INDIANA JONES and the KINGDOM of the CRYSTAL SKULL

Sometimes, the phrase; more of the same, implies negativity. But in reference to Indiana Jones movies and/or Steven Spielberg, more of the same simply means; complimentary.

My first taste of summer movie fun features Harrison Ford. He's back in the title role after a twenty year absence in...INDIANA JONES and the KINGDOM of the CRYSTAL SKULL.

Set during 1950's cold war paranoia, the movie opens in a Nevada military installation where atomic bomb testing is being done. It seems the Russians are after an object of fascination, superstition and fear, known as the crystal skulls of Akator, (Hitchcock called the item "they" are after; the McGuffin) . With these artifacts, the Rushkies feel they can dominate the world. And its up to world-famous archaeologist Indiana Jones to stop them.

The hunt then whisks us away to the most remote corner of Peru where the mythical golden city of El Dorado is intertwined into the story.

The movie is full of beautiful photographic images, visual effects, great stunts and signature chase scenes. If you watch carefully there are many references to other Indiana Jones movies plus other nostalgic eye-candy to capture the feeling of the fifties, like Marlon Brando from the "WILD ONE," HOWDY DOODY and James Dean.

The Crystal Skulls was a most anticipated sequel and because of that, its probably difficult to live-up to the hype. However, from a purely entertainment and escapism standpoint, the surviving three (count them) free-falls off waterfalls, giant ant attacks and a sword fight across two parallel vehicles, driving through a jungle, are fantasy at its finest. And even more importantly, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford made 65 year-old Indy a believable super-hero.

Its hard to believe that this was my son Andrew's first exposure to Indiana Jones and he loved it...even more than me. I think the difference between he and I was, even though the movie made no attempt to hide the aliens from outer space angle, their ultimate treatment of it was a little "over-the-top" for my taste.

3 - 3.5 stars (out of four) from me...3.5 from Andrew. I'm certain Andrew will now be looking for more of the same...from the original Indiana Jones movies.