Set in 1957 , this fourth movie in the Indiana Jones movie series and is based around an older and wiser Indiana Jones ( played by Harrison Ford ) against agents of the Soviet Union -- led by Spalko ( Cate Blanchett ) -- for the crystal skull . Released nineteen years after the previous film , the film acknowledges its star Harrison Ford 's age by setting itself in 1957 . It pays tribute to the science fiction B-movies of the era , pitting Indiana Jones against Soviet agentsâ '' led by Irina Spalko ( Cate Blanchett ) -- for a psychic alien crystal skull .