Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [Blu-ray]

Director: Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg

Overview

Everyone's favorite archeologist adventurer dusts off his hat and trusty whip for yet another globetrotting trek as Indiana Jones returns to the big screen nearly 20 years after racing for the Holy Grail alongside his father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Harrison Ford reprises his role as the iconic, snake-loathing screen hero in a sequel that also finds Karen Allen returning to the series for the first time since 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, and Shia LaBeouf round out a cast that also features Cate Blanchett in the role of villainous Russian operative Agent Irina Spalko. Steven Spielberg calls the shots on a script penned by David Koepp (and adapted from the screen story by executive producer George Lucas).

Product Details

Release Date:	10/14/2008
UPC:	0097361386645
Original Release:	2008
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Paramount
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:02:00
Sales rank:	17,401

Special Features

Disc 1 - Feature film; Pre-Production Featurette HD; Indiana Jones Timelines ; Trailers HD; The Return of a Legend Featurette HD; ; Disc 2 - Production Diary: Making Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; -Shooting Begins: New Mexico HD; Back to School: New Haven, Connecticut HD; Welcome to the Jungle: Hilo, Hawaii HD; On-Set Action HD; Exploring Akator HD; Wrapping Up! HD; ; The Crystal Skulls HD; Iconic Props HD; Adventures in Post Production HD; The Effects of Indy HD; Closing: Team Indy HD; Pre-Visualization Sequences; Area 51 Escape; Jungle Chase HD; Ants Attack HD; ; Galleries: The Art Department; The Adventure Begins: Cemetery and Jungle - Akator; Stan Winston Studio; Corpses, Skeletons & Mummies - Aliens & Crystal Skulls; ; Production Photographs; Portraits; Behind-the-Scenes Photographs

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Harrison Ford	Indiana Jones
Shia LaBeouf	Mutt Williams
Cate Blanchett	Irina Spalko
Karen Allen	Marion Ravenwood
John Hurt	Prof. Oxley
Ray Winstone	George 'Mac' McHale
Jim Broadbent	Dean Charles Stanforth
Igor Jijikine	Dovchenko
Dimitri Diatchenko	Actor
Ilia Volok	Actor
Emmanuel Todorov	Actor
Pavel Lychnikoff	Actor
Andrew Divoff	Actor
Venya Manzyuk	Actor
Joel Stoffer	Taylor
Neil Flynn	Smith
Sasha Spielberg	Slugger
V.J. Foster	Minister,Minister
Chet Hanks	Student in Library
Brian Knutson	Letterman
John Williams	Composer
T. Ryan Mooney	Teenage Boy
Audi Resendez	Teenage Girl
Helena Barrett	Teenage Girl
Carlos Linares	Fast Speaking Inmate
Nito Larioza	Cemetery Warrior
Ernie Reyes Jr.	Cemetery Warrior
Andre Alexsen	Russian Soldier 1# / Weapons / Stunts
Fileena Bahris	College Student
Jon Braver	Staff Car Driver
John Rhys-Davies	Actor

Technical Credits

David Koepp

George Lucas

Jeff Nathanson

Philip Kaufman

Steven Spielberg	Director
David Koepp	Screenwriter
Frank Marshall	Producer
George Lucas	Executive Producer,Screenwriter,Producer
Debra Zane	Casting
Jeff Nathanson	Screenwriter
Philip Kaufman	Screenwriter
Kathleen Kennedy	Executive Producer,Producer
Denis L. Stewart	Producer
Flávio R. Tambellini	Producer
Csaba László Eröss	Special Effects
Lauro David Chartrand-DelValle	Stunts
Benjamin Burtt	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

It's not easy for one of the most beloved film series of its time to return after a 19-year absence, though Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull manages to do a serviceable job of recapturing what audiences have come to equate with their favorite fearless archeologist. Indeed, Harrison Ford is back again, this time a tad wiser and a lot more grey, yet still packing that familiar quick wit, trusty whip, and mean punch to get him out of tough spots. Along for the ride are a slew of new cohorts (including Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone, and John Hurt) and a few new delicious baddies (Cate Blanchett, Igor Jijikine) to add to his roster of villains. Of course, it's the inclusion of Karen Allen as Marion that truly makes this outing special. But what of the excitement, the humor, and the old Spielberg fun that people of all ages have come to love from this fabled franchise? Inklings of them are there, even if the sands of time have eroded the filmmaker's potency for delivering the magic of yesteryear. Just as Ford had much to prove, so did the movie's helmer. Spielberg's recent efforts had given rise to the idea that a sweet slice of cinema pie was once again in his recipe book. Resoundingly, he shows that his classic camera chops have gone nowhere, although his work with actors leaves a bit to be desired. In fact, Kingdom's stumbling blocks aren't in its presentation but in its execution. Much of the blame has been thrown screenwriter David Koepp's way, somewhat deservedly. Yet the fact is that the production is plagued by an underlying awkwardness that goes beyond Koepp's wordy approach and half-cooked character work. Performance-wise, viewers are delivered a hodgepodge of misses and knockouts, lending credence to the growing mistrust surrounding co-creator George Lucas' touch - especially given his fondness for stiff acting. The modern age can also be seen rearing its head, thanks to the overall lack of stunts and overuse of computer effects, which create a great lack of tension in much of the overly spectacular proceedings. That said, there's still some stuff to love in this fourth outing. For instance, the action scenes are still superbly staged, with an early motorcycle chase standing out as a highlight. Also, as if it wasn't good enough to be able to see Indy doing his thing again, there are moments of brilliance between Marion and him, even if they leave one yearning for more. The same goes for the musical maestro behind the series, John Williams, who laces in the Raiders theme with ample glee, transporting his audience to a familiar and welcome place throughout the movie. Yet there is a desire to hear something beyond the subtle B-movie/sci-fi throwback score he delivers. If anything, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull might have the power to shine if viewed merely as escapism entertainment. However, it seems evident that the mileage has not only taken a toll on the character, but the series as well.