Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" cost about 185 million dollars to make, but it earned around 150 million during its first five days in theaters, and it's likely to have a very long run.

The fourth installment of Indiana Jones is a rollicking entertainment--there's no doubt about that.

Director Steven Spielberg films all the exciting action with his usual creative flair, but the storyline is overly complicated, and the over-the-top, preposterous action kind of wore me out.

Having too much fun is a little like having too many drinks. But "Crystal Skull" is one of those critic proof movies. People will go to see it no matter what we say.

Most of the fun of the new film comes in early scenes. I loved watching Harrison Ford escape a nuclear blast during a Nevada bomb test in the 1950's.

He wanders into a mock town, complete with plastic figures sitting in front of the Howdy Doody Show on television In fact, seeing Ford play the Indy character at the age of 65 was a treat in itself.

And Cate Blanchette must have had a ball playing the communist villainess who's determined to bend our hero to her will. She's a cartoon stereotype and she plays the role to the hilt.

Of course, no one expects the good guys to get hurt or killed in an action-adventure, but their death defying exploits in this movie are so preposterous that they sometimes seem downright silly. The core group goes over not one, but three giant waterfalls, and nobody gets so much as a scratch. Still, it's also impossible to kill our enjoyment of the Indiana Jones character. He's just too likable.

Spielberg thought he was finished with the character when he had Indy ride off into the sunset eighteen years ago, but he says that all over the world, people kept asking him if he was going to make another Indiana Jones movie. With the prospect of making plenty of money and pleasing lots of people, he couldn't resist.

This episode may mark the end of the line for Mr. Ford in the title role even though he still performs stunts in a most impressive fashion. But young Shia Labeouf-- who shows up looking like the young Marlon Brando --appears ready to take over the franchise. And it was good to see Karen Allen again in her role as Indy's long lost girlfriend even though her part was definitely underwritten.

As for Spielberg himself, who knows? You'll notice echoes of many of his most famous movies in this one. But I doubt that's a sign that he's running out of creative energy.

I'll go to see whatever he does next.

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