Indiana Jones and the Dial of Diminishing Returns?

 

Indiana Jones came out of retirement for one last adventure on June 30 for James Mangold’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, a film rife with nostalgia in Disney’s continued plundering of time-tested IP in pursuit of theatrical fortune and glory. Given the lukewarm box office reception in its debut weekend, during which it fell short of projections by whipping up just $82 million domestically over five days, it’s safe to say that fortune eluded Indy this time around – especially given its $300 million budget. As for the glory? Well, that depends.

Way back in 2008, I was remarkably high on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, a film that became the subject of much derision due to its fridge-nuking propensity for silliness. Although I affirm that Crystal Skull is still the weakest in the series to this day (spoiler: Dial of Destiny is a stronger film), it still has that classic Steven Spielberg charm in spots and features Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones – one of the greatest marriages of actor and character in movie history.

And it’s that strength of Ford’s performance that carries much of Dial of Destiny, even when it veers into the realm of the preposterous. Infamously a curmudgeon in the press these days, Ford, 80, has a twinkle in his eye as he closes the curtain on a character that he, Spielberg and George Lucas created more than 40 years ago. Indy alumni Karen Allen and John Rhys-Davies return as Marion Ravenwood and Sallah, joined by series newcomers Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indy’s goddaughter Helena Shaw, Ethann Isidore as aspiring aviator Teddy, and Mads Mikkelsen as the villainous Jürgen Voller. The story, which spans several decades, revolves around Archimedes’ Dial, a device that gives its wielder the power to transcend space and time.

Mangold had big shoes to fill in directing the first and only Indiana Jones film not helmed by Spielberg, but as he did with the phenomenal Logan, he tells a compelling story about an aging hero coming to terms with the mistakes of the past and the mounting limits of his mortality. A well-paced first act shows us a younger World War II-era Indy (by way of some impressive de-aging technology) escaping Nazis on board a speeding train, where we’re introduced to the film’s main villain and the titular Dial (or at least half of it). We then catch up with an elderly Indy in 1969 on the cusp of his retirement, but a chance reconnection with his estranged goddaughter Helena brings him back into conflict with Nazis and back into pursuit of an artifact that has the power to alter the course of history.

A fun first act gives way to a muddy middle that caused me to look at my own Dial of Destiny (my watch) a few times, and the climax is going to be something scholars (nerds) debate for a long, long time. That said, for a series that’s featured beating hearts plucked from chests, an eleventh-century knight living long enough to learn the Charleston and actual ALIENS, I didn’t bump into the film’s final scenes as much as some other people on the internet and I’m satisfied with where Indy ultimately winds up.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny likely won’t be the most memorable film you see this year or even this summer, and anyone expecting it to reach the highs of the original three films will be as disappointed as Walter Donovan when he wet his whistle in the Canyon of the Crescent Moon. That said, getting to see Ford as Indiana Jones one more time goes a long way. And when it comes to long-running, decades-spanning franchises – Indy or otherwise – it’s not the years. It’s the mileage.  

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Trailer Reveals De-Aged Indy, Teases Plot

Sallah’s BACK, baby!!!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was missing a few things that made the classic three films, well, classic, but chief among them was Indy’s pal Sallah, played impeccably by John Rhys-Davies in both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. He joins the returning Harrison Ford in globe-trotting – and potentially time-trotting – fifth installment of the franchise, titled Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. 

New cast members include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen and Antonio Banderas. James Mangold (Logan) directs the film, which is the first Indy installment without Steven Spielberg at the helm.

Given our glimpse at a de-aged Indy and, of course, the “dial” mentioned in the title, it seems as though we might be bringing time travel into the mix. Will it work? I guess only time will tell. 

See an elder Indy crack his whip and perhaps a jaw or two in the first trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, arriving in theaters June 30, 2023.

Disney Confirms 'Indiana Jones' Sequel

May the 5th Indiana Jones movie be with you.

Okay, it doesn't have the same ring as "May the 4th be with you," but I imagine there will be a Star Wars Day-esque celebration on the horizon for the Indiana Jones franchise after Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed to Vanity Fair that a Disney sequel is in the works for the bullwhip-toting archaeologist. 

Another Indiana Jones film "will one day be made inside this company," Kennedy said.  "When it will happen, I'm not quite sure. We haven't started working on a script yet, but we are talking about it."

