Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Director: Steven Spielberg
Story: George Lucas and David Koepp
Starring: Harrison Ford, Shia LeBeouf and Cate Blanchett

It has been 19 years since Indiana Jones graced the big screen with his presence and I’m glad to say he’s back in style and it feels like he never left.

Few big screen trilogies have been as highly regarded as those written by George Lucas. He captured the imaginations of an entire generation in 1977 with Star Wars and then did so again in 1981 with Indiana Jones, this time bringing in old friend, Steven Spielberg, a man with a record as impressive as Lucas’. In both trilogies Lucas also had found a leading man capable of carrying both trilogies in Harrison Ford. Ford, a star in the making thanks to Star Wars, cemented his leading man status with Indiana Jones and became an idol to many fans.

Now, fast forward to 1999 and Lucas is releasing his first new Star Wars film in 16 years. Filling in the history of the galaxy he established in his original trilogy, armed with the latest special effects but minus most of his original cast, The Phantom Menace brought in a lot of new fans to the Star Wars franchise but almost alienated many fans of his original trilogy. While some respect was regained with the following two Star Wars prequels, it certainly cast some doubt over whether Lucas still had all of that old magic. Now, it is 2008 and we are seeing the return of another Lucas creation in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It has been 19 years since the last Indiana Jones film was released and despite the return of Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg, there has been a fair amount of fear in addition to anticipation over whether this new film would capture the magic of the original films.

I am happy to say that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is not only a fun, action packed summer blockbuster, it is also an Indiana Jones film. I can think of no higher compliment to award it. It has been 19 years since the last film and Harrison Ford is older than and not as spry as he was and it has been a long time since Lucas and Spielberg have worked with these characters but it doesn’t take long for them to find that old rhythm. Opening with action and intrigue, the film feels a little uncertain at first, no doubt reflecting the feelings of audiences that have been around to remember the earlier Indiana Jones films before we had CGI. But after the opener, we get a moment to stop, breathe, and catch up with what has happened with our characters in the 19 years since we last saw them (the film taking place 19 years after the last, from 1938, now to 1957 reflecting the real world time gap between films). These scenes add a new spin to our old character. Like the audience, Indiana himself doubts his abilities and future in these new times and different attitudes (again a comparison between the 1930s and 1950s of the film and the 1980s and 2000s for audiences). This sets the stage for the new film and for the characters as Indiana is quickly involved in a new adventure as he’s brought in to rescue an old friend, lost on a quest and facing a new enemy (the Soviets of the 50s filling in for the Nazis of the 30s).
Almost everything from here on is vintage Indiana Jones. Indiana, and Harrison Ford, find new energy, reunite with old friends (seeing Karen Allen return as Marion Ravenwood is a heartwarming sight for any old fan), being brought in a mystery of a lost civilization, finding the clues, fighting the enemy, big action and a bigger finale. Everything that’s old feels fresh again and while the film injects a little of the Sci-Fi sensibilities of 1950s cinema into the plot, it feels natural rather than forced.

There are some flaws however, and most of these lie with the film’s appeal to newer audiences. There are many nods to old fans and successful attempts to appeal to the nostalgia possessed by old fans of the franchise that might not appeal to newer audiences who have never seen an Indiana Jones film or came to them after growing up on a diet of CGI blockbusters and superheroes. The romantic subplot in particular might not appeal to newer audiences that haven’t seen Raiders of the Lost Ark. Also, while Spielberg has only gotten better over the years at delivering exciting action sequences (and there are some fantastic ones here, a jungle chase sequence in particular is stunning), the occasional uses of CGI feels oddly out of place and sometimes make the dangers our characters face seem less real than those faced in the past.

In the end though, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull succeeds admirably in its goal of being an Indiana Jones film. Performances are mostly top notch. Ford and Allen recapture their chemistry as Indy and Marion, Cate Blanchett is an effective villain and Shia LeBeouf holds his own admirably and certainly proves capable of carrying the torch should rumors of a new Indiana Jones franchise prove true. Ray Winstone and John Hurt provide decent support, although their roles are fairly underdeveloped. Hurt’s character in particular serves mainly to be an expository device. But everyone works together well and the most important performance, Harrison Ford’s, captures his old character perfectly.

