Heroic narnia may beat jaded kingdom of skull

Fresh from "ET" and "Star Wars", the duo represented the new power in Hollywood.

Now, older, wiser and a big part of Tinseltown's establishment, they've created their fourth "Indy", a swan song for a goofy, swashbuckling treasure hunter who moonlights as a history professor.

"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" has met with mixed reviews. The reasons are clear: Indy's different. He is now visibly older, paunchier and a dad.

Shia LaBeouf plays his son, but his dashing looks aren't a good enough reason to expect a "Son of Indiana Jones" follow-up.

At 66, Ford can't be expected to look or move like he used to, and it's obvious that most of his stunts were done by a double.

The story begins with Ford stumbling upon a deadly plot by nasty Russians to locate a mythical crystal skull, which is said to hold the key to El Dorado, the legendary city of gold. What happens next is a bit of an anti-climax, as Lucas and Spielberg decide they should incorporate a "Chariots of the Gods" moment - a risky ploy.

It is assumed people would forget there was a scandal after the "Chariots" book. The movie became a sensation, as it claimed that an alien race provided the knowledge that built ancient civilisations such as that of the Mayas. Later, investigators found some cave drawings of spaceships in the book were fabricated. Yet, the essence of "Chariots" theory is still taken seriously.

Regardless, "Kingdom" has failed to receive the kind of box-office success that marked the earlier Indy films. While it is nostalgic, nifty and slick, it is sometimes tiresome and heavily dependent on special effects.

In a way, it says Spielberg should give up making movies. He does not have much more to offer or say. When he turns 62 in December, it could be time to leave the stage.

If you were to say "Chronicles of Narnia" could beat "Indiana Jones" just five years ago, people would have called you crazy. But the second "Narnia" may well trounce the latest Indy because it is easier to follow and more fun to watch.

Directed by Andrew Adamson, who made the first two "Shreks" and the first "Narnia", this 2-hour- 27-minute epic has lots of battles, a high body count and a cast of young players, which delights.

Even Prince Caspian, played by 26-year-old newcomer Ben Barnes, is destined to be a heartthrob for teenage girls. Tilda Swinton returns briefly as the Wicked Witch and Liam Neeson again lends his voice to Aslan, the heroic lion.

If you have to take the family to one movie this week, this is it. Long, big and meaty, the second "Narnia" is grittier and the cinematography - bright, beautiful colours - is just magical.