Whether this film will star Harrison Ford or a franchise newcomer such as long-rumored Indy apparent Chris Pratt remains to be seen. I feel like the last film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, has aged worse than any film made over the last decade, so I hope Disney turns back the clock and recasts the character, or at least produces a fifth film that doesn't acknowledge the last one. Mutt Williams who?

For the full story, click here. 

All-Female 'Ghostbusters' Cast Revealed

As millions of geeks rejoiced upon learning that Disney was considering Chris Pratt as the next Indiana Jones, The Hollywood Reporter dropped another huge bombshell this week that's bound to be a lot more divisive than the idea of Star-Lord in a fedora: The all-female Ghostbusters reboot has a cast.

According to the report, director Paul Feig will likely be reuniting with Bridesmaids stars Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, with Saturday Night Live's Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon rounding out the core cast.

I'm not at all against this casting (half of which we could have guessed months ago), but I still can't shake the feeling that this reboot is fueled by a gimmick. Yes, I'm accusing a remake of a comedy about a team of ghost exterminators as being "gimmicky."

For the full story, head over to hollywoodreporter.com.

'Indiana Jones' Distribution Rights Shift to Disney

You knew it was coming. More than one year after Disney acquired Lucasfilm Ltd. and revealed plans to continue George Lucas’ Star Wars saga, The House of Mouse has secured the rights to market and distribute future films in the Indiana Jones series. Deadline.com reports that the original studio, Paramount Pictures, retains the rights to the original four Indiana Jones films, and will also be entitled to “financial rewards” for any future Indy flicks produced by Disney.

The big question is, does this mean Disney is actually interested in more sequels after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was savaged by critics and reviled by fans? Personally, I’d love to see Indiana Jones in an animated series of films, sparing us the indignity of seeing “tough guy” Shia LaBeouf in Mutt Williams and the Lost Opportunity.

‘Indiana Jones 5’ Unlikely

Acclaimed producer and longtime Steven Spielberg collaborator Frank Marshall has all but confirmed that a fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise isn’t in the cards.

“I say, for me, [Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is] the last hurrah,” Marshall told Collider.com. “I know that yes, we talk about it, but there’s no idea, there’s no MacGuffin.”

Phew. That’s a relief.

For the uninitiated, a MacGuffin is a plot device that motivates the protagonist. In the case of the Indiana Jones series, the MacGuffin is an artifact Indy must find or recover, represented in previous installments as the Ark of the Covenant, the Sankara Stones, the Holy Grail and, finally, a Crystal Skull. Since there’s no concrete idea for a fifth installment, and with franchise creator George Lucas announcing recently that he was done with Lucasfilm—naming Marshall’s wife Kathleen Kennedy as his successor—it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing Harrison Ford don his trademark fedora onscreen ever again. And based on how Crystal Skull turned out, this is awesome news.

To check out the full story, click here.

Spielberg Talks ‘Indy 4,’ ‘Nuking the Fridge’ and the possibility of another ‘Jurassic Park’ Film

It’s settled then. As much as jaded children of the ‘80s blamed Star Wars mastermind George Lucas for Indiana Jones’ refrigerator-aided escape from a nuclear explosion in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, director and longtime Lucas collaborator Steven Spielberg claims full responsibility for the ill-received sequence.

“Blame me. Don't blame George,” Spielberg said in a recent interview with Empire. “That was my silly idea. People stopped saying ‘jump the shark.’ They now say, ‘nuked the fridge.’ I'm proud of that. I'm glad I was able to bring that into popular culture."

What Spielberg isn’t necessarily proud of was the inclusion of aliens (or “inter-dimensional beings”) at the core of the story. The director seems to side with critics and fans who don’t think extraterrestrials belong in the Indiana Jones series.

“I didn't want these things to be either aliens or inter-dimensional beings,” Spielberg admitted. “But I am loyal to my best friend. When he writes a story he believes in—even if I don’t believe in it—I’m going to shoot the movie the way George [envisioned] it.”

But what about Jurassic Park 4, a film that has been talked about for the better part of the last decade? Spielberg claims we could be seeing his dinosaurs wreck havoc once again in the near future.

“The screenplay is being written right now by Mark Protosevich,” he said. “I’m hoping that will come out in the next couple of years. We have a good story. We have a better story for four than we had for three...”

Let’s hope so. For the full story, click here.