Overall, while there are a few minor nitpicks for old fans and some aspects might seem unappealing to new fans, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is fitting addition to the Indiana Jones series and can stand proud alongside the rest. Not the best Indiana Jones film but certainly an equal. Indy is back!

Rating: 4/5

Charlie Bartlett

Director: Jon Poll
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr & Hope Davis

A mildly amusing comedy that has some good moments but is ultimately less than the sum of its part.

There is some uncertainty surrounding Charlie Bartlett. There seems to some confusion over who Charlie Bartlett is and, as such, it leaves the film feeling somewhat uneven. As the film begins, we have a scene where Bartlett is being expelled from his private school for producing and selling illegal IDs. This rebellious act and that he has also been expelled from several other private schools prior to this, gives an impression that Bartlett is more rebellious than he later appears to be. When Bartlett is then forced to attend a public school as a result, the potential is set up for an enjoyable and, perhaps, thought provoking comedy but is, instead, something much more mild mannered.

Bartlett arrives at public school and promptly discovers his intellect is not as winning with the student body here as he believed it might be and finds there are troublemakers far worse than he. Wanting to be popular, Bartlett exploits his intellectual image and his access to prescription medication through various psychiatrists to become his school’s drug dealer. His motives and methods to become popular, along with his background make Bartlett a difficult lead to like. It does not help that aspects of his character bear similarities to other, more successful, films. An intellectual standing out from the rest of his classmates? Sounds like Rushmore. Access to various avenues of psychoanalysis, whilst having an eccentric family background? Igby Goes Down. Rebelling against the school principal whilst dating his daughter? Too many films to name.

The film that Charlie Bartlett most seems to imitate however is Risky Business, the 1983 comedy that set Tom Cruise on his road to stardom. Where Cruise’s character Joel, was a rich kid who rebels and starts his own prostitution racket, Bartlett rebels against his school by dealing drugs. In one scene, Bartlett parades around in his underwear, wearing sunglasses and randomly singing. Remind you of a scene from Risky Business?

Charlie Bartlett also does not appear to say anything original or risk straying outside of its comfort zone. Bartlett’s relationships with his mother, his girlfriend and the principal seem to wrap up too easily when the consequences of his actions are realized. The suicide attempt of a student overdosing on Bartlett’s drugs and the rising alcoholism of his principal all solve themselves in the end without any major lessons learned for Bartlett.

Performance-wise, Yelchin is watchable as Bartlett but his inexperience as a lead actor shows and some scenes (like when Bartlett trips out on Ritalin) come over as forced and the overall mild mannered nature of his performance makes it difficult to believe that Bartlett is capable of gaining the popularity and respect of the students that he receives. Hope Davis offers a decent performance as Bartlett’s mother but her performance here suffers slightly in comparison to similar roles in the past. The one stand out performance in the film is Robert Downey Jr as the school’s principal. His principal is a man trying to run a school when he’d rather be teaching instead while also having to raise a daughter alone and struggling with alcoholism is response to the stress he feels. Downey Jr’s principal then finds Bartlett to be a major obstacle preventing him from managing what is, already, a difficult set of responsibilities. Robert Downey Jr actually delivers such a strong performance the film suffers whenever he is off screen and his character feels more interesting and sympathetic than Bartlett himself.

Overall, Charlie Bartlett is a decent film with a good performance from Robert Downey Jr. While it has some good moments though, it owes too much too other films that have covered similar grounds and suffers to add anything worthwhile in comparison. Charlie Bartlett is a rebel, just not a memorable one.

Rating: 2/5

Speed Racer

Director: Andy & Larry Wachowski
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Matthew Fox & John Goodman

A stylish, if shallow, live action adaptation of the 1960s Japanese Anime.

First off, the Wachowskis (creators of The Matrix films), have done impressive work bringing the 2D Japanese Anime series Speed Racer to life as a 3D, live action and CGI universe. All bright neon lights and futuristic design, Speed Racer is likely to amaze younger viewers and should impress more discerning adult viewers. And, while clearly CGI, you are able to suspend disbelief and revel in a cartoon come to life. Unfortunately, the directors have not put quite as much effort into the characters or their story as they had in creating their world.

