Hollywood is good in tailoring roles for old actors even for an action flick. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an excellent example. In the movie, good old Harrison Ford aka Dr Indiana Jones, is back with the whip, a pistol and his trademark hat after 19 years since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).

For those who came in late, Dr  Jones (Ford) is an ace archeologist-adventurer of the 1950s who has got the gift to unravel mysteries of the past, which normal people like you and me usually cannot unlock. He has got the energy of a youth and the mind of a genius, that lead him ahead of his rivals.

Okay, back to the present, in this fourth edition in the Indiana Jones series, Dr Jones fights villainous USSR agents led by Agent Irina (Cate Blanchett) for the possession of a crystal skull made by higher powers — probably Martians. Martians?!? I was stirred but not shaken by this sci-fi touch, after all we have the master of sci-fi film, Steven Speilberg as the director.

Another striking feature is Dr Jones, the loner, craving for a family. So we have Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) returning along with her son Mutt William (Shia LaBeouf). As their adventure unfolds so does the family drama. In their mission to return the skull to its rightful owner, in fact the rightful head; they travel to New Mexico, Connecticut, Mexico City and the jungles of Peru which provide a mix of exotic destinations. An excellent job in cinematography and well- balanced special effects. Actions are believable, save for the waterfall scenes.
And if your eyes are sharp enough you’ll also notice fake lights and use of cardboards in many broken items.

Another problem with sequels is that we cannot resist comparing the present with the previous one. Some fans will be disappointed with the shift from real life theme to sci-fi.

One thing you can do is to not expect this to be better than the previous ones — it isn’t. But, it’s safe to join Dr Jones and his team in their adventure with your dear ones. It’s a clean feel good family entertainment.