I really enjoyed the movie as it delivered a thrilling adventure from start to finish. However, there were a few aspects that I wished were different:
Helena's character: Although I understand that Helena is meant to be similar to Indy from "The Temple of Doom," always focused on money, I would have liked to see some remorse from her when she attempted to sell an item that was dear to her father.
Transformation of Rinaldo: Instead of introducing a character who shows up at the end to help the heroes (the sleepy pilot), I would have preferred to see Rinaldo portrayed as a skilled pilot who saves Indy and company. This would have allowed for potential chemistry between Rinaldo and Helena, and the possibility of a future franchise with them embarking on adventures together. I would have loved to see Antonio Banderas continue Indy's journey with Helena. Even with differnt style of adventures.
Changing the ending location: Rather than returning to an apartment with annoying neighbors in America, I think it would have been more captivating to end the movie in Sicily. This would have provided a new and visually stunning setting, with Indy and Marion enjoying a beautiful panorama. It could have also given a satisfying conclusion for Sallah's character. Helena still has the diamonds from Voller, so buying a house should be possible.
Casting considerations: While Phoebe Waller-Bridge portrayed Helena in a nice and elegant way, I sometimes imagine Ana de Armas in the role. Additionally, I would love to see Banderas and Armas together in the next installment of the franchise, embarking on their own adventures.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and appreciate James Mangold's direction, Harrison Ford's compelling performance in the leading role, and the remarkable work of the cast and crew. The movie didn't feel lazy; instead, it was filled with captivating sets and adventurous sequences that kept me engaged throughout.
My initial thoughts down here:
The beginning We find a young Indy in an old adventure that serves as a prologue to the story. The technology used to make an actor look young is fascinating: you have the same actor playing the same character in different eras. However, it didn't impress me in this case, perhaps because in an Indiana Jones film, it doesn't quite work. At times, it feels like having a video game character in a movie, and it made me hope that this prologue would end soon. I noticed they used Anthony Ingruber, and it would have been interesting to leverage his resemblance and simply shoot the scenes with him. In any case, the prologue works because it tells us about a new friendship of Indy and intriguingly introduces the new antagonist of the story.
An old hero in (almost) modern times It feels strange to see Indiana Jones, an adventurer we have seen navigating the 1930s, in a more modern America. And the screenwriters must have realized this because they move the adventure around the world, to areas where the character is more in his element. I wish that the finale was also set in a more captivating location, such as one of the final settings, like Sicily, with a beautiful landscape, where Indy can enjoy a stunning view with Marion while recovering from the wounds, both physical and emotional, recent and of a lifetime. A finale that would have worked for Sallah too. Going back to an apartment with lousy neighbors is not the kind of my finale. Especially because throughout the film, I had noisy audience members, and I could empathize with the challenges Indiana was facing.
A hero that works every time The charm of Indiana Jones is attributed to the pen of George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the direction of Spielberg, the wry smile of Harrison Ford, and the march of John Williams. I have never understood those who criticize the decision to bring back Indy despite the passing years, or those who joke about possible plots related to Alzheimer's or nursing homes. The hero works, his stunts are somehow believable, partly because he is often aided by the luck that smiles upon Dr. Jones. The action scenes, even in this film, work seamlessly and never fail to captivate.
A villain that works Mads Mikkelsen works on his own, even without a screenplay, but he is a good antagonist for Indy. I would have liked to see a confrontation with Basil Shaw. Both characters are obsessed with the Antikythera mechanism, but Shaw is saved by his friend Indy from being consumed by his obsession, whereas Dr. Voller is not. This aspect is somewhat present in the film, but I would have liked to see it emphasized more effectively.
An adventure companion We are introduced to Renaldo, a friend of Indiana Jones who captains a ship. I would have been pleased to see more screen time for Antonio Banderas; he could have been an experienced pilot of airplanes as well, rather than having a new character appear at the end of the film to aid our heroes, whom we are unfamiliar with.
