| Product: |
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (DVD) |
| Date: |
20/01/01 (68 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: It's just a great film
Disadvantages: with a bit of dodgy chromakey
After the black comedy of Indian Jones and the Temple Of Doom, George Lucas decides to lighten the mood in this, the final part to date of the Indiana Jones trilogy.
Harrison Ford returns inthe lead role, and Steven Spielberg takes up the camera again as we follow 'our hero' on teh quest for the Holy Grail. Sean Connery is on board this time around, playing Indy's father - a rasther distant relative whose whole life revolves around the huint for the grail.
Of course, as ever, indy and his father are not on their own in the quest and the Nazi's are hot on their heels. Whoever gains the grail shall inherit eternal life, although Indy's motives are merely to showcase it in a museum - humble as ever!
Lucas has openly acknowledged that the Indiana Jones franchise is simply his attempt a the James Bond franchise, and the similarites are evident. Ford is extremely strong in the lead character and displays characteristics that are alomst paraphrased from the Connery era of Bond movies. Of course, Ford brings so many of his own takes on the concept that the two characters end up being very different in style - but the obvious homage is there.
Lucas does here what he failed to do with the fourth Star Wars movie and that is he tells a simple story, in a very entertaining way.
Spielberg is, of course, a genius and this film only cements that opinion.
River Pheonix is cast here as the Young Indiana Jones, in an obvious attempt to test the water for the mini-series that spawned from teh film. He is an ideal choice and it is a shame that he is no longer with us as he would have been able to carry on the franchise now that Ford seems so reluctant to make any more Indy movies.
There are obvious flaws in the movie - it is basically a clever rewrite of the brilliant Raiders Of The Lost Ark - but it is the post-match analysis that highlights the flaws. During the film there is literally no time to
stop and think about the script - the action never lets up!
Spielberg has obviously had a lot of fun making this movie - the scenes with Hitler and in the Zeppelin demonstartate that he can do comedy as well as he can do action - the ability that the Jones series has to allow us to revisist some of these moments in history has not been missed.
The special effects are top notch, as is to be expected, although there is some disturbing chromakey used in the boat fighting scene - this is the only let down, however.
There is so much to hail in this film that it would be an ideal place to leave the series - it really is an exceptionally good action flick. However, it is because of this that we all want more - if Indy can get this good, surely there is room for more. The public certainly want it.
Maybe Ford will get back in the Hat before he hangs up his Equity card - certainly Lucas would like to see it, and the public would die for it.
The Last Crusade is a really really good film for all ages - are we going to get any more though?
Summary:
|
Last comment:
 |
jamespugh - 20.01.01 Top notch film,
Top notch opinion! |
|
