well to keep the hero alive without making it look too much like Sly Stalone in Rambo IV. This includes a 30-minute truck chase through the Peruvian jungle which by far was the greatest chase I have ever witnessed. The inclusion of Karen Allen also makes a great connection with the first film while newcomer Shia LeBeouf, adds the necessary youth and flair to the otherwise aging cast. The soundtrack also remains very close to the prequels and brought back a string of memories from the previous sequences.

The recurrent anti Nazi theme in the first and third films is replaced by the Soviet/communist theme in the fourth while Cate Blanchett who plays the evil Irina Spalko does a great job of creating, for the most part, a simple villain void of any complexity which is also appreciated in such films. Of course Blanchett could do no wrong with me.

My only real complaint would be the last 15 minutes of the film where the writers have clearly got carried away. No spoilers here but Spielberg's influence on the story will clearly be witnessed in the penultimate scene.

Apart from an obvious touch of Spielbergism at the end, the final scene somewhat contradicts Indy's character linking him with sudden life choices that otherwise Indy would never make. However, the film does provide the necessary closure to end the saga (which I'm hoping it won't be).

Final Analysis? I was laughing and jumping up and down right throughout the movie (which I normally never do), enjoying every minute of it, almost like in my younger days so get out there and watch it. And don't bother renting a DVD, watch it at the cinema – especially if you like the first three Indys.