AFTER personal, darker movies like Schindler's List and Munich, director Steven Spielberg says he's made this one for the fans.

Indiana Jones and the clumsy title, hereafter known as The Crystal Skull, ticks all the right boxes with chases, fights, fantastic plot, giant ants and even, if my eyes didn't deceive me, (warning: plot spoiler alert) a flying saucer.

But we expect a lot from director Spielberg, producer George Lucas and star Harrison Ford and, to borrow from those TV property shows, The Crystal Skull lacks the wow factor.

There aren't enough oh-my-god, did-they-just-dothat?

moments of pleasure, delight and gob-smacking surprise.

The whole thing takes an age to get going with far too much talk before Indy puts on that hat and leather jacket, picks up his whip and goes looking for another long-lost archaeological treasure.

This time - it is 1957 and the word Roswell may give you a clue to where the story's heading - he encounters not Nazis but Russians. They're led by menacing Soviet agent Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett, behaving like Rose Klebb's long-lost daughter) who wants what Indy wants. That's where that crystal skull comes in.

Indy gets a new sidekick, Mutt, who may be his son (Transformers star Shia LaBoeuf with greased back hair and looking like he's auditioning for Grease or a James Dean biopic) by his Raiders Of The Lost Ark lady friend Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen).

Before you can say keeping up with the Joneses, the threesome are united to return the crystal skull to its hidden home somewhere in South America.

So far, so complicated and I'm not sure the plot hangs together at all. The fact that I had time to worry during the film rather than afterwards indicates that Spielberg, for all the daring stunts and special effects, fails to hold my attention.

The big set piece is a lengthy car chase through the jungle in which the combatants swap vehicles as well as punches, drive far too close to the edge of a cliff and face the threat of horrible death by angry giant ants.

After a few early jokes about age, Ford is allowed to get on with the task in hand. He doesn't appear too old for the job, has a good rapport with sidekick Mutt and an even better one with old flame Marion that makes you wish he and Allen had more screen time to bicker.

LaBoeuf handles the action confidently enough and well able to put on Indy's hat and continue the series should Spielberg/Lucas decide to carry on.

Various respected British actors - Ray Winstone, John Hurt and Jim Broadbent - are allowed to overact without fear of anyone pointing out they're as ridiculous as the overblown, effects-heavy finale.

No one doubts that The Crystal Skull will be a huge commercial success. I reckon it's just about good enough to satisfy the fans that Spielberg wants to please.

The rest of us might find the experience a bit of a slog.

Stars: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent
Running time: 122 mins
Rating: Three stars