Raiders of the Lost Ark:
This first film didn't even have Indy's name in the title. Jones and his campanion, Marion, travel the middle East in search of the Ark of the Covenant, while being hunted by Nazi spies and soldiers, and Indy's rival, French archeologist Belloq. Harrison Ford is the ultimate action hero as Indiana Jones, a college professor who adventures as an archeologist as a side-job. (Tom Selleck turned down the role due to scheduling conflicts with Magnum PI) Karen Allen plays Indy's ally and love interest, Marion Ravenwood, who is getting captured a lot, but also is a strong woman. John Rhys-Davies plays Sallah, Indy's ally in Cairo, who is hired by the Nazis to dig up the Ark, which the reluctantly agrees to. He helps Indy find the Ark's location. (Danny DeVito was originally cast in the role.) Paul Freeman plays Rene Belloq, a French archeologist who is Indy's nemesis, always stealing Indy's finds away from him. (Including stealing the idol in the famous opening scene.) Ronald Lacey plays Arnold Toht, a creepy, toad-looking Gestapo agent sent to interrogate Marion and assists in the Ark excavation. He was cast because Spielberg thought he looked like Peter Lorre (info from Wikipedia). Klaus Kinski turned down the role due to it's "shittiness" and Roman Polanski turned it down due to scheduling conflicts. Wolf Kahler plays Dietrich, a German colonel who is working with Belloq in Cairo. Denholm Elliot plays Indy's friend Marcus Brody, a musuem curator. Alfred Molina, in his debut role, makes a cameo in the opening scene as Saptio, a treacherous former ally of Indy's. The action and special effects are amazing, especially for 1981. All the stunts are top-notch. From the iconic opening scene with the booby traps, to the scene in the bar in Nepal, to the Cairo chase, the fight with the Nazi weight-lifter, to the chase in the truck, to the rescue of Marion, to the final encounter with the Ark, the film is full of iconic and amazing moments. The special effects are bloody and spectacular, especially when the Nazis faces are melted by the Ark. The comedy is well-done, too. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a classic action-adventure piece, it's fun for the whole family, but doesn't stoop low or go to a Michael Bay level of cheap. 5/5 stars.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom:
This is my second-least favorite Indy film. Indiana Jones, after a run-in with Chinese gangster Lao Che at the Club Obi-Wan, Indy escapes aboard a plane with singer Willie Scott, and his Chinese kid-sidekick Short Round to India. There they stay at a village, who tell them their children are being stolen by the Pankot Palace. The trio travel there, finding a Thuggee cult who sacrafice people to the god Kali. They attempt to stop the evil Thuggee leader Mola Ram, who has enslaved the children, having them mine for ancient stones with a mystic power. Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones, being as bad-ass as ever. Kate Capshaw (Spielberg's wife) plays Scott, an annoying, whiny character who nobody liked. Jonathan Ke Quan plays Short Round, the annoying little kid character who is loved by some, hated by others. Me, I don't love or hate him, I'm just in the middle. Amrish Puru plays Mola Ram, the utterly insane Thuggee leader, who rips peoples hearts out of their chests, and nearly turns Indy to the "dark side". Roy Chio plays Lao Che in the opening, Indy's treacherous Chinese nemesis. Steven Spileberg, Kathleen Kennedy, George Lucas, Dan Aykroyd, and Frank Marshall all have very small cameos at the Chinese airport. The action scenes aren't as awesome as the original, and there aren't nearly as many, but they're good. The fight with mine guard (Pat Roach), and the mine cart chase are great, as is the finale on the rickety old bridge. The comedy is terrible slapstick routines, mostly focusing around Willie's hate of gross things. This Indy film managed to offend both Chinese and Indians. This is more of a "day in the life" Indy film, as they only visit Asia, whereas in Raiders Indy travelled all over the place. This film also, along with Gremlins, caused the development of the PG-13 rating. With good acting, good action, and satisfactory special effects, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom proves to be a worthwhile adventure film, with a few faults. 4/5 stars.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:
After the mixed reaction to the unevenly toned and somewhat dark Temple of Doom, Spielberg and Lucas decided to have a film more in line with Raiders. The film follows Indy, as we learn his origin in adventuring in the opening scene. Indy then recieves a journal from his father. Marcus Brody and Indy investigate, finding that his father was on a quest for the Holy Grail, and was taken by the Nazis. Indy teams with collector Walter Donovan and Dr. Elsa Schnieder to find the Grail and rescue Indy's dad. He is betrayed by the duo, finding they are working with the Nazis to find the Grail for Hitler. Indy and his dad recruit old allies, and begin a race to find the Grail before the Nazis do. Harrison Ford is great as Indy Jones, who's real name is revealed: Henry Jones, Jr. Sean Connery is great as Jones Senior, who is funny and quirky, and is shocked by his son's often-violent lifestyle. It is funny that Connery plays Indy's father, as James Bond was the inspiration for some scenes in these films. He's Indy's dad in both senses. John-Rhys Daies and Denholm Elliot return as the comedic relief of Sallah and Marcus Brody, much better than Short Round and Willie. Allison Dooly plays the femme fatale love interest Schnieder, who slept with both Joneses. Julian Glover plays the treacherous businessman Walter Donovan, betraying his own country for the Grail's power. River Phoneix plays Indy at age 13 in the opening scene. Michael Byren plays SS officer Ernst Vogel, who meets his demise in the climactic tank chase. Kevork Malikyan appears as Kazim, the leader of the Grail guardians. Robert Eddison plays the Grail Knight at the climax. Michael Sheard has a cameo as Adolf Hitler. The action and special effects are incredible, from the opening chase on the circus train, the scene in Venice, the escape from the castle, and the tank chase being awesome sequences. The special effects when Donovan gets his life sucked out by the Grail are outstanding. Stop-motion at it's best. With it's excellelent acting, outstanding effects, great action and characters, and great ending, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a great end to a great trilogy. 5/5 stars.
I will not give my thoughts on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, go to Redlettermedia.com for an in-depth review of that film, I just give it 2.5/5 stars.
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