Shia LaBeouf Talks ‘Indy 5’

Although Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf won’t be returning for the Hasbro franchise’s inevitable fourth onscreen outing—and neither will director Michael Bay—the 25-year-old actor is planning to reprise the role of Mutt Williams in a fifth Indiana Jones film.

In an interview with MTV promoting Transformers: Dark of the Moon at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards, LaBeouf said that a sequel to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull “is not so far off,” and that series’ veteran star Harrison Ford is staying in peak physical condition for when he is called upon to don Indy’s trademark fedora and leather jacket once again.

“I talked to Harrison Ford,” LaBeouf said in the interview, which you can watch here. “He said he's staying in the gym, he said he’s heard no word, but he does know that George [Lucas] is out there looking for a MacGuffin.”

Let me come right out and say it. Yes, I was very complimentary of Crystal Skull when it was originally released. Maybe I was riding high on the incredible wave of Indiana Jones nostalgia that had overtaken many of us the summer of 2007, but I didn’t want to believe that Lucas, Spielberg and Ford had screwed up. Unfortunately, I bought the DVD later that year, and came to realize that Crystal Skull didn’t need to be made and never justified its existence with a compelling narrative. Nowadays, I can’t watch it for more than 20 minutes before I feel the need to turn it off or change the channel.

Bellyaching aside, LaBeouf as Indy’s rebellious son was the least of the film’s problems, so his return to the series doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I’m more bothered that Lucas and Spielberg think they have another Indiana Jones tale worth telling. If the last film is any indication, as Indy himself might say, this franchise belongs in a museum.

Refrigerators. Very Dangerous. You Go First.

When I heard that Sideshow Collectibles was releasing an Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull action figure set based on the aged archaeologist’s escape from a nuclear explosion in a refrigerator, I assumed it was some kind of elaborate joke. After all, who would want to pay $174.99 to own and display a constant reminder of one of the most ludicrous and unintentionally hilarious moments in modern cinema?

The answer? At least 600 people. According to Sideshow’s website, this limited-edition 12-inch figure is already sold out, and it doesn’t even ship until early 2010.

Wow.

Click here for more info.

Indiana Jones 5 Is “Progressing”

In a recent interview with the BBC, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen star Shia LaBeouf said that director Steven Spielberg has “cracked the story” for a fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. The last sequel, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), featured LaBeouf as Indy’s son, Mutt Williams, who may or may not headline future installments once Harrison Ford hangs up his fedora and whip.

Fueling sequel speculation is producer Frank Marshall, who told Empire that Spielberg and series co-creator George Lucas are in the early stages of developing Indy 5. However, he says, nothing is “cracked” just yet.

“It’s really about the script,” Marshall said. “Once we see that, we’ll see. We’re not going to wait another 20 years. We’d all love to make another one. I’m anxious to hear the idea!”

He added, “We had a great time making the last one and, as Harrison said, we need to make this one soon. We're not getting any younger.” Ford will be 67 in July.

Further confirming that a sequel is in the works was a June 18 post on his Twitter page, in which Marshall wrote, “The story for Indy 5 is progressing. It is still in the research phase.”

Now, I don’t hate Crystal Skull. In fact, if you read my review last summer, I pretty much liked it when it hit theaters. However, unlike its predecessors, it doesn’t stand up to repeated viewings all that well. So why make another one? According to Box Office Mojo, Crystal Skull earned nearly $800 million worldwide during its theatrical run. I’d say that explains it.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of LOLZ

While I admittedly kind of liked Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for what it was—although my opinion of it has soured significantly since it hit theaters last May—I found it impossible not to crack a smile when I came across this parody trailer on Topless Robot this morning.

“Well, Well, Indiana Jones!”

South Park kicked off the second half of its twelfth season last night and…wow. It’s pretty clear that the series' writer/director Trey Parker was not all that impressed by Indiana Jones and the Kingdom and the Crystal Skull.

In the episode, titled “The China Probrem,” Cartman suspects that the elaborate opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympic Games were signaling a Chinese invasion of the United States. As is the case with most Cartman-centric storylines these days, Butters tag along as he takes customers and staff hostage at a local P.F. Chang’s. This plotline has its moments—particularly Butters accidentally shooting people “in the dick” (not cool)—but the episode truly shines in its secondary story.

At the beginning of the episode, Kyle is clearly traumatized. He and his friends were forced to watch as one of their close friends was raped. Of course, we soon learn that their friend is Indiana Jones. The assailants? George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Yep. South Park went there. To prevent this from ever happening again, the boys call for the arrest of Spielberg and Lucas for sexually assaulting their own creation. Poignant.