Helena I was curious about this new character. I appreciate that she is not initially portrayed as a very positive character, considering her eventual redemption. My only question is why she is so willing to sell the Antikythera mechanism without hesitation. We know she is in debt and wants to make money, so she sees an opportunity to obtain the mechanism from Indy and seizes it. However, I would have liked to see a hint of remorse in her decision to sell an object that her father held dear. I wouldn't mind seeing this new heroine continue in her own adventures. Without donning a hat and wielding a whip, she could be an adventurer who has discovered the thrill of adventure and loyalty. And perhaps she wants to make some money along the way, why not?
Music I would like to praise it, but I can't, unfortunately. The beginning of the film consists of a combination of recycled themes, especially from the third film, whose soundtrack has remained in my heart, especially the theme of the Holy Grail, magnificent and solemn. Unfortunately, there are no memorable themes for the other characters or the new artifact. However, I can forgive everything when it comes to John Williams.
Conclusion It's true, I didn't speak highly of it, but the film, with its plot twist, captivated me. It's intriguing, keeps your attention high, and as mentioned before, the character works in any era. Knowing that maintaining high quality requires excellent screenwriters and supporting directors, my dream would have been to have an Indiana Jones trilogy for each decade. Does it sound excessive? Perhaps, but he's a hero I would have appreciated to keep me company throughout the different stages of my life. Lucas has created memorable characters, and as much as I love Star Wars, none of the characters from the galaxy far away are as fascinating as Indiana Jones, in my personal opinion. And that is saying much, considering the great heroes and villains from Star Wars.
I'm not a screenwriter or a critic, so my opinions are limited to those of a fan of a saga that I've been following since I was little. Nonetheless, I want to praise James Mangold, screenwriters, cast, producers, and all the crew members who brought Indiana Jones to the screen once again. There was no laziness in the film, and traveling the world through Indy's adventures was once again a delightful experience.
Review by Andreas1138VIP 7BlockedParentSpoilers2023-06-30T05:01:28Z— updated 2023-07-05T08:13:55Z
I really enjoyed the movie as it delivered a thrilling adventure from start to finish. However, there were a few aspects that I wished were different:
Helena's character: Although I understand that Helena is meant to be similar to Indy from "The Temple of Doom," always focused on money, I would have liked to see some remorse from her when she attempted to sell an item that was dear to her father.
Transformation of Rinaldo: Instead of introducing a character who shows up at the end to help the heroes (the sleepy pilot), I would have preferred to see Rinaldo portrayed as a skilled pilot who saves Indy and company. This would have allowed for potential chemistry between Rinaldo and Helena, and the possibility of a future franchise with them embarking on adventures together. I would have loved to see Antonio Banderas continue Indy's journey with Helena. Even with differnt style of adventures.
Changing the ending location: Rather than returning to an apartment with annoying neighbors in America, I think it would have been more captivating to end the movie in Sicily. This would have provided a new and visually stunning setting, with Indy and Marion enjoying a beautiful panorama. It could have also given a satisfying conclusion for Sallah's character. Helena still has the diamonds from Voller, so buying a house should be possible.
Casting considerations: While Phoebe Waller-Bridge portrayed Helena in a nice and elegant way, I sometimes imagine Ana de Armas in the role. Additionally, I would love to see Banderas and Armas together in the next installment of the franchise, embarking on their own adventures.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and appreciate James Mangold's direction, Harrison Ford's compelling performance in the leading role, and the remarkable work of the cast and crew. The movie didn't feel lazy; instead, it was filled with captivating sets and adventurous sequences that kept me engaged throughout.
My initial thoughts down here:
The beginning
We find a young Indy in an old adventure that serves as a prologue to the story. The technology used to make an actor look young is fascinating: you have the same actor playing the same character in different eras. However, it didn't impress me in this case, perhaps because in an Indiana Jones film, it doesn't quite work. At times, it feels like having a video game character in a movie, and it made me hope that this prologue would end soon. I noticed they used Anthony Ingruber, and it would have been interesting to leverage his resemblance and simply shoot the scenes with him.
