According to the unofficial Indiana Jones fan census, everyone pretty much agrees that Mutt Williams, played by Shia LaBeouf in 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, is the franchise’s least favorite offspring. Why? Well, not only does Mutt come out of nowhere as Indy’s long-lost son, but his leather-jacket-wearing, greaser persona just didn’t sit well with fans who were expecting something a bit more classic Indiana Jones.
People felt Shia LaBeouf was a total miscast as Mutt Williams, with many struggling to believe that this annoying kid could possibly be the son of Indiana “freakin’” Jones! There was a strong sense that the franchise was just trying to cash in on LaBeouf’s then-popularity. But does Mutt really deserve all that hate?
Why Indiana Jones Fans Absolutely Could Not Stand Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams?
Indiana Jones has always had a standout sidekick that people end up falling in love with, whether it’s Marion Ravenwood or Short Round. While most of these sidekicks are great, Mutt Williams from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull played by Shia LaBeouf, falls flat.
People got seriously uneasy when, in the final scene of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Mutt grabbed Indy’s iconic hat, teasing the idea that Shia LaBeouf might step into the lead role. Sure, Indiana snatches the hat back quickly, but the message is loud and clear, Mutt could be the next Indy.
Still, the film didn’t hit the jackpot needed to launch a new sequel right away. Fans weren’t thrilled with the aliens or, more crucially, Mutt. The character seemed underdeveloped and lacked the charisma of Harrison Ford’s Indy, something LaBeouf himself would probably admit.
While talking to The LA Times in 2010, he said,
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.
To add insult to injury, unfortunately, the late 2000s marked the peak of LaBeouf’s career, not the start of a new era. With his growing list of controversies, Dial of Destiny could have easily ignored Mutt without a fuss. Instead, they chose to kill him off-screen in Vietnam just before the film’s events. Although it was a controversial choice, fans were at least relieved not to deal with Mutt anymore!
Did Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Really Deserve All That Hate?
But does Shia LaBeouf really deserve all the hate for this role? One Redditor makes a solid point: It’s not just LaBeouf’s fault. Many fans actually lay the blame on the script, not on how the actor played the part.
For some, he wasn’t the problem. In fact, he just didn’t have much to work with. So, while Mutt might not have been a fan favorite, it’s worth considering that LaBeouf might’ve done just fine if he’d had a better script to work with.
Here is what the fans are saying,
While fans agree that Shia LaBeouf’s character didn’t quite capture that Indy charm, they also believe Mutt didn’t single-handedly wreck the franchise as some claim. There were plenty of other issues that contributed to its downfall. Nevertheless, Mutt, well being Mutt, became the scapegoat for all the criticism and hate that followed.
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull is available to stream on Disney+.
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