No matter what is said about Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it will do well in theaters. Plain and simple, it's Indiana Jones. We loved him 20 years ago. After a long absence, he's back again. And if for no other reason, we'll be drawn to his return simply because we have to see for ourselves what he is up to now. That said, even though I would've gone to see The Crystal Skull whether it was my job or not, it just didn't do it for me. In some ways, it fell short. In others, it pushed the envelope way too far. And even though I recognize that it is not meant to be Schindler's List, the humor and wit of its campy style and fantasy storyline just did not hold up for its full two plus hours.

Perhaps the biggest issue I have with the movie is its lack of physical reality and its increasing feeling of artificiality and unbelievability. Other than opening scenes filmed in NM deserts and a few in the jungle, almost every scene in The Crystal Skull appears to be on a set, in front of a blue screen, or in a highly stylized location. Where the real live snakes and rats of Raiders and Last Crusade made me squirm in my seat, Crystal Skull's giant CGI ants only made me laugh. While Indy (Harrison Ford) and his son Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) do put up a few good fist fights, Indy's spare use of his whip and the humanly improbable nature of many of the movie's stunts made me miss Harrison's younger Indy even more. And without revealing the twist that I certainly did not predict, let's just say that when the movie was over, all I could say was—Seriously?!

But even though Indy's newest adventure ended up being one that made me laugh inappropriately more than it drew me in, I still have to give it credit for capturing some of the magic of its predecessors. In fact, if the entire movie had been more like its first 30 minutes than the rest, I would've been fine with it. It's 1957, Indiana gets kidnapped by Russians in search of a secret "weapon." After a few MacGyver-like stunts and one of many car chases to follow, he escapes only to have to hide inside a fridge during a nuclear test. Upon returning to his university job, he is fired amidst McCarthy Era suspicion. And when a young greaser named Mutt shows up in search of Indiana's help, the two begin their quest for the Crystal Skull with Russian goons hot on their tails and the balance of world power in their hands.

Although I mistakenly went into the movie expecting it to take place in current times, the movie quickly pulled me into the politics and power struggles of its anti-communist Cold War Era in a way that establishes a perfect basis for the story that follows. In 1957, with the power of the Atomic Bomb in U.S. hands, world politics rested on our possession of the ultimate weapon and our need to make sure no one else acquired it. Enter the legend of the Crystal Skull. From the movie's trailer, you pretty much know its background. Like the Ark, the sacred stones, and the Grail, the Skull has supernatural powers. As the story unfolds, we learn that its power lies in the realm of mind control, ultimate knowledge, and a sort of collective consciousness. Pretty much imagine what it would be like to peer across the world, know everyone's secrets, and put thoughts in other's heads without them even knowing. Says Communist scientist Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) to Indiana, "This next level of weapon is ours to have and yours to fear."

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