Raiders of the Lost Ark Reviews

Warning: Spoilers
Written by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg, RAIDERS of the LOST ARK is a template for success in the genre. Indiana Jones(Harrison Ford)is a man's man, professor, acclaimed archaeologist and international adventurer that is hired by the US Government to locate the mystical Ark of the Covenant. Indy will need the aid of his ex-flame Marion Ravenwood(Karen Allen), no stranger to archeology or adventure, as he embarks on a thrill filled quest for the Ark. He must make his discovery before a team of Nazis do. There is poison, snakes and plenty of traps as obstacles in the adventurous trek that leads to Nepal, marketplaces in Cairo, treacherous jungles in South America and a top-secret Nazis submarine base. In the end Indy and Marion witness the glorious unleashed power of the Lost Ark before the US Authorities have their way with the Biblical treasure. Others in this apt cast: John Rhys-Davies, Paul Freeman, Alfred Molina, Ronald Lacey and Wolf Kahler. This grand story of bravery, persistence and determination is glued together with the outstanding musical score by John Williams. This is the start of something good.

It's the classic adventure of the 80s.  Indiana Jones, our hero, kills every bad guy he comes across (and they are Nazis so no loss) in pursuit of a mystical treasure. Eventually he gets caught and tied up but then all hell breaks loose thanks to the magic of the Ark.  I think it was the dark humor that really inspired a ton of action films to come after this. You can see how finding new ways to kill bad guys became an artform starting with this movie.

This movie is like an old blueprint for summer blockbusters, but it is still wonderfully entertaining. It feels like a comic book movie without actually being one. The hero, Indiana Jones, is a manly guy who gets into fights, dodges booby-traps, and rescues the girl while seeking the mystical super-weapon of the Ark of the Covenant. Harrison Ford gets away with playing Indiana as a somewhat improvised action hero who doesn't plan ahead, but manages to escape deadly situations in ways that have more to do with luck (or an act of God) than his intelligence. Most important: he's just a likable guy who you sympathize with when he's a punching bag, and who you laugh with when he smirks. Without Ford, the movie would be an interesting exercise in escalating violence. Also, John Williams' music sets a really spooky mood at times that makes you wonder if ancient tombs might really hide artifacts that have mystic powers. Anyway. You probably own this on video already if you are any kind of a movie fan.  That's as it should be.

Since I'm a huge fan of Indiana Jones, of course, I just love this flick. Even though it is not my favorite one in this franchise (that would be the 3rd installment), it is still quite awesome. Indeed, when I was a kid, I saw it so many times with my father but even twenty years later, I keep watching it from time to time and it is still so damned entertaining. Basically, with this movie, Steven Spielberg set up the golden rules for this mighty franchise and he introduced to us one of the greatest most iconic characters in motion picture history. Indeed, even though Harrison Ford was not even their first choice,  he completely nailed this part and managed to create a character who was even more awesome than Han Solo which was quite an achievement. By the way, the big difference with this movie and 'Star Wars' is that, when I watch again nowadays this other classic, I find it slightly childish while it is not the case at all with this great flick. Anyway, not only it is technically pretty much flawless, it is also just a plain fun movie and it is completely entertaining from the very first minute until the very last seconds.  To conclude, it is a great classic and it is pretty much a must see for any decent movie buff.

*** This review contains spoilers ***

Indiana Jones is my second favourite movie character of all time. My number one favourite is Han Solo. Yes, the same actor played my first and second favourite movie characters. I don’t care how many mediocre movies Harrison Ford may appear in during his later career, that’s like eternal levels of respect and a miracle that this is even the case.

 

The character of Indiana Jones is the ultimate escapist fantasy. A tough hero who goes on adventures around the world when he feels like it to obtain relics, escapes life and death situations, thwarts the bad guys and gets the girl in the end. Even his action moves are so indentified with his character (e.g., climbing underneath the back of a moving vehicle then holding onto it with his whip).

 

Yet Indy is still human like the rest of us because of his overzealous confidence, thinking he’s several steps ahead of the bad guys when he is not, his ability to make mistakes and his irrational fear of snakes. If there’s a scene which I feel sums up the character of Indiana Jones, it’s when he pulls out a gun on the sword-wielding Arab, a moment which wasn’t even supposed to be the film (likewise that clothes hanger gag is also truly the product of genius minds). Making the character an unassuming nerdy professor is the other stroke of genius and making him a Clark Kent like figure; It’s the biggest contrast of personalities, yet entirely believable. Just look at any Han vs. Indy debate for people pulling every facet of this character’s personality apart but you can’t blame them. Would Harrison Ford have had the career he had if it wasn’t for Raiders? Or would he have faded away like his co-stars in a galaxy far far away?

 

Does Raiders of the Lost Ark have the best character introduction of all time? The opening of the film tells you everything you need to know about the character of Indiana Jones, as well as having the hairs stand up on your back - Just that boulder alone permeates our culture. Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of those movies which everyone has seen, even those who haven’t seen it. So many frames in the film are ingrained into the subconscious of film buffs and the general public alike. I feel what makes a film moment iconic is when you’re pondering to yourself as you watch it of ways it could be parodied of spoofed; there’s no shortage of that in Raiders.

