'Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of The Skull' review

Harrison Ford, right, for the fourth time as Indiana Jones. Watch the trailer: http://movies.aol.com/movie/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull/25440/main 

We took Mom & Dad to see the first one when it came out. Mom wanted to see this one too. This movie is everything you read and heard about, the good and the bad. Some reviewers think it was worth the wait; others say it's a tired, humorless rehash. I think it's great to see this franchise return and without sacrificing what made it good. There's the barrage of super special effects, impossible chase & fight scenes, exotic settings filled with treacherous flora & fauna, all spiced with snappy dialogue & jokes. There's several references to the previous three movies as well as Spielberg's other movies. Some loose ends from the first one find closure here but that's for you to learn.

    Harrison Ford knew he might be too old at 65 to be convincing as our dashing hero, but he plays that up with self-deprecating humor. The story wisely takes place in 1957 to compensate for his aging. The rest of the cast make the most of their roles and mix well with each other and the plot. Characters tend to be stereotypes but not offensive, but that's what you expect in this kind of movie. So sit back and enjoy the well-crafted details of this nostalgic extravaganza.  The college scenes were filmed in nearby New Haven, Ct. and  we recognized familiar streets near Yale University. Even Mom laughed at seeing a New Britain Transportation bus since we grew up in that city.