But the joke doesn’t end there. We actually get to see Lucas and Spielberg rape Indy through some downright disturbing scenes in homage to Deliverance and The Accused. It takes balls to go after two of the most powerful filmmakers in the world like this.

Oh, and Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull will be released on DVD October 14, but I doubt anyone will look at that film the same way ever again. Personally, I thought Crystal Skull was a fun movie (and hey, so did Butters), but I have to appreciate the satire at play here.

Check out SouthParkStudios.com to watch this episode in its entirety. Just don’t do it at work.

Harrison Ford Talks Indy 5

In an October 3 interview with the Los Angeles Times’ Hero Complex blog, Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford said that series creator George Lucas is already plotting a fifth installment.

"It's crazy but great," said Ford, 66. "George is in think mode right now." If I had Lucas' money, I'd probably be in "think mode" about what kind of extinct species I'd want to bring back to life, deep fry and cover in chocolate. But that's just me.

The fourth Indy film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, grossed $318 million in North American theaters and $770 million worldwide. According to Ford, this success in reviving the franchise has gotten a lot of the right people talking about continuing the series.

"It's automatic, really, we did well with the last one and with that having done well and been a positive experience, it's not surprising that some people want to do it again," Ford told the LA Times.

Crystal Skull was far from the Indiana Jones sequel that everyone was expecting, but with nearly two decades of anticipation, living up to that massive hype would have been impossible. I could have personally done without some of its goofier moments—the infamous “nuking the fridge” scene immediately comes to mind—but it was a fun enough sequel that just happened to delve a little too often into “no friggin’ way” territory. As for a fifth Indy? It's totally unnecessary, but I can’t really feign disinterest in the further adventures of our favorite ophidiophobic archaeologist.

Indiana Jones and the Undying Franchise

Hot on the heels of the May release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, series creator George Lucas told The Associated Press that a fifth Indy film may be in the cards, with Harrison Ford donning the iconic fedora once again.

By the end of Crystal Skull, many viewers speculated that Lucas and director Steven Spielberg were grooming 22-year-old actor Shia LaBeouf—who plays Indy’s son Mutt Williams in the movie—to carry the series forward with or without Ford’s involvement. Thankfully, Lucas affirmed that this isn’t the case.

"He is Indiana Jones," Lucas said of Ford. "If Indiana Jones wasn't in it, you'd have to call it Mutt Williams and the Search for Elvis.”

Lucas said he is eyeing another Indy sequel, which is currently in the plotting stages.

"The franchise really depends on me coming up with a good idea," Lucas told the AP. "And that series is very research-intensive. So we're doing research now to see if we can't come up with another object for him to chase ... hopefully we'll come up with something."

George, whatever you do come up with, make sure it involves a minimum of computer-animated prairie dogs, monkeys and insects. Oh, and please refrain from nuking fridges or any other kitchen appliances in any future installments of the series.

According to the article, Lucas is also planning on re-releasing all six Star Wars films theatrically and presenting them in 3-D (awesome), in addition to a live-action television series in the near future (fingers crossed). Star Wars: The Clone Wars—which precedes an upcoming computer-animated television series of the same name—hits theaters on August 15.

"Nuked the Fridge" Enters the Pop Culture Lexicon

When I saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, there was one scene in particular that left me scratching my shiny, clean-shaven dome long after leaving the theater. When Indy ends up in the middle of a nuclear test site in the Nevada desert, he seeks refuge in a refrigerator, which protects him from the atomic explosion that sends him rocketing hundreds and hundreds of feet from the blast zone. You see, the fridge was lined with lead, protecting the aging archaeologist from radiation and, apparently, saving him from the bodily harm one would naturally associate with icebox air travel.

This scene was the first—and not the last—moment of the film where the viewer can do little but shake their head and wonder what George Lucas and Steven Spielberg hoped to accomplish by including such a ludicrous and ultimately pointless scene. It was the Indiana Jones series' "jump the shark" moment, threatening the audience's suspension of disbelief along with the integrity of the piece as a whole. But "jump the shark" is such an archaic phrase, ushered in when Arthur Fonzarelli jumped over a shark on water skis in a 1977 episode of Happy Days. Over 30 years later, a new term was born. In 2008, the Indiana Jones series officially "nuked the fridge."

