Indiana Jones and the Unnecessary Sequel

I really enjoyed the Indiana Jones movies growing up and fondly remember playing the Last Crusade computer game (where you just do what he did in the movie) in 5th grade computer class. So, I was wary about ruining my affection for those movies with a 66-year old Harrison Ford.

Sadly, I was proven correct. The movie is completely unbelievable... as in non-believable. The story involves aliens and Communists (Nazi-thwarting is way more entertaining) and surviving a nuclear explosion and a tough-guy Shia LaBeouf and monkey-kids (all the depiction of South Americans are shamefully racist) that haunt ruins and ESP. I did not put any of that in a spoiler section because it all happens in the first 30-45 minutes. In the first action sequence Harrison Ford is trying to escape and it looks baaaad. I mean, I think they sped up the tape to make him look like he was climbing and running faster than he was. The combined effect makes this movie entirely over-the-top non-believable. The Lost Ark and the Last Crusade (the good ones of the three) are predicated on historical/religious lore. This one is all made up stuff with splashes of historical plausibility.

The worst part of the whole thing, is that if this movie didn't have the Indiana Jones label, it would not have been made. The movie has no art in it anywhere. The casting of Shia is a transparent way of extending the franchise (or at least testing the waters).  I hope the producers recognize the mistake they have made and just let the series end.

Positivity section: There is an extended care chase/fight scene that is entertaining and sort of reminiscent of the car chase/fight scene in the Last Crusade. It too, however, is riddled with weirdness and unbelievability.

Recommendation: Don't see it unless its on TV, there's nothing else on and you won't really be paying attention.