Indiana Jones for a new generation

After nineteen years out of the saddle, swashbuckling archaeologist Indiana Jones is back in a film that should appeal to movie-goers of all ages.

Harrison Ford has donned his fedora once more for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which is set in 1957 at the start of the cold war, 19 years after we last saw our hero fighting the Nazis in The Last Crusade.

This time, Indy is battling the Soviets in an adventure that takes him from the Nevada desert to the jungles of Peru, in search of a mysterious lost kingdom.

Accompanied by his new sidekick Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) the intrepid explorer sets out to find the famed Crystal Skill of Akator, dodging Cate Blanchett’s Russian agent Irina Spalko along the way.

Despite concerns that Harrison Ford’s advanced years (he’s 66) could tarnish this action-packed film, it manages to live up to the expectations of the army of Indiana Jones fans.

Ford is as charming as ever in the role, while Cate Blanchett hams it up perfectly as a clipped Soviet agent. There’s also a love interest in the form of Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), who first appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Kids will love this classic adventure story, while dads who were fans of the original Indy films are sure to enjoy taking a trip down memory lane.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released nationwide yesterday and is rated PG-13.