Classic fun - Raiders of the Lost Ark Reviews

There is no doubt in my mind that Indiana Jones is the best movie series in the history of cinema. And the one start it all was Raiders of the Lost Ark, a fast-paced adventure packed with one death-defying cliff-hanger situation after another. To this day, Raiders remains one of the best action movies, holding up better than most of today's rapid-cut, MTV-style "thrill rides." Raiders relied on no CGI, no flashy editing, just pure, exhilarating filmmaking and storytelling, a combo of its kind that has only been surpassed by its second sequel, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Harrison Ford stars as Jones, an archaeologist who dresses in a brown coat and fedora, armed with a revolver and lion-taming whip. A delightful opening involving elaborate booby traps informs us he's used to these adventures (especially his even closer brushes with death in Temple of Doom, which was a prequel). When he returns to the states from his latest "excavation," he's informed by the military that the Nazis are after the ark of the covenant, an artifact that could possess the power to make the Nazis an invincible army. So Jones sets out to retrieve the ark first, in what will prove to be one of his greatest adventures. There's probably little doubt that Raiders is the fan/critical favorite of the trilogy, but there are a few things that I actually have to gripe about, blasphemous as it may be. For one, even though the story is excellent, it's not without its holes. Most bothersome is Jones' plan to hijack the plane that would transport the ark, even though he doesn't know how to land a plane, and it's extremely unlikely the Nazis would place the ark on board without noticing him. The action sequences are still superb, though a couple of the early fights (the bar brawl and the street chase) aren't quite as adrenaline-pumping as they could be. The street chase is more playful than exciting, especially when you consider the involvement of a Nazi monkey (which I've never found very amusing in the first place, but the monkey doesn't seem to have any detractors). In fact, I'd argue that both Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade overall boast more blistering action. As bitchy as I may sound, I'm not trying to harp on Raiders, at least not too much. After all, the movie features the famous (and deservedly so) truck chase, one of the most unbelievably thrilling and exhilarating action setpieces I've ever seen (and given an extra boost by John Williams' catchy, rousing score). To this day, even with the recent chase scenes in The Matrix Reloaded (which was actually overrated) and Terminator 3, this sequence has yet to be surpassed. Other standout sequences include the pit of snakes and Jones' mano-a-mano battle with the giant Nazi mechanic. The finale takes the film dangerously close to the horror genre, climaxing things with a truly memorable (and quite frightening) light show for the ages. Every Indiana Jones film has a scene that scarred me as a kid and I think every one who's seen Raiders knows what I'm referring to (as well as its sequels) I've said it before, Harrison Ford is just too good as Jones, embodying a hero that's cool beyond words, and yet still entirely human and believable. The supporting cast isn't as up to par: Paul Freeman is lackluster as Belloq, Karen Allen is somewhat annoying, but there are an equal share in gems, particularly Denholm Elliot as Marcus Brody and John Rhys-Davies as Sallah (The Last Crusade wisely gave these actors/characters more screen time). Raiders of the Lost Ark was revolutionary cinema, paving way for summer blockbusters that would attempt for the same winning mix of thrills and humor. Only its sequels matched and/or surpassed it, but some have actually come close (The Mummy). If you haven't seen Raiders yet, put it on the top of your list. If you like this movie, I also recommend: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The English Patient, Citizen Kane, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.