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 Reviewer’s grade: B+
Audiences have been waiting nearly 20 years for another dose of whip-crack antics and in most respects, the fourth Indy flick, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” is worth the wait. Like the previous three, the film is fun and fast, with most of the entertainment coming as one big chase scene throughout the movie.
“Crystal Skull” starts with a frenzy as Indiana (Harrison Ford) finds himself in the clutches of a band of Russian villains, led by the lithe, sword-swinging Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There,” “Notes on a Scandal”), a power-mad dominatrix type obsessed with the idea of supernatural war toys. Indy escapes the Russians for a while, but loses his tenured professorship. Before he can flee the country in a huff, Indy is approached by a leather-clad hothead greaser named Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf, “Transformers,” “Disturbia”), who bears news that Indy’s friend Professor Oxley (John Hurt, “V for Vendetta,” “Hellboy”) and Mutt’s mom have disappeared in Peru while searching for a crystal skull and its tie to the mythical city of gold, El Dorado.
Die-hard followers are likely to be a bit disappointed its hard-to-believe climax. Still, “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” is a fun ride. PG-13
—Joe Wertz Trailer
Rating:
 
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