I don’t know why people are bitching so much about the latest Indy film. I saw it yesterday and had a blast. Critiques range from stupid to plain grouchy. They call the film boring. It wasn’t.
They call it an ensemble film instead of a Harrison Ford film. In response to that I’d like to say that had Spielberg gone the other way, the solo Ford way, the same people would have bitched about a geriatric Indy doing implausible stunts himself. And two, they are building another franchise – with Shia Lebeouf (have I spelt it right?) And they can hardly have the future Henry Jones Jr. just sitting around on his ass, can they?
One critic said that they expected a visual marvel from ILM but the effects were off the mark. Especially in El Dorado where they expected to be dazzled (literally) by the gold. Instead what they got was a kitschy set. I guess they must have missed the line when Ford explains that the city was called El Dorado on account of their knowledge, not gold. The Mayans considered knowledge to be their true treasure. As for the other effects (prime accustaion being, most of them have been done on sound stage), I don’t know. All I know is that I was hooked.
My guess is most people have missed the point behind the Indiana Jones series. Vir Sanghvi delves into that at length in his weekly Sunday column in Brunch. Although, he also bitches about the film a bit, it is understandable. Fans of a franchise are rarely satisfied with sequels. Think Matrix. Think Spiderman. (I can’t find the article in the Hindustan Times site else I would have posted a link here.)
Having said that, was the film flawless? Of course not? I personally thought the screenplay could have included some more one-liners. Here’s a balanced review, which illustrates my points best.
Given a choice would I watch the Lost Ark again? Yes (although personally my favourite it the Last Crusade). But that does not mean the film wasn’t entertaining. And I’m going again next weekend.
Here’s another view by Neohorizons that resonates with mine.
When tall, suave, handsome Kaustav Kapoor walks into her office, ditzy private investigator Kasthuri (aka Katie) Kumar has anything but detection on her mind. He is, after all, a scion of Bollywood’s first family—perhaps he has a role for her? Perhaps she will, at last, get to sashay down the red carpet in a designer gown, with flash bulbs following her every move?
But Kapoor’s intentions are much more prosaic: he wishes Katie to trace the heroine of his new blockbuster (and, if Katie’s read the glossies correctly, his life) who is mysteriously AWOL. Despite her misgivings, Katie finds herself unable to refuse the task entrusted to her, and thereon follows a bewildering hunt for the film star across a trail of corpses.
And if that isn’t excitement enough, she has to contend with the maddening and mysterious, but, oh-so-hot, Tejas Deshpande.
The first in a brand new detective series.
IN BOOKSTORES NOW.
Smita Jain's Weblog 
I really enjoyed watching Indy 4 as well!
I guess when it comes to well established franchises like Indiana Jones, everyone will have expectations and when it goes on a different direction like Indy 4 they tend to be let down.
You are so right! I went to your blog and read your views. They were so eerily similar to mine that i simply must link it to mine.:)