Don't get me wrong, I thought Crystal Skull was a fun movie, and was just as good as the previous Indiana Jones sequels. But I cannot defend this fridge nuking scene, and neither can the folks at Nuked the Fridge who describe the term as:

"...an expression, similar to jumped the shark, used by movie fans and critics alike to denote the point in which a film or television program veers off into the realm of the ridiculous and stupid. It is a moment that the story being viewed stops becoming believable, and becomes so over the top that any reaction other than laughter is impossible. Laughter in the 'we are laughing at you, not with you' sense. This is also the point of no return for the said movie or film franchise, as there is no way to steer it away from the disaster it has become. In the case of a successful and popular film franchise, it is the moment where the viewer wishes the film makers had stopped at the previous film and left well enough alone."

Harsh, yes, but also hilarious. Check out their movie news and reviews here.

Meet "Powerhouse Lucas"

Hey Wortmaniacs. Every now and then, I come across a news item that's so bizarre that I have to read it two or three times just to make sure that it's not some sort of caffeine-induced hallucination, but this is apparently legit.

Star Wars and Indiana Jones creator George Lucas has produced some of the highest grossing films in history. But did you know that he also produced a mixed martial artist? His 27-year-old daughter Amanda made her in-ring debut at the Princesses of Pain event in Auckland, New Zealand last weekend, earning the stage name "Powerhouse Lucas." You simply can't make this stuff up.

Click here to read the full story.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: A Wort Report Review

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does little to reinvent the series or truly justify the character’s return to the silver screen after 19 years, but as soon as Harrison Ford dons that iconic fedora a few minutes into the film you can’t help but fall under its spell. If adventure has a name, it’s still Indiana Jones.

At the beginning of the film, you’re immediately aware of the passage of time since The Last Crusade. Instead of Nazis, we’re dealing with the threat of communism and the paranoia that accompanied it in the 1950s. Indiana Jones and his friend George “Mac” McHale (Ray Winstone) are kidnapped by a group of Russians—led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett)—which forces then to locate an object locked away in a cavernous warehouse that should be familiar to longtime fans of the series. Of course, Indy is Indy after all, albeit a bit grayer and more grizzled since the last time we saw him, and he escapes the Russians in typical fashion. If you’re not grinning ear to ear in the cinemas when he reaches for his whip for the first time, then this movie clearly is not for you.

Indy eventually makes his way back to his university, from which he is soon blacklisted due to his suspected association with the Reds. At an age where “life stops giving you things and starts taking them away,” Indy plans to hop on a train for New York and, hopefully, find a new teaching position overseas. Along the way, a run-in with Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) leads him to South America and a journey to return a mystical crystal skull to its proper resting place. You see, only by returning the skull to the Temple of Akator can its power be unleashed. And have you guessed that Spalko and the Soviets are after it too?

While the relic this time around may require a tad more sigh-inducing exposition than the Ark of the Covenant, the Sankara Stones or the Holy Grail in the first three films, the rest of Crystal Skull zips along at a jaunty pace making it a worthy third sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s better than Temple of Doom and on par with The Last Crusade, matching the latter film in both tone and pacing. Of course, like other films in the series, it has its fair share of flaws. Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) shows up at around the middle of the film and isn’t given all that much to do aside from revealing one of Hollywood’s worst-kept secrets in recent years and John Hurt is wasted as the delirious Professor “Ox” Oxley. Unfortunately, Hurt’s character gives an already crowded cast needless bloat. We came to see Indiana Jones. Why does he need so many sidekicks?

This film also stretches the already-over-the-top sensibilities of the Indy universe in two particular scenes. In the first act, Indy escapes a nuclear blast by hiding in a lead-lined refrigerator and emerges unscathed after being launched into the air and violently crashing to the desert floor. Later on, Mutt does his best Tarzan impression as he swings to the rescue on some jungle vines with the help of some computer-generated monkeys. There’s asking the viewer to suspend disbelief and then there’s insulting their intelligence. Those two moments take bold, awkward steps into the realm of the absurd.

But there’s so much to love about this film that you’ll forgive director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas for Crystal Skull's occasional excess. Blanchett’s Spalko is one of Indy’s best foes, while LaBeouf turns in a tremendous performance as this franchise’s heir apparent, if they choose to go in that direction. While the Internet was quick to pounce on LaBeouf’s performance early on, he’ s right at home in the film’s quiet scenes as well as its high-octane set pieces, such as a university chase and a riveting race/swordfight through the Amazon.

