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Directed by: Steven Spielberg Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies One of the greats. This is perhaps the most perfect action/adventure film ever made. I saw it at least three times in the theater, and in my recollection it seems more like 7 or 8. This was also the first bootleg video we ever owned, as one of my dad's colleagues had somehow managed to procure a copy before it was released to stores. I watched that sucker many, many times. Classic characters, snappy dialogue, and above all, non-stop thrills. It's unbelievable just how densely packed Raiders is, how much stuff happens in under two hours. Barely a second is wasted. RATING: 5.5 PROS: fun from the first frame to the last CONS: none worth mentioning ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/
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Feb 7, 2005 21:25
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 21:42 |
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The only flaw I can think of is in the end, with the look away and you'll be safe part. It's hard to not read this as a promotion of complacency (and essentially, deliberate ignorance) in an era dominated by fear of nuclear war. This wasn't an uncommon subject in genre films of the period, with Star Trek 2's genesis project and even the force in the Star Wars films (which Lucas was also involved with). In the case of both Star Wars and Raiders, nuclear power is associated with God, which is a pretty scary notion. And of course God is always on the side of the good guys, who are always American, and the enemies foreigners (Khan is obviously European, and played by a European actor, all of the Imperial Officers in Star Wars are British, Nazi's in Raiders, etc). That being said, this is a terrifically fun movie despite the disagreeable political messages, and Indy is a really interesting character. Nothing he does really has any effect on what happens in the end, which is a cool twist on the normal hero/adventure film where the hero often defeats entire armies single-handedly. Definitely one of Harrison's best roles. The supporting cast is strong as well. It's too bad movies are rarely this fun anymore. I think the third film of the series is a great companion piece to this as well, though the second one kind of sticks out (wasn't it actually a prequel?).
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Feb 7, 2005 22:02
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As epic as it was the Indian Jones movies to follow impressed me more. (Temple of Doom doesn't count) 4/5
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Feb 15, 2005 16:46
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The best movie of the trilogy by far, I remember watching it as a kid and being awestruck by the story and characters. It delivers from start to finish and makes you want to watch the rest of the series. If you haven't seen it, buy it, you will be watching it more than once.
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Feb 17, 2005 10:09
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One of Ford's finest performances, and an all in all wonderful adventure flick. Gun vs sword man = my favorite moment in ANY movie. 5.5
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Feb 18, 2005 01:04
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This is the adventure movie stripped down to its purest essence. From start to finish, a fun ride with classic dialogue, great FX and acting. 5.5
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Feb 22, 2005 07:45
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I just wrote a review of this for my Cinema Study class, might as well post it. Raiders of the Lost Ark is action/adventure at it's peak. It delivers what you'd expect and more from the award winning cast and crew. Directed and written by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas respectively, with music by 5-time Oscar-winner John Williams, most of the cast and crew needs no introduction. Harrison Ford stars alongside a strong supporting cast of Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, and Paul Freeman in this archaeological adventure full of humor, excitement, and top-notch acting. Ford plays Indiana Jones, a death-defying archaeologist and treasure-hunter. He's tough, fearless (except for snakes), and believes in "shoot first, ask questions later." With a shave and a suit he becomes a mild-mannered professor. The film is set in 1936 and the growing Nazi power has set its sights on the Ark of the Covenant, a religious relic that holds, according to legend, the power to defeat any opposing army. The United States government has given Jones the task of finding the Ark before the Nazis do. On the way to Egypt, where the hunt for the Ark is taking place, he meets his ex-girlfriend Marion (Karen Allen) and an old friend, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), who was hired by the Nazis to dig for the Ark. He also encounters Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman), a rival archaeologist working against Jones. Marion is a departure from the average girl in a movie with a male hero. She's witty, courageous, and important to the movie, unlike others such as Willie Scott (Kate Capshsaw) in Temple of Doom, a prequel to Raiders. She plays the hurt ex-girlfriend of Jones convincingly, beats up the bad guys alongside him, and brings her share of humor to the movie. Her character is a perfect match for Jones. Sallah, Jones' inside man in the Nazi operation, is a relatively small part but played by a talented actor. His personality and good humor make him a valuable part of the movie. Another notable character is Toht (Ronald Lacey), a particularly evil and weird Nazi. The film is fun from start to finish. There's never a dull moment, and no time is wasted. It's impressive how much is fit into the film's 115 minutes without ever losing its audience. The action is especially lively, and clearly the funniest part of the film. One of the famous scenes of the movie is Jones’ comedic fight with a master swordsman, where he wins in a manner appropriate for his character. The opening scene of the movie is one of the most original and creative scenes in the whole genre, featuring