Fans of the Indiana Jones movies were divided in their reaction to the last installment “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
Some loved it, many didn’t care for it.
Add to the group that didn’t care for it one of the principle actors involved, Shia LeBeouf.
“I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished,” LaBeouf tells the LA Times. “You get to monkey-swinging and things like that and you can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven [Spielberg, who directed]. But the actor’s job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn’t do it. So that’s my fault. Simple.”
LaBeouf said that he could have kept quiet, especially given the movie’s blockbuster status, but didn’t think the film had fooled anyone. “I think the audience is pretty intelligent. I think they know when you’ve made … . And I think if you don’t acknowledge it, then why do they trust you the next time you’re promoting a movie.” LaBeouf went on to say he wasn’t the only star on the film who felt that way. “We [Harrison Ford and LaBeouf] had major discussions. He wasn’t happy with it either. Look, the movie could have been updated. There was a reason it wasn’t universally accepted.”
LaBeouf added, “We need to be able to satiate the appetite,” he said. “I think we just misinterpreted what we were trying to satiate.”
Asked whether this was difficult to say, given his deep relationship with Spielberg, LaBeouf continued with the directness.
“I’ll probably get a call. But he needs to hear this. I love him. I love Steven. I have a relationship with Steven that supersedes our business work. And believe me, I talk to him often enough to know that I’m not out of line. And I would never disrespect the man. I think he’s a genius, and he’s given me my whole life. He’s done so much great work that there’s no need for him to feel vulnerable about one film. But when you drop the ball you drop the ball.”
What is it with this guy trashing the movies he’s been in lately? First he thought Transformers 2 was garbage, now this. Does he *want* not never work again?
His criticism of his judgement of movie projects doesn’t bode well for his Wall Street movie coming out in Sept.
I’ve never disliked LaBeouf the way that everyone else seems to, but now I think I almost like the guy for admitting his big movies were crap. Bravo, sir.
So maybe I’m simple-minded, but I’ve always thought LaBeouf brings an effective presence to his movies, even if he’s supposedly a jerk offscreen. Besides, of COURSE Transformers 2 was garbage. Thought that was a given. There were only two things I liked in it. All these sequel producers need to get a grip and do a Pixar: NO movie until there’s a good STORY to tell. Ever.
Harrison Ford could get away with blasting Spielberg or bitching about a movie he starred in. He’s got that kind of suction in Hollywood.
But LeBarf? PLEASE.
I respect the honesty, but I think it comes from arrogance not humility.
Ah the ego. Let’s shoot ourselves in the foot while we shoot off our mouth. Great way to continue your career kid. I look to see him next time I go though a drive thru,
Tim
In LaBouf’s defense he’s not a bad actor… more than he was simply suffering the “hot property” syndrome many actors do, which unfortunately often leads to a) typecasting (LaBouf as the out-of-his-depth every-guy in TF2) or horrible mis-casting ( LaBouf as a tough-guy heir-apparent in IJ4)
Eh… I think it;s just a case of LaBouf trying to get “in” with the fans again. He’s just trying to win back his film cred buy going along with the flow and echoing what the fans are saying anyway. Give him a few independent films under his belt now, and he’s be all the better for it.
I don’t mind the studios experimenting with the “next generation” idea for continuing a franchise, but I honestly can’t think of one that felt like it was done right, not yet.
Wanna hear scary? I honestly thought at one point that they were trying to set that scenario up at the end of “Live Free and Die Hard”, and I’m curious to see if they even consider it sometime in the next couple of years.
I don’t know if I’d watch Shia picking up the Jones Archaeology torch, but they missed the opportunity to do justice to the character and his potential as the heir apparent and get me *wanting* to see him continue.
He doesn’t have half the charisma of Ford. I wouldn’t pay $1 to see the further adventures of Mutt Jones.