That being my friend’s reaction to the latest Indiana Jones film. O, is now a bad time to mentioned that this blog might contain certain tidbits of information regarding the latest Indy film? Well, now that the cats out of the bag - the latest Indy films is about, that's right, Aliens!! - Aliens you say?! Fuck!! - Is it really that shocking? I mean, it's not as if George Lucas + Stephen Spielberg have exactly avoided the topic over their years of filmmaking. Still, Aliens in an Indiana Jones film... you would have think they would have had the common sense not to mix the two of them together.
That isn't too much of a jolt to your system is it? I apologize if so. If you’re standing, you might want to sit yourself down + take a few deep breathes. Of course being the film has been out for quite some time (so i'm a bit late with my "WTF" rant - deal with it) you have hopefully already gotten over this (to an understandable extent… we don’t want to be completely over it) . They should really stop letting George Lucas make movies @ this point. It would now seem there are even talks of an Indy 5. An Indy 5?! Give it a rest already. I don't even know how Indy 4 was as well received as it was. It was mediocre @ best + certainly not as good as the previous Indy films.
Now i don't suppose you would expect an Indiana Jones film to draw comparisons to either the Alien or Predator franchise + yet, some how or another it did. That is it did while my friend, brother + I drove home from the midnight showing. While the Indiana Jones 4 plot certainly wasn't as far-fetched as the 1st Alien vs Predator showdown as certain members of the vehicle insisted, it was still quite absurd. For those of you unfamiliar with the plot of "Alien vs Predator" i'm pretty sure you can figure out the basics from the title.
Now Indy 4 would have us believe that when 13 crystal skulls (real skulls of Extra-Terrestrial beings it would seem) were position together atop 13 Alien skeletons they will awaken + theoretically provide us with riches of some sort. Basically there is a "lost city" (a city of gold) which is really a UFO that is buried in South America. The riches of these Aliens happen to be knowledge. Now i won't elaborate on it (to much anyways) but i do feel obligated to mentioned that the plot is very similar to an episode of Stargate SG-1. That plot being that Crystal Skulls were alien artifacts + these aliens possessed great riches... those riches - knowledge. You can't fault the film for having an o so similar plot (well you could but why waste time) b/c as it happens to be it is common mythology that Crystal Skulls are in fact the result of Aliens. It would appear that this is actually true... o w/e, not like it matters.
You'll have to admit the plot of the film is quite absurd, especially being it's an Indy film. While Indy films have always had a hint of Sci-Fi they have never been full out Sci-Fi films, especially not the kind that involves Aliens. Where you might expect to find Aliens however is in an Alien film such as "Alien vs Predator". What you might be shocked to find however is that Predators were once upon a time, our gods. You probably are (as you ought to be) scratching your head @ that one. My friend did sum up how insane this all was in a glorious rant that i unfortunately cannot remember word for word. In essence... Predators would not be our gods, it just wouldn't happen. As the movie would have us believe they taught people how to build pyramids. One such pyramid happened to be buried deep under the arctic ice. Now i can quote my friend in this instance in wondering "how'd they ship in the Aztecs for that one?!". This is certainly odd behavior for a species that tore Arnold's team + some goons in LA to shreds.
As it turns out (+ not so surprisingly), some movie franchises just shouldn't keep going + going + going. That is what we have the energizer bunny + the Friday the 13th films for (new 1 out in Feb!!). Great franchises such as Indy + Alien though just ought to give it a rest. Temple of Doom takes a lot of heat but i myself feel it is underrated. It might not be as good as Raiders or the Last Crusade but it has a very different tone. The 3 Indy films of the 1980’s were a great trilogy. For several... up to ten years (more i'm thinking) Indy 4 went through development hell + it really shows. Harrison Ford was alright but the magic of the 1st 3 is gone + the plot much more ridiculous. I mean... do i have to say it again? Aliens?! Fuck!!
As for the Alien franchise... it has suffered a worse downfall. Alien 3, while good, hurt the franchises image after the 1st 2 films were so well received + Alien Resurrection did nothing to improve the public perception of the series. Pitting the Alien with Predators in an AvP flick was a perfectly good opportunity for a kick ass film but they fucked it up. Many involved with the Alien films were opposed to the idea but really it was the best shot @ revitalizing the series. After years in development hell though AvP hit the screen only to be met with major disappointment. Of course, most of the damage to the Alien franchise had been done already with Alien Resurrection, but AvP didn't do much in the way of reversing it. As for the Predators... well i don't think you can call 2 films a series + AvP was certainly more successful than P2 but the Predators in AvP were nothing like the Predators we had grown accustomed to. AvP: R... i won't start - it's bad, really really bad. The Predator is much better portrayed (paid off the writers one assumes) but the Aliens are reduced to screeching overgrown bugs to serve as cannon fodder.
Now don't get me wrong, i'm not totally opposed to sequels. If there are good stories to be told then by all means, i welcome sequels. Making sequels for the sole point of making a sequel though.... why bother. O, that's right - money. Indy 4 was destined to rake in big bucks. It has pulled in 315 million domestically + has to date has amassed 750 million worldwide. An AvP film... let's see, two dying/dead franchises... It worked too, with AvP pulling in 175 million worldwide + making a killing in DVD sales. It's sequel - well they knew they couldn't fool us twice so they lowered the budget (from 60 mil to an estimated 35-40 mil) to balance the loss in profits. It bombed (really bombed) in the US but performed well overseas giving it a worldwide take of 130 million. I really just wish they would stop... + now we have a new Terminator film (sans Arnold) slated for release in May 09. Some people, studios + filmmakers alike, really need to learn when enough is enough. Is it really worth the quick buck when in the long run you may damage the integrity of the product?
