The beginning of Indy part 4 sets the tone of my likability scale. The original Raiders opening sequence is iconic - the rolling ball, poison darts, a cobweb-covered Indy running through the jungle toward an awaiting water plane while evading spears. Classic. Or Temple’s enjoyable sequence of Indy looking for the antidote and Kate Capshaw trying to grab a diamond amongst a foot-cluttered mass evacuation of the nightclub. Even seeing young Indy steal Coronado’s cross and escape via train and run home to Papa Connery was a great start to The Last Crusade. But part 4 is lacking that memorable sequence, and the magic never really picks up from there.

Perhaps it was too many instances of suspending disbelief at the myriad of action sequences gone haywire, or maybe it was the odd plot that leads to a somewhat-out-of-place climax (for an Indy movie, anyway). The story might have been better served for a new X-Files story. Wait - actually, it feels kind of like the last X-Files movie.

Ford maintained his charisma well, but Karen Allen looked a little ragged for me. The cute, spunky, feisty Marion of old is now just - well - old. She seemed like a nostalgic set prop with no personality. Shia LeBouf did OK. The ’50s Fonzie vibe was a little weird for me, but with River Phoenix playing cards upstairs with Mola Ram (or what’s left of his alligator-shredded limbs), he’d make on OK Indiana Jones, Jr, Jr. reprisal for future movies. You know Speilberg and Lucas are already thinking about it.

I give this film a C+, but that’s judging it against the previous films. Otherwise, among today’s action standards, it could have scored a B. But there’s no way to score this as its own film - it’s part of the series, but doesn’t quite hold up as well as the original trilogy. I guess I was looking for more. More to the Indy legend, not just another Indy adventure. But if there’s another in the saga - Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Walker of Doom, or whatever other appropriately goofy-named sequel Steven and George come up with, I’ll be there.

Most scientists and historians did not take the ideas seriously, claiming that the book's conclusions were based on faulty, pseudoscientific evidence, some of which were later demonstrated to be fraudulent and/or fabricated, and often illogical premises. For example, Ronald Story wrote a book rebutting Däniken's ideas in 1976 titled The Space Gods Revealed. A similar book titled Crash Go The Chariots by Clifford Wilson appeared in 1972.

...if I ever need crazed True Believers to help me Kill For The Love of Kali, liberate The Holy Grail, or Save Ammurrica from The Red Menace, I will begin my recruiting activities at the Avco Cinema Center on Whilshire.

Overall I liked the movie, but there were parts of it that were a little ridiculous. For example, how did all those snakes survive in the Well of Souls for hundreds of years? I doubt there was an abundant source of food in there. Also, Sallah and Indy both lift the giant concrete slab off the Ark by themselves? Ok, sure thing movie,

Also, during the truck chase, which started out pretty cool, it pretty much went too far over the top when Indy climbed underneath the fucking speeding truck and was being dragged from the back of it by his whip all after being shot in the arm. I get that he's a badass, but COME THE FUCK ON.

And that brings me to the worst part, the ending. It would have been ok if the Nazis just decide not to open the Ark because it would go against the wishes of their Fuhrer. They realize Belloq is of no further use to them, so they shoot him in the head. Then they turn around and discover OH NO! Indy and Marion have escaped! Then you could have a kickass action sequence of Indy and Marion running around the canyon guerilla-style and killing all the Nazis, and then have them take the Ark home.

But no, instead we get a cheesy looking special effects montage of some magic jesus ghosts or some shit that decide to kill all the Nazis for some reason, and then the lid of the Ark just HAPPENS to fall perfectly back on it FROM HUNDREDS OF FEET IN THE AIR. I was digging the film up until that point but that was just TOO MUCH. The Ark never should have been opened, it should have been left a mystery.

And that's not to mention the generally shitty effects throughout. Some of the compositing, like when Indy and Sallah are digging at night to get to the Well of Souls?

Overall I give it a 3/5; some good stuff in there but too many unbelievable parts culminating in an unbelievable ending and some cheesy effects keep it from being really great. I only hope if they make a sequel they try a little harder to ground it more in reality.

So you know what most scientists and historians believe? Wow, impressive. I'll give you the scientific community on the whole tends to side with something other than the idea of God and intelligent design. But if you are going to start comparing the belief of aliens vs. the belief of religion/god you have already lost the argument.

Maybe if it hadn't been proceeded with the ridiculous refrigerator sequence, or somehow been relevant to the overall story.