"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (Paramount) marks the welcome return of the iconic action-adventure series and its whip-cracking, fedora-crowned hero --- nearly 20 years after the third installment, "Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade" (1989).

Set in 1957 at the height of the Cold War with Red-scare paranoia rampant, the film's opening minutes have the titular archaeologist-professor (Harrison Ford) captured by Russians and brought to a military camp in the Southwest desert.

Soviet agent Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) is their ringleader, aided by henchman Col. Dovchenko (Igor Jijikine). They co-opt Indy to locate certain mummified remains which the American military have impounded. Spalko hopes they will lead her to the so-called Crystal Skull of Akator, which she believes has paranormal powers.

Jones escapes, though shortly after must survive an unnerving nuclear blast test in a model town peopled by plastic dummies. When he returns to his teaching chores at the (fictional) Marshall College, he loses his job as a result of FBI paranoia.

A visit from young Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) --- a rebel biker in the Marlon Brando-Sal Mineo mode who turns out to be the son of Indy's old flame, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) --- sets Jones on the trail of dotty Professor Oxley (John Hurt) and, of course, the skull.

The quest leads them to exotic Peru, where in the dense rain forest they contend with creepy caves, quicksand-laden trails and excitable natives. The quartz cranium is found fairly early, but then the mission shifts to restoring it to its rightful place.

Assisted off and on by duplicitous mercenary Mac (Ray Winstone), Spalko and the Russian agents are in hot pursuit.

Director Steven Spielberg --- working from a script by David Koepp (story by producer George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson) --- rousingly captures much of the spirit of the earlier films, and throws in elements of "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" for good measure. Ford is still in fine physical fettle; Blanchett --- with a severe black bob --- makes a formidable villain, and LaBeouf an initially belligerent but ultimately appealing sidekick who grudgingly comes to admire Indy.

Parents of children anxious to see the film will need to decide for themselves whether the flagged elements might be worrisome to them or their youngsters, but it seems to us that, a handful of passing curse words (no profanity) and the bloodless violence aside, the film --- like the movie serials of the 1930s to which it pays homage (along with 1950s adventure sagas like "Secret of the Incas" and "The Naked Jungle") --- makes generally unobjectionable viewing for older teens and up.

The film contains intense nongraphic action violence, a few crude expletives and an implied past premarital relationship. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II --- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 --- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

---CNS

Harry Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies.