Okay, when a movie ends its introductory sequence the way this one does? That's a signal that you've either got to buy in and turn off your disbelief, or just leave.
Non-spoiler version: mostly entertaining, felt a little long, doesn't bear a lot of thinking about, has some nice touches. Third's still my favorite, but hey: that was Yale Law School! (And other Yale buildings!)
Spoilers:
Aliens? Seriously? This would be what I meant about buying in: from the point when I realized that the movie was going to have Indy survive a nuclear explosion, I told myself, it's not taking itself seriously so you can't either.
(I was a little surprised how old Harrison Ford looked during this sequence, particularly puffy. This seemed to lessen over the movie.)
By the time they went over the waterfall, I was kind of tired. Perhaps because of that, I didn't really feel that it cohered, but I don't know how much the others did, either. Most of the bits along the way were fun, anyway.
Ending, of course, much too easy, happy domesticity and suddenly (how?) FBI off his back. Whatever. Not thinking about it! (Or the natives, who didn't need to be there at all-no, no, not thinking about it!)
Next generation not putting on the hat: nicely done.
And now, having drunk some water and let it settle, must fall face first into bed because OMG SO TIRED.
ETA: other people think about the problem bits so I don't have to:
veejane on
lazy racism and
cofax7 on the
personal dynamics.