I think that we can all agree that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008) is the least of the film series.  (Some people really despise it.)  And I suppose it’s telling that I’ve only seen it twice.

It isn’t a terrible movie, it just couldn’t match the magic of the original trilogy.  (I was surprised a moment ago when Wikipedia informed me that it was indeed still directed by Steven Spielberg.)  The Russian villains were a little too cartoonish, the chemistry among the leads was a little off, and the whole thing maybe felt a little … rushed.  For some reason, it makes me think of a pretty good made-for-television movie instead of a feature film — sort of an “Indiana Jones Reunion Special.”

Hey, I didn’t hate it.  The artifact they’re chasing is unique and cool, the denouement is inventive, and Shia LaBeouf’s “Mutt” actually didn’t bother me much.  This movie was fun.