Film Review of the Year Part 4 of 8

2008, somewhat like 2007 was a year of returns. Most notably Rambo and Indiana Jones, but we also saw the return of Mulder and Scully and another Star Wars movie. Ironically the least anticipated actually turned out to be the best.
Indiana Jones left a strange feeling in my heart and mind. Although parts of the film were good, there was an abundance of CG animals including monkeys and ants which irked too much. Karen Allen returned to the screen as Marion Ravenwood but forgot to bring her sassy attitude or chemistry with Ford. Ford was good although became a supporting player in his own film. Cate Blanchett walked a tightrope between genuinely menacing and downright ridiculous and Ray Winstone and John Hurt was pointless creations. The ending though with the aliens (or should that be interdimensional beings) saw the franchise jump the shark, and the plot holes and inconsistencies left a sour taste in the mouth.
Being a big fan of The X Files I was like a fat kid in a candy store for the realise of I Want To Believe and I really did want to believe. Unfortunately Chris Carter got bogged down with God, forgot to develop a realistic and plausible motivation to bring Mulder and Scully back into the fold, and also somewhere along the way forgot the show was about the paranormal. beside Billy Connolly's pyschic activities this film was devoid of an x factor. The final straw was witnessing Scully research stem cell therapy on google. Bad idea, very bad idea.
Star Wars went animated ahead of the new TV series exploring the Clone Wars and unfortunately the film felt nothing more than an extended episode, albeit with some good action scenes. word to the wise, when you know all the major characters will survive you do lose some of the tension and drama. still it was an excellent trailer for the TV show
And finally of all the renaissances to occur in film Rambo was not one I expected to enjoy, and yet Rambo was the best. Not a great film, but so unashamedly fun and downright violent this film became a tour de force of action comedy. Whether it was meant to come across this was is irrelevant. For 80 minutes I did not need my brain and it was without question the most fun I had at the cinema all year. Except maybe for the uncut full length Grindhouse.