In any case, the prologue works because it tells us about a new friendship of Indy and intriguingly introduces the new antagonist of the story.
An old hero in (almost) modern times
It feels strange to see Indiana Jones, an adventurer we have seen navigating the 1930s, in a more modern America. And the screenwriters must have realized this because they move the adventure around the world, to areas where the character is more in his element. I wish that the finale was also set in a more captivating location, such as one of the final settings, like Sicily, with a beautiful landscape, where Indy can enjoy a stunning view with Marion while recovering from the wounds, both physical and emotional, recent and of a lifetime. A finale that would have worked for Sallah too. Going back to an apartment with lousy neighbors is not the kind of my finale. Especially because throughout the film, I had noisy audience members, and I could empathize with the challenges Indiana was facing.
A hero that works every time
The charm of Indiana Jones is attributed to the pen of George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the direction of Spielberg, the wry smile of Harrison Ford, and the march of John Williams. I have never understood those who criticize the decision to bring back Indy despite the passing years, or those who joke about possible plots related to Alzheimer's or nursing homes. The hero works, his stunts are somehow believable, partly because he is often aided by the luck that smiles upon Dr. Jones. The action scenes, even in this film, work seamlessly and never fail to captivate.
A villain that works
Mads Mikkelsen works on his own, even without a screenplay, but he is a good antagonist for Indy. I would have liked to see a confrontation with Basil Shaw. Both characters are obsessed with the Antikythera mechanism, but Shaw is saved by his friend Indy from being consumed by his obsession, whereas Dr. Voller is not. This aspect is somewhat present in the film, but I would have liked to see it emphasized more effectively.
An adventure companion
We are introduced to Renaldo, a friend of Indiana Jones who captains a ship. I would have been pleased to see more screen time for Antonio Banderas; he could have been an experienced pilot of airplanes as well, rather than having a new character appear at the end of the film to aid our heroes, whom we are unfamiliar with.
Helena
I was curious about this new character. I appreciate that she is not initially portrayed as a very positive character, considering her eventual redemption. My only question is why she is so willing to sell the Antikythera mechanism without hesitation. We know she is in debt and wants to make money, so she sees an opportunity to obtain the mechanism from Indy and seizes it. However, I would have liked to see a hint of remorse in her decision to sell an object that her father held dear.
I wouldn't mind seeing this new heroine continue in her own adventures. Without donning a hat and wielding a whip, she could be an adventurer who has discovered the thrill of adventure and loyalty. And perhaps she wants to make some money along the way, why not?
Music
I would like to praise it, but I can't, unfortunately. The beginning of the film consists of a combination of recycled themes, especially from the third film, whose soundtrack has remained in my heart, especially the theme of the Holy Grail, magnificent and solemn. Unfortunately, there are no memorable themes for the other characters or the new artifact. However, I can forgive everything when it comes to John Williams.
Conclusion
It's true, I didn't speak highly of it, but the film, with its plot twist, captivated me. It's intriguing, keeps your attention high, and as mentioned before, the character works in any era. Knowing that maintaining high quality requires excellent screenwriters and supporting directors, my dream would have been to have an Indiana Jones trilogy for each decade. Does it sound excessive? Perhaps, but he's a hero I would have appreciated to keep me company throughout the different stages of my life. Lucas has created memorable characters, and as much as I love Star Wars, none of the characters from the galaxy far away are as fascinating as Indiana Jones, in my personal opinion. And that is saying much, considering the great heroes and villains from Star Wars.
I'm not a screenwriter or a critic, so my opinions are limited to those of a fan of a saga that I've been following since I was little. Nonetheless, I want to praise James Mangold, screenwriters, cast, producers, and all the crew members who brought Indiana Jones to the screen once again. There was no laziness in the film, and traveling the world through Indy's adventures was once again a delightful experience.