Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Blu-ray

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull plays like a love letter to Blu-ray. On its own, this latest Indy installment rings a little false. The filmmakers cram in what they think fans expect—gooey insects, rope-swinging and snakes—rather than craft a sensible plot. But in Blu-ray, these images make for crucial viewing and turn into the film’s best moments. When Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) Russian nemeses are devoured by giant ants, audiences will prickle and squirm along with the characters. And with Blu-ray’s knack for accelerating movement, when Shia LeBeouf’s character swings through a jungle forest, viewers will fly beside him. One drawback is the lack of innovative Blu-ray-exclusive features. Crystal Skull packs in loads of high-def featurettes, but there should be more advanced interactivity such as Web-enabled extras.

Shelf Talk: Generating more than $300 million at the box office, Crystal Skull will be a tentpole title for anyone who owns a Blu-ray player. The film’s Blu-ray pop might convince those who missed it in theaters to give it a chance.