While I thought “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was a fair movie that didn’t live up to the original trilogy due to no fault of the actors or director, but based simply on the story, it’s 2-disc special edition DVD has the special features that deliver the real Indy goodness, but begs the question as to how the movie could have turned out so okay/mediocre when it seems the entire production had recaptured the magic of making the first three films.
Buying this single DVD may not be worth it, considering the inevitable 4-disc box set that will undoubtedly emerge right after you have, the 12-part production diary entitled “Making ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'” is well worth the cover price if you are set on un-box-set version of Indy’s fourth escapade. Put together with all the love and detail that the current fourth disc in the box-set containing special features on the first three flicks received, the in-depth look into each and every part of the production is an truly engaging look into how this film came to be. Whether it’s seeing a closing shot of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas riding off into the sunset in a vintage auto after filming “Indy” 4’s opening sequence or each and every interview demonstrating how truly badass Harrison Ford remains, diehards and casual Indy fans alike will love this well-constructed, near-hour-and-a-half long feature!
The rest of the special features are pretty standard fair—insight into special effect, props and the backstory behind the crystal skulls—but have enough fun moments to reward the DVD connoisseur who trucks through them all, including a great insight into aviation-enthusiast Harrison Ford’s help picking the airplanes that appear in the movie, as well as footage of whip-practices before filming!
In the end, it may not have been Indy’s best outing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t recapture the magic that the production did with these great special features. A purchase might be an iffy move based on the guaranteed future box-set, but the bonus disc is well worth a rental at the very least!
