DVD Review: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008)
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL was recently released on a 2-Disc Special Edition DVD and Blue ray. I was able to take a look at the 2-Disc DVD version (yep, still no Blue ray).
I think I am one of the few who actually enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. No, it wasn’t as good as the previous Indiana Jones movies, but it did take me on an adventure and entertained me, which is all I was looking for.
Harrison Ford is still awesome after all these years and Shia LaBeouf (we all know I’m a fan) definitely held his own up there.
Cate Blanchett never disappoints so I shouldn’t be surprised that she was a great villain.
Apart being able to discover or re-watch the movie, the DVD offers a lot of special features that is sure to excite Indiana Jones fans.
You can find a lot of things about how the movie came to be, which I always find fun. Featurettes always spike my interest and I was glad to find plenty of that on the DVD. There are galleries but I usually don’t really care for those. And more featurettes. You can pretty much learn everything you wanted to know about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Overall, I feel it’s almost a must-have for Indiana Jones fans (unless you absolutely hated the movie). I think it’s going to be a good movie to watch after rewatching #1, 2, and 3. You can have great movie nights that way.
[rating:3.5]
Here is a complete list of the Special Features:
Disc 1:
The Return of a Legend—The evolution of the new film and a tribute to the legendary hero and his creators.
Pre-Production—Follows Steven Spielberg as he creates animatic sequences, Shia LaBeouf as he learns to swordfight and captures the reunion of filmmakers and cast on the soundstage.
DVD Disc 2:
Production Diary: Making Kingdom of the Crystal Skull—Join filmmakers, cast and crew for a complete look at the making of the film.
- Shooting Begins: New Mexico
- Back To School: New Haven, Connecticut
- Welcome to the Jungle: Hilo, Hawaii
- On-Set Action
- Exploring Akator
- Wrapping Up!
Warrior Makeup
The Crystal Skulls
Iconic Props
The Effects of Indy
Adventures in Post Production
Closing: Team Indy
Pre-Visualization Sequences
Area 51 Escape
- Jungle Chase
- Ants Attack
Galleries
- The Adventure Begins
- Cemetery and Jungle
- Akator
- Corpses, Skeletons & Mummies
- Aliens & Crystal Skulls
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull also will be available as a single disc DVD presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with THX Certified Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround and English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Blu-ray
The Special Edition Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition with THX Certified English 5.1 Dolby True HD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. The two-disc set includes the following special features:
Blu-ray Disc 1:
Indiana Jones Timelines— Explore the movie through interactive timelines that include video featurettes, in-depth information and unique imagery. Your adventure begins with one of these three timelines:
The Return of a Legend—The evolution of the new film and a tribute to the legendary hero and his creators. (HD)
Pre-Production—Follows Steven Spielberg as he creates animatic sequences, Shia LaBeouf as he learns to swordfight and captures the reunion of filmmakers and cast on the soundstage. (HD)
Disc 2:
Production Diary: Making Kingdom of the Crystal Skull—Join filmmakers, cast and crew for a complete look at the making of the film.
Warrior Makeup (HD)
The Crystal Skulls (HD)
Iconic Props (HD)
The Effects of Indy (HD)
Adventures in Post Production (HD)
Closing: Team Indy (HD)
Pre-Visualization Sequences
Galleries
- The Adventure Begins
- Cemetery and Jungle
- Akator
- Corpses, Skeletons & Mummies
- Aliens & Crystal Skulls
Production Photographs
Portraits
Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Film Info:
Director:
Cast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone and John Hurt
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Synopsis: Set in 1957, the film follows Indy on a perilous adventure to find the coveted Crystal Skull of Akator. From the ivy-covered halls of Marshall College to the verdant jungles of South America, Indy is relentlessly pursued by sinister Soviet agents who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the eerie object of fascination.
