Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull: 2-Disc Special Edition

In 1989, at the conclusion of "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade," we watch our hero ride off into the sunset. Almost 20 years later, he's back in Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, and rather than just gloss over the fact that time has passed, the film acknowledges that Dr. Jones is a bit older, but still the same character audiences have come to know and love.

Set in 1957, the film is a tribute to the B-movie science fiction genre, popular at that time, when Sputnik soared mysteriously overhead and atomic fears abounded. In it, Indy and sidekick Mutt Williams (bad boy Shia LaBoeuf) against the power-mad Soviets, led by Col. Dr. Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who wants to find a psychic alien crystal skull so that her Evil Empire can rule the world.

For the most part, Steven Spielberg's fourth "Indy" movie is fun, and while it might not be the best Indiana Jones film, it's not the worst, either, and is a worthy addition to the franchise. It has all the elements from the first three films -- whip-cracking action, the red map line as Indy flies from location to location, exotic settings, danger, adventure and romance. Indy is as charming as ever, and the chemistry that he and former lover Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) once shared returns and harkens back to when we first saw the pair in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" back in 1981.

There are a number of extras on this set; Disc 1 has the featurette "The Return Of A Legend," which chronicles Indy's return to the big screen, interviewing Ford, Spielberg and producer George Lucas on the development process and the ups and down that started back in 1994.

You also get "Pre-Production," which shows the preparation for "Skull" and covers Harrison Ford getting back into the character, Bernie Pollack's task of getting new fedoras and jackets with which to costume Indy and that will also withstand the demands of the shoot.

Disc 2 is where the majority of the extras are found. "Production Diary: Making 'Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull'" shows the steps it took to bring Indy back to theaters, by way of interviews with the film's stars. "Warrior Makeup" shows what it took to transform the actors into the warriors guarding the temple. "The Crystal Skulls" is a short featurette that goes over the myths of the crystal skulls and interviews the cast and crew about their thoughts about the skull.

"Iconic Props" is an interview with Doug Harlocker the prop master and gives a tour of the warehouse where all the Kingdom props are kept and lets the viewer in on some inside jokes. "The Effects of Indy" goes into the process of making the special effects for "Skull." "Adventures In Post-Production" shows what it took to finish the film for its release, including legendary composer John Williams scoring the film.

"Closing: Team Indy" gives credit to everyone who worked on the film. "Pre-Visualization Sequences" takes three scenes and shows them in the early stages of development. Rounding out the extras is a "Galleries" section which include "The Art Department," "Stan Winston Studio," "Production Photographs," "Portraits," and "Behind-The-Scenes Photographs."