Review Detail

It's been a couple of years since I watched TM2YC's take on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The Covenant Edition immediately replaced the theatrical cut for me and I've done my part to spread the word for people to at least give it a shot. Lo and behold, I come back after a long while to find Riddles of the Lost Gods! How does this take on the fourth Indy adventure fare?

One word: WOW!

Firstly, the new opening sequence is a revelation and, for me at least, completely changes my outlook on everything that follows. Something along these lines is how KotCS should have started in the first place! From then on I love all the ideas TMBTM approached this cut with and tries to implement, and many of them are accomplished fantastically.

Unfortunately, this cut isn't perfect. As much as I like the mission statement, at times it feels as if the Editor was a bit too eager to trim and many parts of the film - particularly in the first half - feel rushed. The Area 51 sequence and the Camp sequence in particular could both have been drawn out a bit more. In the latter's case, while I understand the logic of the rearrangment to have Marion introduced before Indy is subjected to the skull, I think a slower-paced version more like the theatrical cut might've been better - as it stands, Marion's introduction is really abrupt. And while I see what the Editor was trying to accomplish with redubbing some of the lines, they're quite noticeable and, outside the last line, IMO kind of unnecessary.

That said, I really REALLY enjoyed this version of the film. I think my perfect version of KotCS is somewhere in between Riddles of the Lost Gods and the Covenant Edition, and together I'm fully convinced that not only could KotCS be saved (both cuts, IMO, do so) but a really enjoyable Indiana Jones film CAN be coaxed out of this magic lamp.