While Speed Racer is based on a popular children’s cartoon and is, therefore, a film whose target audience will mainly be children and older fans of the same cartoon, it still feels as though the storyline is thin and the characters two-dimensional (ironic since this film adapts a 2D series into 3D for film). Many other family films are capable of looking good and delivering a decent story, Pixar for example, but the Wachowski’s have chosen to focus purely on the racing aspect of the cartoon and builds a story around them. Speed Racer, middle son of the Racer family, has always wanted to race. His father builds race cars and his older brother drove them, until his death. Speed just wants to race like his brother did but, when he turns down an offer of racing for a greedy racing corporation; Speed finds his career at risk and must race to prove that corporations don’t control racing, him or his family. So far, so good but the delivery comes over rather too simplistically, corporations are bad, the little guy is good and try your hardest and you can win.

Characters are similarly simplified and the casting suffers for it. Susan Sarandon has little to do as the supportive mother, Christina Ricci is the spunky girlfriend but takes a second place to racing in Speed’s heart though the effect this might have on their relationship is not explored, Roger Allam is so OTT as the villainous business man Royalton that it’s hard to believe anyone is surprised when his nature is exposed to the world and Paulie Litt perfects the role of annoying little brother in that his presence distracts scenes away from more important characters and events. Emile Hirsch, an up and coming talent, plays the lead role of Speed Racer, and while usually a strong performer instead feels quite bland and wooden here. A lot of the problems with the characters lie, not with the cast, but with the directors who rely too much on clichéd dialogue which might be faithful to the cartoon on which it is based, but does not give any of the characters any real depth or insight.

The Wachowski’s also make miss-steps in the first half of the film in regards to pacing. For a film called Speed Racer, about racing and starring a character called Speed Racer, it seems odd that the opening races in the film suffer constant interruptions to show flashbacks of the characters and how they came to be where they are in the present. The races lack the feeling of adrenaline present in other racing films or even action films and a main racing sequence in the middle of the film stops for a break half way through just as it starts to impress, although the middle racing sequence still feels a little too similar to the Pod Race from Star Wars: Episode One. It’s not until the final race that the audience gets to see a race that truly impresses and when it comes it is a sequence that will take your breath away.

Overall, while the film looks great, as some decent racing/action sequences and ends quite strong, the underdeveloped characters and story does not live up to the visuals and the films struggles too much to get moving in the first half that it’s final shot of energy feels too little too late and no family film, especially one about racing, should clock in at over two hours in length. So, Speed Racer is a film with style, but little substance.

Rating: 2/5

Teeth

Director: Mitchell Lichtenstein
Starring: Jess Weixler, John Hensley & Ashley Springer

A unique and brave idea results in some effective shocks but the execution does not always live up to the potential of its premise.

Destined to become a cult horror based purely on its subject matter alone, Teeth deals with the Vagina Dentata myth as teenage Christian Dawn (Jess Weixler) finds she has more than just religious reasons to maintain her virginity but also finds that her condition to have the potential to be empowering. It’s a tricky subject matter and one that is certainly more likely to prey on male fears than female which makes Teeth stand out from other horrors where women are usually the victim.

What follows is a film that is often chilling although its low budget production sometimes proves to be as much a hindrance to the film’s tone as it helps. The film starts off with a cute opening scene with Dawn and her bullying step brother, Brad as children in a paddling pool. Playing a variation of “I’ll show you mine”, it proceeds to Brad receiving a minor injury that not only hints at the type of individual Brad will become later in life but also at Dawn’s condition. Moving on to the present day and Dawn is now a leading member of her school’s chastity group. Her role allows her condition to go, believably, undiscovered from childhood and her conservative beliefs allow Dawn herself to live her life unaware that she is different than other girls. Her beliefs also mean she has reason to fear sex, at least before marriage, so when a fellow group member romances her and later proceeds to pressure into sex, the result is horrifying as Dawn and her attacker discover she has teeth where none should be. The horror is effectively conveyed and uses some graphic, yet effective, effects to render the gore and this attacks remains shocking afterwards when Dawn goes to see a gynecologist about her condition with predictable, but no less effective, results.

After the halfway point though the film begins to falter. Unsure about its direction or just unsure on how to get to its destination, the plot begins to wander as Dawn is presented with more occasions with which to risk sex and horror. At this point it seems clear that are limited ways in which to use her condition and the introduction of some black humor regarding her situation has limited success and while it seems obvious that a confrontation with her step brother has been due since the film’s opening scene, the climax of that particular sub-plot is somewhat dullened by previous scenes. There is also a very uneven musical score in the film that rarely manages to set a strong tone in the scenes where it is used and sometimes feels reminiscent of low budget TV drama.

