MovieFreak.com - "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" DVD Review by Dennis Landmann

DVD REVIEW

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody

Director: Steven Spielberg

Rating: PG-13

Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 21, 2003
Review posted: November 18, 2003

Spoilers: None

Reviewed by Dennis Landmann

Synopsis

With the Nazi's hot on their trail, Indiana Jones (Ford) and his father (Connery) embark on a perilous quest and race against time to recover the Holy Grail.

Critique

"Our situation has not improved." - Henry Jones

The third installment in the Indy the series is Indiana Jones the Last Crusade, probably my most favorite. There are several reasons why. I guess it's because of the magnitude of the story, dialogue, locations, characters, action and comedy. Last Crusade mixes these things together perfectly and the result is kind of a blockbuster event. The film is the longest of the three by roughly ten minutes; it's a good thing is the pacing doesn't suffer for it.

In terms of story, Last Crusade is similar to Raiders. It involves another sacred artifact, the Holy Grail this time, and Nazis as the bad guys. However, Last Crusade is different. Well, obviously. Indy circles the globe once again, well, part of it, to find answers to clues that will lead him to the location of the Holy Grail. Following him on the journey to discovery is both intriguing and involving. Last Crusade also has some nice surprises. The action is just terrific. Some of the chases are pretty sophisticated and the special effects are more advanced. Action and comedy is a great combination here. Also, Steven Spielberg is back in great shape and form, making Last Crusade visually captivating and just a pleasure to watch. And John Williams gives the score his final touch.

Sean Connery as Indy's dad. Hah. It's a bit of a stretch, but works great for the film. Of course, he is a smart fellow, but also charming and funny. Connery is riot, more or less. His comedic timing is great, but credit also has to go to screenwriter Jeffrey Boam for coming up with some great one liners. I'm not sure how much Connery improvised or if he did at all, but it's really fun watching him act opposite Harrison Ford. The father and son relationship works very well, especially at the end when Indy gathers his courage to save his father. In fact, Indy has a purpose during the entire adventure despite a disgruntled attitude. Returning cast members from the first film are John-Rhys Davies and Denholm Elliot. Elliot's character, Marcus Brody, is the comic relief, so to speak, although this plot device never seems forced. In fact, it works just great. He also serves up some pretty funny lines. Allison Doody also makes a good impression, not to mention she looks gorgeous.

So, obviously Indiana Jones the Last Crusade is my favorite installment. It's just a real blast. The action and comedy works great together. Also, Ford and Connery have great chemistry. Speaking of "my favorite installment", one never knows what might happen when the fourth film comes out in 2005, presumably. All I can say is that I'm really looking forward to it.

The Video

"Well don't you see? The pen is mightier than the sword." - Marcus Brody

Paramount presents all three Indiana Jones films in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Gorgeous! The transfer is absolutely gorgeous. The amount of clarity is simply top notch. Hell, darker scenes still carry some grain and whatnot, but the rest of the print quality is top notch. Colors are very vibrant and bright, not to mention very well saturated. Color detail is quite sharp. The transfer accentuates all daylight scenes very nicely.

That is, the picture has never been this bright. Looking at the beautiful images shot by director of photography Douglas Slocombe is very refreshing and greatly enhances the viewing experience. Darker scenes also look very good. Sharpness is pretty good. I didn't notice any major print flaws or concerns. All in all, this digitally mastered picture quality is as superior and clear as it's going to get. Did I mention it looks gorgeous?!

The Audio

Henry Jones: They're trying to kill us!

Indiana Jones: I know, Dad!

Henry Jones: This is a new experience for me.

Indiana Jones: It happens to me all the time.

Paramount presents all three Indiana Jones films in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Fantastic! Terrific! Okay, to be more specific, this THX-certified, digitally remastered soundtrack offers a great surround sound experience. The soundtrack has been "stereoized" as LucasFilm puts it. In fact, this presentation is the nicest surround sound experience I've had in a while. The soundfield is penetrated by speakers from all sides. Both front channels emit all sounds with a lot of bass and dynamic range. Dialog is clear and easy to understand, except for a few quiet spots. Sound reproduction across the front channels and rear channels are well defined.

Rear speakers add a lot of noise to the overall presentation. All the major sound effects, as well as some of the more subtle ones, come alive with a lot of depth. John Williams' epic and classic score is probably the most notable. Yet the sound effects, like the noise of crickets, gunfire, shooting arrows, smashing stones, explosions, and many other incredible sounds, are also very noteworthy as they also carry good bass and range. To sum up this presentation in a nutshell: most excellent sound quality. I had a really great time here.

Additional sound options include French and Spanish Dolby Surround dubs.

The Extras

All of the extras are found on disc 4.

You can select to view all the film with optional English, French and Spanish subtitles. The 126-minute feature is organized into thirty-six chapters

Overall

I think you get the idea. But again, Indiana Jones the Last Crusade is my favorite for a lot of reasons. Video and audio quality is terrific once again. And now for the bonus disc... containing the behind-the-scenes we've all been waiting for...

>>Continued: Indiana Jones DVD Bonus Disc.

RATINGS SUMMARY