Personally, I don't understand all the hate around this final installment in the series. I thought this was a pretty good Indiana Jones movie, all in all, and I've watched them in the theater since they first came out (except this one).
Yes, the beginning has some de-aging and it's not great - but you get used to it pretty fast and I was seeing old Indiana Jones in no time. Yes Harrison Ford doesn't do his own stunts anymore but he's pretty old to be jumping horses through downtown New York. Lots of CGI in this one, but that's where we are today - you don't see hardly anything but CGI these days so why should this film be any different?
The story is pretty outlandish, but then again the first one that everyone loves had spirits jumping out of an mythical box so you have to suspend your disbelief if you want to watch shows like this.
If I were to rate this in the series as a whole:
#1: Raiders of the Lost Ark
#2: Last Crusade
#3: Dial of Destiny
#4: Temple of Doom
#5: Crystal Skull (mostly because Shia LaBouff sucked)
I get that some people, particularly with Temple of Doom, will disagree with my ranking but they are mine, not yours.
I went Into DoD with a ton of trepidation, all I heard was how bad it was in places like Trakt, but in reality it surpassed my expectations by a pretty large amount. They had a nice nod to all previous characters (except Brody, that was disappointing to me - I know the actor is dead but a mention would have been nice). I think this was a good final movie for Indie.
That was pretty bad.
From the scenario that probably took two minutes to write, to the shitty blurry fx, and the constant inconsistencies.
The story is so basic and predictable it hurts, and basically nothing happens.
1) He finds a cure
2) It turns him into a superhuman monster
3) His friend take the cure anyway and becomes a killer
4) He chases him
There's basically no side plot or anything else happening. The cops part are 100% useless. The romance is almost inexistent, but still turned into an important plot point.
Most of the action is just blurs. Blurs because they're moving fast (with shitty effects, see below), and falling a lot, and if it wasn't enough let's add a batnado so that it's really really unwatchable.
The echolocation effects are just as bad and useless.
The other bullshit:
:arrow_forward: Of course the science part, but that is expected
:arrow_forward: When he measures his need for blood, it's 6h and he basically reverts and suffers almost immediately, and duration is going down. However later in the hospital, it's 6h and nothing happens. Later in prison it's very probably a lot more than that. Honestly we don't care, but then why the constant repeated shots of his watch ringing 6h ?
:arrow_forward: Nicholas has time and ability to call him but let himself die without calling an ambulance
:arrow_forward: It's all about "they will die young", since they are children. But then we're 25 years later and it's the same.
:arrow_forward: The bats are supposed to be secret, but as soon as she finds them, they are always exposed
:arrow_forward: The bats "would kill anyone but accept him" because he's like them, well they didn't kill him the first time, when he was still human
:arrow_forward: We never hear again of the little girl, what was the point ?
:arrow_forward: Why are they smoky when they move ? They just move fast because they're strong, they're not magically changing themselves into smoke. This is stupid, very annoying and unwatchable.
:arrow_forward: Why can't Milo do the same thing he does ?
Ending is very anticlimatic, with no post resolution, it just ends.
Then come the post credits. And I was like "wtf, this looks like DC". In the sense that it was trying to very hastily trying link / create a hype / build a universe believing that hastily adding a glimpse of information or characters plus a post credit scene would be enough to build the MCU. The I realized this is not Marvel, this is Sony trying to build a Spiderverse, and boy are they as shitty as DC to do that.
Ok lets break this down:
Major spoilers ahead.
Peele's new film is a clever, cerebral look at modern day US....A. I thought it was very good. It is such a layered film. I wasn't really a fan of Get Out, I thought that film was hugely overrated. But 'Us' is on another level.
There is alot going on in this movie in the background. So much foreshadowing and symbolism. So many nods to the socio-political landscape of America. The apocalyptic scenario we all face if we don't wake up. (11:11 is the rapture in the bible). Even the score in the baseball match is 11 - 11.
