The first minute that Indiana Jones is on screen in the fourth installment of this popular series is a little weak. Harrison Ford looks a little old, and the delivery of the lines seems a little soft and a trifle forced. And then, he takes on an army of Russians in Area 51, beats up more than a few of them and narrowly avoids being destroyed in an atomic blast. You can breathe a sigh of relief, Indiana Jones is back.

The story focuses on an old friend of Indy’s who has gone missing in the jungles of South America searching for a crystal skull. A young punk brings our Dr. Jones a letter from his mother, who is also in the jungles, and the intrepid hero and his unlikely sidekick, Mutt, go south of the border to see what they can find out. Cue the tomb-raiding, riddle solving, creepy crawling, Russian brawling and double crossing. The movie establishes a brisk pace and takes the audience on another rollicking adventure with the world’s most preeminent archaeologist on film. If you like Indiana Jones movies, there is no reason not to like this one. It is easily as good as the last two films. It’s not as good as “Raiders of the Lost Ark” but few movies are.

Ford is solid as Jones and Cate Blanchett’s Irina Spalko, a swashbuckling KGB leader, is kind of fun to watch, but Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt might be the best thing going in the film. Those who were concerned he would Jar-Jar up the joint can rest easy, LaBeouf is a pro and is the next big blockbuster star. He has an ease that is fun to watch in movies like this. He was great in “Transformers” and if they decide to pass the fedora to him for this series, it will be in good hands. The supporting cast is also very solid. Karen Allen returns as Marion Ravenwood and her chemistry with Ford is pure joy, while Ray Winstone’s Mac and John Hurt as Professor Oxley both have their share of great moments as well.

Summer sequels often tend to disappoint, but I wonder if that is because we unfairly set the bar too high. I think many movie lovers tend to romanticize certain films and then sequels to those films can’t possibly live up to the expectations. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” came out 19 years ago. I was still in high school when it was released and I loved every movie I saw back then. Watching this film a few weeks ago on USA, I was entertained, but I had no illusions about it being one of the best movies ever made. It was fun and I will watch it again. Ultimately, that is what I can say about “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

It was fun and I will watch it again.

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