a giant rolling boulder, a bottomless pit, and lots of spiders. Raiders also excels visually. The look and feel of the movie, from the ancient, web-covered South-American temple to the chaotic, crowded street markets, to the buried Egyptian city, is superb. It’s easy to feel as if you’re really there. The special effects are, in a way, outdated, but one can appreciate the ingenuity and creativity that went into making them before the era of computers. Like the work of Ray Harryhausen in the 60’s and 70’s, the visual effects have a certain charm that is timeless. The music is excellent and unforgettable. John Williams, producing a score for Raiders on the same level as that of Star Wars, captures the mood and action of each scene with songs that are sure to be recognized years after the movie’s release. While in many ways Raiders represents a drastic improvement on the ordinary action/adventure movie, it also has certain unique elements. The film, bordering on existentialism, avoids the "one man army" approach. There is no all-powerful force that wants Indiana Jones to defeat his enemies and save the day, so to what extent is possible in this genre, Jones is just one man. This is reflected in the fact that throughout the film, all of Jones' attempts to thwart the Nazis fail, resulting in a very intense and suspenseful mood right up to the end. When a film in such a clichéd genre, a group of movies so often looked down upon and scoffed at by critics, combines originality, excitement, perfect characters and such well-done visual and sound effects in just the right way, it can be shocking how great it is. That’s the case with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Nearly 25 years after it’s release it’s still considered one of the best, if not the best, in the genre and in the history of film itself. There is no reason why it can’t be enjoyed by everybody who sees it. Rating: 5.5/5
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Feb 23, 2005 03:00
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Just a perfect action movie, pure and simple. Jones has everything you would want in a hero and the bad guys are nazis - it's hard to find better bad guys than them. Sure some of the special effects are outdated by now but the action scenes, acting, direction, and even the script are all amazing. I would say that the third installment in the trilogy is better, but Raiders is still a great film. 4.5
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Feb 26, 2005 04:25
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quote:FitFortDanga came out of the closet to say: 5.5/5
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Feb 27, 2005 18:06
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Definately the quintessential action/adventure film. Indiana Jones kicks more rear end than anyone else, ever. Oh, and Karen Allen makes me feel good all over. Some places more than others.  5.5/5
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Apr 10, 2005 11:35
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It's amazing how great this movie is and how little it's aged. I don't think there's a person on the planet who can watch this and hate it. (I know that's a hyperbole but I'm standing by it.) It's funny, it's got solid action, and a great sense of adventure throughout. Even if you don't think this is a masterpiece of cinema, it's still just a drat solid flick. PROS: - Pretty much everything. No joke. CONS: - If I were really, and I mean really nitpicking, I'd say some of the visual effects were a bit dated. But it doesn't hinder the film at all. OVERALL: 5.5 If you've never seen it, rent it sometime. I'd even recommend it to someone who hates movies.
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Jun 3, 2005 22:46
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Do you have to ask? 5.5/5.
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Jun 29, 2005 21:53
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Too bad Steven Spielberg couldn't do any more decent movies. Excellent in every way, full of quotable one-liners, constant action and a fair bit of suspense/horror thrown in. Who could not like a movie where a dude's face melts? 5/5
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Oct 3, 2005 05:26
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I just watched this again for what has to be the 50 bajillionth time with my little brother, and it's still just as exciting and fun to watch as it was the first time I saw it. If you want to own this movie, buy the Indiana Jones trilogy box set for the awesome bonus features. Oh, and do watch the commentary tracks as they will make you appreciate the films all the more. 5.5/5 DanSTC fucked around with this message at 00:39 on Oct 4, 2005 |
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Oct 4, 2005 00:37
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Only watched this last night. Raiders is fantastic - one of, if not the favourite film of mine. As mentioned, the effects appear 'dated' if by dated you mean that your eyes aren't assaulted by masses of CGI. They still seem to stand up pretty well - if anything they add to the 'adventure' sense of the movie. Indiana Jones really exists in a different dimension, where there were true goodies and baddies (and the baddies always lost), exotic locales, men were men and women were women. The historical accuracy (or lack thereof) further backs up the 'fantasy' of the whole thing. (Seriously, German military excavating in British controlled Egypt in 1930s?). Definite 5.5 I must point out that my rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite is the smoking of cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after, and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them.
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Oct 7, 2005 07:15
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 21:42 |
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I think what really makes this film amazing is the way it's paced. There's just never a dull moment, and at the same time it doesn't induce a sensory overload by jumping from one thing to the next too fast. 5/5
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Oct 26, 2005 09:30
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