And then there’s Harrison Ford, who comfortably wraps himself in the role of Indiana Jones like a well-worn leather jacket. Indy still throws the best punches in cinema, still falls ass-backward into lucky situations (sometimes literally) and still oozes swashbuckling bravado better than most action stars 30 years his junior. He also holds his own against a terrifying army of incredibly cool-looking carnivorous ants near the film's finale. But he still hates snakes.

Will you walk out of the theater with a blown mind? No. Will you walk out feeling as though you’ve seen Indiana Jones’ finest adventure? Not at all. But you’ll be satisfied. Indiana Jones didn’t need to return, but we’re all glad to see him again after all these years. But then again, as Indy said himself, “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage.”

Whether you grew up with the series or not, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a summer blockbuster done right.

James Wortman and the Raiders of the Lost Internet

In honor of this weekend’s release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I found it fitting to scour the Internet for some of the earliest Indiana Jones fan discussion and I found this gem from the Well of Souls online fan community, posted on May 24, 1984—one day after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom hit theaters. Here’s what AspSallah81 had to say about the film.

I just got back from the Temple of Doom screening, and it’s just as we all feared: this movie has completely ruined the Indiana Jones series. Why would George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford reteam for a film that completely destroys the mythology established in the first film? What began as a jaunty homage to 1930s serials has turned into a hokey, predictable excuse to bombard audiences with special effects, irritating characters and disgusting gross-out humor. I mean, Indian royalty feasting on monkey brains, beetles and eyeball soup? People getting their hearts torn out and set on fire? Giant vampire bats that are clearly fruit bats? This movie insults your intelligence at every turn. Others in attendance seemed to be enjoying themselves throughout, particularly the mine-cart chase and the rope bridge scene, but these people are probably the popcorn munching imbeciles that will line up for that abyssmal Ghostbusters movie that hits theaters next month.

After waiting three long years, don’t us longtime Indy fans deserve better than this dark-for-the-sake-of-being-dark sequel ? Oh wait, it’s not a sequel. Doom actually takes place prior to Raiders, making it a “pre-sequel” or whatever you want to call it. A prequel? Is that a word? The Star Wars trilogy gave us two sequels and the Indy films should have followed suit. I mean, who would have cared about what happens before the original Star Wars? I’m surprised someone like George Lucas would pull a stunt like this.

You know, fanboy griping seems kind of petty and pointless when viewed in retrospect. Thank goodness the Internet has evolved over the last few years. Oh, wait…[reads "fan" reactions to Crystal Skull]...nevermind.

Indy 5 News? Already?

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull hits theaters in less than a week on May 22, but George Lucas told reporters at the Cannes Film Festival that he’s already thinking about Indy 5, E! Online reports.

"I haven't even told Steven [Spielberg] or Harrison this," Lucas said. "But I have an idea to make Shia [LaBeouf] the lead character next time and have Harrison come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out."

Wow, this is quite a bombshell. While I’m sure this comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, 65-year-old Harrison Ford may be also on-board for a fifth adventure. He told reporters, “'Till they tell me otherwise, I will continue to be Indiana Jones.”

I’m extremely excited to see Crystal Skull when it hits theaters next weekend, but I’m not quite sure they should use this fourth installment as a springboard for another Indy movie or group of movies starring LaBeouf. If this new film is as entertaining as the first three, then I would be content as far as this series goes. But, I suppose if there’s money to be made…

"Come on, genius..."

If you were one of the millions of people who caught Iron Man this weekend, chances are you also caught the brand-new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. If you're a shut-in and you didn't make it to the multiplex, the video is now available on IndianaJones.com.

Now, I know skepticism is fairly popular amongst Internet movie geeks, it's part of the culture. Head over to any forum at Ain't it Cool News, for example, and you'll be bombarded with some pretty hateful bashing of about each and every upcoming summer blockbuster, with particular venom aimed squarely at Dr. Jones and company. Frankly, I don't get it.

Sure, Harrison Ford hasn't gotten any younger in the 19 years since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and a lot of fans were let down by Lucasfilm's Star Wars prequels, but I have absolute faith in everyone involved in this project. Ford, director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas would never agree to a fourth Indy film if it wasn't worth dusting off the whip and the fedora one last time. And this should excite us as moviegoers. After all, aren't adventure films like the Indiana Jones series the reason we all go to the movies each and every summer?