Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Indy cracks the whip again

The fourth instalment of the summer blockbuster is loaded with action and special effects.

The latest instalment of one of the most successful movie franchises in film history is here with a brand new fun-filled adventure.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull takes place in 1957 when the US and the Soviet Union were engaged in a Cold War.

A Russian agent, Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), leads an elite military unit which is scouring the globe for a crystal skull rumoured to hold unlimited power that can help the Soviets dominate the world.

Following a close scrape with the Soviets in New Mexico with his sidekick Mac (Ray Winstone), Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) finds his way back to Marshall College, where he becomes a professor of archaeology.

He escapes from the Soviets only to be questioned by the FBI whose harassment makes him leave his job as a professor.

But waiting for him is Mutt (Shia LaBeouf), a rebellious 20-year-old with a chip on his shoulder who has some personal business to discuss with Jones. The Soviets are looking for Indy, and when they find him, he has to escape – and Mutt is by his side.

Together, they set out for the deepest jungles of Peru, a land of ancient tombs, forgotten explorers and a rumoured city of gold whose secrets have gone undisturbed for centuries.

Now, Jones must find a way to evade the ruthless Soviets, follow an impenetrable trail of mystery, and help save the powerful crystal skull from falling into Soviet hands.

The locales are good but the special effects are kept in line with the earlier Indiana films.

Iconic director Steven Spielberg perhaps didn’t want to give something new as it would have taken away the period feel that the Indiana Jones series is famous for.

The cast is fabulous and everyone puts up a great performance, especially Shia LaBeouf who, after Transformers, shows that he’s as good as anyone else when it comes to action movies.

CAST

Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone

Web review

"It’s hard not to have fun on this adventure, and it’s good to see that Indy still has the goods" USA Today