That isn't too much of a jolt to your system is it? I apologize if so. If you’re standing, you might want to sit yourself down + take a few deep breathes. Of course being the film has been out for quite some time (so i'm a bit late with my "WTF" rant - deal with it) you have hopefully already gotten over this (to an understandable extent… we don’t want to be completely over it) . They should really stop letting George Lucas make movies @ this point. It would now seem there are even talks of an Indy 5. An Indy 5?! Give it a rest already. I don't even know how Indy 4 was as well received as it was. It was mediocre @ best + certainly not as good as the previous Indy films.
Now i don't suppose you would expect an Indiana Jones film to draw comparisons to either the Alien or Predator franchise + yet, some how or another it did. That is it did while my friend, brother + I drove home from the midnight showing. While the Indiana Jones 4 plot certainly wasn't as far-fetched as the 1st Alien vs Predator showdown as certain members of the vehicle insisted, it was still quite absurd. For those of you unfamiliar with the plot of "Alien vs Predator" i'm pretty sure you can figure out the basics from the title.
Now Indy 4 would have us believe that when 13 crystal skulls (real skulls of Extra-Terrestrial beings it would seem) were position together atop 13 Alien skeletons they will awaken + theoretically provide us with riches of some sort. Basically there is a "lost city" (a city of gold) which is really a UFO that is buried in South America. The riches of these Aliens happen to be knowledge. Now i won't elaborate on it (to much anyways) but i do feel obligated to mentioned that the plot is very similar to an episode of Stargate SG-1. That plot being that Crystal Skulls were alien artifacts + these aliens possessed great riches... those riches - knowledge. You can't fault the film for having an o so similar plot (well you could but why waste time) b/c as it happens to be it is common mythology that Crystal Skulls are in fact the result of Aliens. It would appear that this is actually true... o w/e, not like it matters.
You'll have to admit the plot of the film is quite absurd, especially being it's an Indy film. While Indy films have always had a hint of Sci-Fi they have never been full out Sci-Fi films, especially not the kind that involves Aliens. Where you might expect to find Aliens however is in an Alien film such as "Alien vs Predator". What you might be shocked to find however is that Predators were once upon a time, our gods. You probably are (as you ought to be) scratching your head @ that one. My friend did sum up how insane this all was in a glorious rant that i unfortunately cannot remember word for word. In essence... Predators would not be our gods, it just wouldn't happen. As the movie would have us believe they taught people how to build pyramids. One such pyramid happened to be buried deep under the arctic ice. Now i can quote my friend in this instance in wondering "how'd they ship in the Aztecs for that one?!". This is certainly odd behavior for a species that tore Arnold's team + some goons in LA to shreds.
As it turns out (+ not so surprisingly), some movie franchises just shouldn't keep going + going + going. That is what we have the energizer bunny + the Friday the 13th films for (new 1 out in Feb!!). Great franchises such as Indy + Alien though just ought to give it a rest. Temple of Doom takes a lot of heat but i myself feel it is underrated. It might not be as good as Raiders or the Last Crusade but it has a very different tone. The 3 Indy films of the 1980’s were a great trilogy. For several... up to ten years (more i'm thinking) Indy 4 went through development hell + it really shows. Harrison Ford was alright but the magic of the 1st 3 is gone + the plot much more ridiculous. I mean... do i have to say it again? Aliens?! Fuck!!
As for the Alien franchise... it has suffered a worse downfall. Alien 3, while good, hurt the franchises image after the 1st 2 films were so well received + Alien Resurrection did nothing to improve the public perception of the series. Pitting the Alien with Predators in an AvP flick was a perfectly good opportunity for a kick ass film but they fucked it up. Many involved with the Alien films were opposed to the idea but really it was the best shot @ revitalizing the series. After years in development hell though AvP hit the screen only to be met with major disappointment. Of course, most of the damage to the Alien franchise had been done already with Alien Resurrection, but AvP didn't do much in the way of reversing it. As for the Predators... well i don't think you can call 2 films a series + AvP was certainly more successful than P2 but the Predators in AvP were nothing like the Predators we had grown accustomed to. AvP: R... i won't start - it's bad, really really bad. The Predator is much better portrayed (paid off the writers one assumes) but the Aliens are reduced to screeching overgrown bugs to serve as cannon fodder.
Now don't get me wrong, i'm not totally opposed to sequels. If there are good stories to be told then by all means, i welcome sequels. Making sequels for the sole point of making a sequel though.... why bother. O, that's right - money. Indy 4 was destined to rake in big bucks. It has pulled in 315 million domestically + has to date has amassed 750 million worldwide. An AvP film... let's see, two dying/dead franchises... It worked too, with AvP pulling in 175 million worldwide + making a killing in DVD sales. It's sequel - well they knew they couldn't fool us twice so they lowered the budget (from 60 mil to an estimated 35-40 mil) to balance the loss in profits. It bombed (really bombed) in the US but performed well overseas giving it a worldwide take of 130 million. I really just wish they would stop... + now we have a new Terminator film (sans Arnold) slated for release in May 09. Some people, studios + filmmakers alike, really need to learn when enough is enough. Is it really worth the quick buck when in the long run you may damage the integrity of the product?
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