Right from the off we are given some easter eggs. There are are several characters wearing Black Flag t-shirts. Look up Black Flag records, what do you get:
https://i.imgur.com/8g518y3.jpg
With Scissors being the main motif for violence. As they're a symmetrical tool used to break things apart.
There is also a nod to 'The Lost Boys' in the opening scene as it's set in the mid 1980s on Santa Cruz boardwalk and we're told they're shooting another film there.
https://i.imgur.com/TDXxXQ1.png
Lupita Nyong'o's character wins a Thriller t-shirt early on. Then we see her doppleganger presented in this way, more than a passing resemblance:
https://i.imgur.com/yO6oleU.png
https://i.imgur.com/drHrXFs.jpg
The main theme is one of how society has been torn apart in recent times. This manifests itself in the way people that you think are normal, showing behavioural traits / opinion / beliefs you would never expect them to show / hold. Some people describe this as "the rise of the right" and "empowerment". They suddenly have a voice. This is shown in the movie by the tethered suddenly having a voice (literally as Red can now speak). They rise up and challenge.
It's no coincidence then, that the main moment of the movie happens when the central figure looks into a mirror. We need to take look at ourselves sooner rather than later.
The ending (humans linked in a barrier) also has large connotations with 'a wall', we all probably know what Peele was alluding to there.
https://i.imgur.com/mvkCyaV.jpg
There is also a very strong link to those tethered underground being the underclass. Eating raw meat. Underground. Peele may be alluding to the poverty gap widening.
There are also a load of nods to popular culture. I loved the beach scene reminiscing Jaws. I loved the car on the road reminiscing the Shining opening sequence, plus the twin girls paying homage to that movie.
https://i.imgur.com/vBN8bFG.png
The VHS tapes on the shelf at the beginning are a nod to popular culture (the Goonies etc) . And if you think about it - there is also a character in the Goonies that is tethered and can barely speak. I wouldn't be surprised if this is another of Peele's tenuous but clever links.
https://i.imgur.com/Tjy46bY.png
The music is also used brilliantly, especially towards the end with a stripped down version of 'I got 5 on it 'adding to the tension. A comedic NWA moment hints at Peele saying that popular culture and consumerism is for the privelaged and has effects on us a sit seeps into the public consciousness.
There's also a hint at Peel's Hitchcockian influence with the birds on the beach.
https://i.imgur.com/MdsmIWJ.jpg
I just enjoyed the intelligence of this film. The thought process gone into it. I wish all horror films were this cerebral.
Us tries to make us look at our shadows and reflect on who we are and whether we have best intentions or are complicit in something that will undo us. Whether we let the tethered prevail as they rise is the question left unanswered by Peele. Hopefully not.
Great film.
I've anticipated this movie since at least 2014 and when COVID hit, I was sure the last chance for Indy V was gone. All this to say I've been EXTREMELY hyped for this movie. It had impossible expectations to fill in but, at least for me, it most definitely did.
The de-aged Harrison Ford looks AMAZING. I loved seeing Indy fight some nazis again and it really made it feel like the original movies.
Mads Mikkelsen is obviously an amazing actor.
I also loved seeing Indy in the '60s, I feel like they acknowledged his age without making too much fun of it.
The story was amazing. I'm a sucker for time-travelling and I didn't dare hoping he would actually travel in time. 2000 years at that. Ofcourse it would have even been cooler if he ended up at a time and location of the original trilogy but that's just me.
I feel kinda bad for Shia! And for the characters in general, losing a son must be the most devestating feeling in the world. Therefore I felt genuinely happy when we saw Marion and that they reconnected.
If rumours are to be believed, the ending was rewritten. So I'm not sure at all but it did feel like Indy really intended to stay in the past. I think he would have died quickly so he wouldn't really change the past. It would have been cool if he was the skeleton buried at Archimede's grave.
I'm not sure what those final moments were about, Indy (?) picking up his hat again?
The score might go down on a rewatch and I have small complaints. I didn't understand why Fleabag would lock Indy in with some stone cold killers.
For me it's a perfect Indiana Jones movie. It had everything I could wish for and I had 2,5 hours of fun!