Overall, thanks to some effective horror in the first hour, and a strong performance by Jess Weixler as Dawn conveying her early innocence and fears as they become strengths effectively, Teeth is still an above average horror and succeeds in its role as a cautionary tale. It does falter somewhat in its later scenes and occasionally in its execution but it is still an interesting film and worth seeing for its attempts to add something new to the horror genre.

Rating: 3/5

Iron Man

Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jeff Bridges & Gwyneth Paltrow

Iron Man kicks off the 2008 summer blockbuster season with plenty of fun and style due, in no small part, to the performance of Robert Downey Jr.

Unlike Batman, Superman and Spider-Man, Iron Man, while a recognizable superhero name, is a superhero without an origin as memorable as those that have seen movie adaptations previously. Not the son of murdered parents, not the last son of another planet, not bitten by radioactive spiders, ask the average filmgoer how Iron Man came to be and most would be stumped. Luckily this is not a problem when it comes to making the film. While maintaining a lot of accuracy to his comic book origins, Iron Man is a hero whose origins are simpler and more relevant to today’s climate. Iron Man is Tony Stark, a wealthy businessman whose company designs weapons. When attacked by a terrorist group using his own weapons who take him hostage to demand he build them more, Stark turns his skills towards building a weapon to free him from his captors. What he creates is a suit of armor and from his experiences realizes the errors of his money-making ways and the innocents harmed by the weapons he has produced. His choice then is to modify and improve his suit and proceed to protect the innocents instead of endanger them.

The use of weapons manufacturing, greedy corporations and terrorism seems even more relevant today than ever before (originally Stark was captured in Vietnam in his 1960s incarnation, now changed to Afghanistan) and add a bit more realism than would normally be expected of the superhero genre movie. Finding an actor then that could play a billionaire inventor who is believably blind to the problems his corporation has caused yet willing to take action when these problems come to life might seem difficult. In this case, director Jon Favreau chooses well in the casting of Robert Downey Jr. Downey Jr is an actor whose life bears some resemblance to that of his character Tony Stark. Initially thriving off his success early in his career, Downey Jr hit bottom after several publicly acknowledged cases of drug and alcohol abuse and several stints in rehab, yet has recently turned his life a career around to find himself back on top again with a new lease on life. This history certainly helps in establishing believability in Downey Jr’s role as Stark. He is also extremely charming and delivers wisecracks and sarcasm with style adding much humor to his character, his journey and even to his relationships.

It also helps that Iron Man has a strong supporting cast, most notable amongst them is Gwyneth Paltrow as Stark’s long suffering assistant Pepper Potts, without whom Stark’s life would fall apart and whose relationship with Stark also includes a very touching romance that neither is completely prepared for. Terrance Howard is solid as Stark’s best friend, Jim Rhodes whose character should be destined for greater things should future installments in the Iron Man movie franchise see light and seems to be in capable hands with Howard. Jeff Bridges is also good as Stark’s business partner and enemy Obadiah Stane, adding some intimidating physicality to the role despite the character’s personality and motivations actually being the least developed of the film and relying too much and stereotypical villain traits. Whilst lacking the humanizing factor, the sympathetic angle on a Spider-Man villain or the moral complexity of a Batman villain, Stark’s enemy Stane and the terrorists he faces in earlier scenes suffer from being too two dimensional in comparison and especially so in comparison to Stark and his friends but Jeff Bridges manages well enough to make an impression regardless thought when the final conflict between himself and Stark comes, it comes in the form of a very impressive CGI battle between Stark as Iron Man and himself in his own armored battle suit.

Iron Man also benefits from some effective CGI as Iron Man himself looks very convincing and the battle scenes within the film rendered very well, no doubt due to machines being easier to render realistically then flesh and also following on from last year’s Transformers movie.

Overall this was a very enjoyable action/superhero film. Downey Jr and Paltrow are great to watch, the action is great and the story is good when compared to many other superhero origin films and future storylines promise to maintain the balance of fun and action following on from an excellent decision made by Tony Stark in the film’s closing press conference scene. A good start to the summer and to the franchise.

Rating: 4/5