Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is the quintessential adventure film of our time. This film birthed one of the greatest characters in the history of cinema, and has become one of American cinemas' greatest classics. It is one of those rare pieces of cinema that you never get tired of watching no matter how many times you have seen it.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is, chronologically speaking, the second film in the Indiana Jones film series, and follows famous archaeologist Indiana Jones as he is hired by the U.S. government to acquire the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis get to it. Right from the beginning, as all great films do, we understand who Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is, and what he does. It is also understood that Jones has competitors within his line of work. This makes this, and the other films, so much more compelling because it adds conflict to the story. If Indy was the only one going on these kinds of quests, the film would feel extremely mundane. I also enjoy the time period in which the film is set. More specifically, I love that the antagonist in the film is a group of people rather than one person. The Nazi Party was the most evil group of people to ever grace the planet, and making Indiana Jones the protagonist automatically sets him up as an American hero. It also helps that one of his competitors, Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman), is actually working with Nazis because this makes you hate Belloq even more than you would if he was just competing with Indy. Raiders has some of the best action sequences ever filmed and has wonderful characters like Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). This is definitely a film that belongs on your "100 Movies To See Before You Die" list. Sadly though, even Steven Spielberg makes mistakes, and there are a few problems with the film. Firstly, at the end of the action sequence at the beginning of the film, we see Indy escape in a plane with Jock (Fred Sorenson). My question is: how were the men that Indy was with going to get away if Indy hadn't found out they were there to betray him? Were they just going to hang on the outside of the plane?? Also, I personally feel that it is confusing who Abner is. I know that it is common knowledge that he was Marions' father, but they talk about him like he was her lover. Later on, during the sequence where Marion is being kidnapped in the basket, there is a shootout at the end of the sequence. Now, obviously they use blank cartridges in these films, and someone usually cues the actors on when they need to react to getting shot. My problem with this sequence is that, when the driver of the truck gets shot, if you look carefully you can actually see someone in the back seat hit the driver on the head as a cue for the driver to fall over dead!!! You would think that a director like Spielberg would be able to frame the shot better so that we do not see this!!! Also, in that same sequence, it looks as if the truck explodes in a completely different area of the town than it is in the previous shot. I am shocked and disappointed that a movie as excellent as this has such a glaring continuity error. I also would have preferred to see more backstory about Indy and Sallahs' friendship. I feel as though it is a tad forced. Also, how the blazes did Indy get the gasoline pump down into the Well of the Souls so that he could set the snakes on fire??? Fill up those plot holes, Spielberg!!! Even with its' problems, Raiders is one of the most entertaining movies of the past thirty years, and serves as the introduction to one of cinemas' greatest heroes.
Harrison Ford plays Indiana Jones. Ford brings a certain gravitas to the role, and plays Indy with determination and fearlessness. This makes you cheer for the character even more because he knows the Nazis are evil, and he will stop at nothing to prevent them from achieving their goal. The scenes where we see him as "Professor Henry Jones Jr." are quite good as well because we see what Indy does in his professional life, and the dialogue rolls of Fords' tongue with such ease. These scenes add credibility to the character, and make you believe that he knows what he is getting himself into. This is an iconic role that cemented Fords' legacy as one of the biggest movie stars of all time.
Steven Spielberg is the director of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Visually speaking, Spielberg does a masterful job of introducing and setting up the character of Indiana Jones within the first few minutes of the film. Even though we do not see Jones' face until about three minutes into the film, we understand who he is and what he does. I also love that the opening sequence that shows Indy as the adventurer is followed by the sequence that shows him as a professor. The mirroring of these sequences shows the different aspects of Jones' life and the multiple characteristics of the character. The scene with Indy in the map room is also spectacular to witness. The slow cuts help build visual tension, and the moment the sunlight hits the place on the map where the ark is hidden is one of the greatest moments in film history. Spielberg does this again later in the scene in the Well of the Souls. Much like the bug tunnel and spike room in The Temple of Doom, this sequence is exhilarating and tense at the same time. The shot of Indy landing in front of the cobra is another one of those movie moments that will last forever. The truck chase sequence is yet another one of these iconic moments. While this sequence is certainly one of the great action sequences of all time, it also displays Indys' determination to stop the Nazis from opening the ark. The stunt work in this sequence is absolutely breathtaking. This is undoubtedly one of Spielbergs' best films.
Raiders is a prime example of what every adventure film should be. It has a great story, great characters and some of the most iconic moments in cinema history. If you have not seen Raiders, and there should not be any reason why you have not, stop what you are doing right now, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to it. You will not regret it in the slightest.
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