The Power of Negative Blogging

I hate reading reviews, I hate writing reviews. But I’ve talked enough about Indiana Jones here that I had to comment with something.

 Last night I realized something as I attended the midnight show for Indiana Jones IV. I, not nearly as much as Indy himself, am old. At least I was last night, when I was roughly the third oldest person in a 400 seat theater. The average age was 21 or so. Why? Who can go to a midnight show on a Wednesday? College kids and a guy with a flexible work schedule. Most of the audience wasn’t alive or we’re in diapers when the last movie came out. They seemed excited for the movie but it didn’t seem to resonate with them as much. I grew up with Indiana. We played with ropes as whips and toy guns, running around the woods pretending to be on a grand adventure. Throwing dirt clumps as grenades and killing imaginary Nazis. So for me, Indiana Jones is a trip back to my childhood. But last night, as they dimmed the lights, it didn’t get dark right away. The light from all the cell phones as the kids finished up their text messages took a few minutes to dissipate as the previews rolled. For them this was a cool event to go to. For me, it was a trip down memory lane…

The movie itself is just that. A great reunion with an old friend. You could see Harrison Ford really enjoyed himself and for the first time in awhile, didn’t phone it in. There were some great lines, a heck of an opening, one very stupid scene that reaffirms my hate of monkeys, some nasty critters and a lot of fun action. I smiled the whole show thinking “It’s good to see Indy again.” And it really was. It was good to see Marion again as well and to see Indiana’s face when he first sees Marion…priceless.

This is definitely more like the Last Crusade than anything else. It had its goofy moments, but good goofy. I didn’t walk in there expecting Schindler’s List. Nor did I expect Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was worth the groggy day I’ll have today. I think most people, if they go in without any expectations, will come out pleasantly surprised. I did get my money’s worth and I certainly didn’t feel I wasted my time going. Isn’t that what you want from your movies, especially with all the usual crap Hollywood tries to feed us?

It was good to see you again Indy. Glad you’re back.