ROTTEN TOMATOES: Cannes 2008: Review - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Comments

Cannes 2008: Review - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The early RT verdict on the fourth chapter.

by Joe Utichi | May 18, 2008

Summary

The early RT verdict on the fourth chapter in the Indy franchise. Is it more Phantom Menace than A New Hope? Back to Article

(1-20 of 50 posts) | Reply

Maase writes:
on May 18 2008 09:10 AM

B'uh, that's a shame.

I'l still see it tough, i didn't see yet the other Indiana Jones movies, maybe this will be a good movie as a Solo Movie and not as an Indiana Jones movie :)

(Reply to this)

Xavier Telouran writes:
on May 18 2008 09:14 AM

So for this reviewer it was mostly a Kindom of the Crystal Dulls?

Sorry, had to get it out there so I could claim "shenanigans" when all the papers started using it...

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blinkybrown writes:
on May 18 2008 09:19 AM

Good thing I think Cannes is an over-pretentious (though not as bad as sundance) excuse for slamming regular film with a focus on only enjoying experimental art. They've often hated good movies and loved bad movies, so I'm still not worried. Plus, even a bad Indy movie is a good movie...because it's Indy.

(Reply to this)

RottenRob writes:
on May 18 2008 09:26 AM

I tried not to judge the movie too much by its previews, but it's strange how this review seems to exactly reflect my impressions from the trailers. Of course I'll still see it and probably have fun.

Heck, I still think Phantom Menace is fun despite its problems.

Heck, indeed.

(Reply to this)

bwozar07 writes:
on May 18 2008 09:35 AM

I would comment that there are some more pleasant reviews of Indy coming out, McCarthy at Variety for instance

http://www.variety.com/VE1117937176.html

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Some guy you dont know writes:
on May 18 2008 09:41 AM

Phantom Menace kicked *** so I'm not going to listen to this review.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on May 18 2008 10:09 AM

IDK... I still think its going to be great. Some critics im sure like some viewers wanted it to be bad.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on May 18 2008 10:13 AM

I think this will still get a positive RT meter. These are just a few reviews there basing this story on im sure.

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jeremyd4 writes:
on May 18 2008 10:18 AM

I'm finding this review very hard to make sense of..
"it's not as much of a disaster as it could so easily have been". Huh? So it was a disaster then, just not a very big one??? You sure didn't say anything too damning about the film though - just too much CGI.. and the other stars didn't get the chance to shine (I think it should all be about Indy anyway).

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salsafish writes:
on May 18 2008 10:18 AM

Can we use the word "Zeitgeist" without being pretentious?

You know without seeing it that this movie has one foot in the 80s, and one in 2008. It's going to have "flaws" since it's trying to do a bunch of things at once. What matters is that it's going to be fun to watch, and that's the real point.

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blattman writes:
on May 18 2008 10:47 AM

Anyone who didn't see all the CGI in the first trailer was blind. You go for the adventure, to lose yourself for a couple of hours in his world, and I don't want it too real. I'm still pretty sure the boulder from the first movie wasn't a real threat to Harrison Ford anymore then the cgi ones are in this pic. Jeesh!

(Reply to this)

mrshock13 writes:
on May 18 2008 10:56 AM

In reply to this comment (#1739304)
Salsafish, you pretty much have it, this movie exists for the pure entertainment value for all the fans who have seen and loved the previous indy movies. Regardless of what reviewers will say, people will go see this movie, and probably love it, because for the most part they aren't a bunch of pretentious pricks that think that this movie isn't good because there is TOO much action...how that is in an ACTION film, much less an INDY film, I will never understand. Can't wait to see it, it's gonna be great!

(Reply to this)

Timbo0075 writes:
on May 18 2008 11:15 AM

this is rubbish, I thrust Empireonline.com, they warned us that more mixed reviews would come out like this but to ignore them. They said it was fun so I'm gonna believe them. Not this *** who wrote this

(Reply to this)

The Federal Farmer writes:
on May 18 2008 11:17 AM

In reply to this comment (#1739231)
Just echoing blinkybrown. As someone who's worked Sundance for many years, it's pretty obvious when critics reach a little too deep when making their reviews. I have no idea why on earth Indy premiered at Cannes. No doubt there were anti-American sentiments abounding, full of hatred towards Spielberg, Lucas, and everything with a budget over $100. If it's anything like Sundance, the negative reaction means it's probably a good movie, since so many of those festival goers are caught up in acting like movie bourgeoise, simply because they've seen a few non-mainstream flicks. Even the bad reviews make this sound great - full of action, all the stuff of the old movies. And, hey, when you can impress a hard-nosed critic like Emmanuel Levy, you're doing just fine.

(Reply to this)

smitty112485 writes:
on May 18 2008 11:22 AM

What I'm not clear on... is this one guy's opinion or is it a consensus?

Right now, it has a 63% Tomatometer, and the good reviews are clearly contradicting the bad ones. It's not like most films where the bad reviews and good reviews share criticisms, but this is one where one person is saying "Cate Blanchett is forgettable" and another is saying "She's good enough to be a Bond Villain". It's crazy. And knowing how pretentious the Cannes crowd have been in the past (The Da Vinci Code was disappointing, but their reaction to it was a bit much), they're not exactly the most reliable source when it comes to what's great. Didn't Babel win the Palme d'Or one year?

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just a fan writes:
on May 18 2008 11:27 AM

Going to the movies is like meeting new people. You don't always understand them, may not like them initially or later but it is an experience. Seeing a franchise film like Indy or even X Files is like a reunion with some old friends you may not like everything about them but they are familiar and you have some common experiences good and bad. I want to have have fun, be moved, infuriated, scared out my pants or laugh and be entertained. Ironman was a new found "friend" despite its flaws, Young at Heart was a delight and whatever Indy is or isn't I'm sure I'll have some fun in the dark with some old friends.

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monkeybrow writes:
on May 18 2008 11:33 AM

interesting that Variety and Time's reviews are quite positive compared to this...

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cypress550 writes:
on May 18 2008 12:38 PM

for the most part i dont listen to reviewers anyway i have to see it first to make an opinion not go off somebody elses. also ive heard alot of good reviews too so this doesnt worry me at all.

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sunsaz writes:
on May 18 2008 01:06 PM

IMO, this review really doesn't say if it was any good or not. Maybe it's because I'm reading it with a headache, but this appears more cryptic than the plot itself. Oh well, I can wait a couple more days for the other reviews to come in.

And I'm still going to see it anyways, so that'll be the best possible review.

(Reply to this)

Bloody Mathias writes:
on May 18 2008 01:07 PM

Just as i thought, mixed reviews.

Some calling this a travesty to the trilogy others sayings they had a blast.

Oh well, bring on July 18. :D

(Reply to this)

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