 

Nazis are the ultimate cinematic bad guys and this was even more poignant in 1981 than today when survivors of the Second World War were still alive. Even Ronald Lacy as Thot is no less scary with his baby face. The movie captures and emphasises the fear of Nazis and their quest for world domination; “The army which carries the ark before it...is invincible”. Yet the film’s climax seems to state that within the Indiana Jones universe, the Judeo Christian God exists or at the very least some higher power.

 

There are shots in Cairo in Raiders which feel very Lawrence of Arabia and I’m not talking about the grand landscape shots. Likewise, in Lawrence of Arabia, there are moments which I could swear could have been a shot from Raiders of the Lost Ark. As for the music, I can remember listening to John Williams’ The Raider’s March when I was younger simply to lift my mood and inspire me. From the beauty of Marion’s theme, the excitement of the desert chase music to the otherworldly Ark theme, how can one argue John Williams isn’t the greatest film composer of all time? With all the Indiana Jones movies, I will watch the entire end credits just to listen to the score.

 

The genius behind Raiders of the Lost Ark is the same stroke of genius which made Star Wars so great; I believe it’s all to do with simplicity. They took such a simple B-movie level concept and glorified and made it larger than life. Spielberg and Lucas did it first and better than anyone has since and that’s why these movies have such a widespread appeal and endure the way they do.

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' is one of the best action movies of all time! The plot is entertaining, the script is funny and epic, the performances by the cast (especially Harrison Ford, the guy who played Han Solo in 'Star Wars', as Indiana Jones, himself) are great! The visual style is also amazing! The art direction looks attractive, then again, lots of art direction proves it's possible in real life (and maybe also dangerous). The visual effects are eye-popping and the costume design looks brilliant! The action itself is funny, non-stop entertainment! A great action movie for everyone! Endless fun!

The best Indiana Jones film that Spielberg has ever made. Action and art come together nicely with this one.

They say the irrationality and the implausibility of the Indiana Jones franchise is the secret of the series' success. That, and Harrison Ford. I agree. What this film offers is full-cut entertainment and adds more flavour to the popcorn that's sitting beside you. This film requires no thinking, no puzzle-shifting and absolutely no deciphering; just Indiana Jones braving danger and escaping without a scratch - and becoming an instant icon. I like the character, one of my favourites, but I just couldn't connect to the film and its logic. They contrived a world - a nonsensical one at that - and then threw a character in it who was almost as goofy and had him confront danger and then had him rescued at the last possible minute. I kinda feel sorry for the movie heroes as they're never really given a chance at true heroism, bar some, like Atticus Finch and Juror No. 8, but since they appear in non-action movies I will rule them out. Indiana Jones is a hero, and nothing excites the viewer than seeing his/her favourite hero just inches away from death and being rescued or running away from it at the last possible moment. That one moment gets secured in the viewer's mind and he happily applauds the scene and the awesomeness behind it and instantly becomes a fan. Selling such a nonsensical presentation like that is easy, anyone can do it - Come up with a story, an instantly recognizable hero and have him go through a series of traps / dangers that will portray him a hero but only just. I've done that several times in my short-stories / novels, too. But why are some films more watchable than others is because of style of execution. Some execute the cliche in a unique or different manner, while the others go for the same old, same old. The execution style in Raiders is the latter, and one great example is when Indy picks up a poisoned date and hurls it in the air as in to eat it before it is caught by Sallah. Indy never once does that before and after that scene and in any other film in the series for that matter. Either they had run out of ideas or were keen on arousing tension to the scene. Either way, it lowered the bar. That's just one example, and more of 'em come later in the film. I guess a man has to throw everything out of the window and just sit back and enjoy the film and if that's the case, then yes, Raiders is quite an enjoyable flick with a-many quotable lines and fun performances.

Take a look at John Rhys Davies, who plays Sallah, one of the most lovable and genuinely funny characters in movie history, and the second best from the Indiana Jones universe. His personality, loyalty to Indy - as well as his friendship - and his deep singing voice are all positive characteristics and an instantly likable figure on-screen. Marion Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen, is a much-adored character by many but only becomes a full-admired character when fans watch Willie Scott in the sequel. Even though I have no complain against Willie (*shocking*), I must admit, I was disappointed at how a helpless woman succeeded such a kick-ass girl. Ronald Lacey and Paul Freeman played their characters memorably, the former a villainous Major Toht and the latter Indy's-rival Belloq. Both were quite impressive in their roles and I wish the former had been given more screen-time. Apart from these, all the others were either fine or stiff - mostly the latter!

So, why am I adding a film to which I've done nothing but berate in my greatest movies list? If the above factors make the film, then I must say that its intended purpose has been fulfilled and delivers exactly that. I won't be adding the sequels, you can count on that! One is enough!

7.0/10

Raiders of the Lost Ark is an action packed adventure for all ages. I just love Indiana Jones. He's the perfect blend of sexy professor, and thrill seeking adventurist.