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Indiana Jones Films Ranked

Plomeek Broth

Plomeek Broth

Commander
Red Shirt
I have recently been picking up the Indiana Jones films due to the fantastic Lego Indiana Jones video games. I plan on only getting the classic 3 because I thought TKOTCS sucked. I have only seen it once and maybe I will like it better as time passes. Should I get all 4 or just stick with the first 3 films? While we're on the subject, how would you rank all 4 films? Here are mine

1 Raiders - Classic pulp action adventure in every aspect - the huge rolling rock, the tomb of snakes, and the well of souls.

2.Crusade - Loved Sean Connery, the River Phoenix opening sequence, and the final temple of the Holy Grail tests.

3. Temple - this one is not bad at all. Loved the opening with Indy poisoned, the gross dinner, the heart ripped out, and the bridge fight over the crocs at the end.

waaaaaay below these

4. Crystal Skull - hated Shia, nuke the fridge, Crystal Skulls dealing with aliens and not religious artifacts!?!?, and uninteresting villianess

Are they making a 5th one? No where to go but up!
 
I liked Crystal Skull a whole lot more than most folks, I guess. I never did think Indy recaptured the Raiders magic so CS doesn't seem like such an astonishing fall-off in quality to me.

I was impressed by the way they took the 50s milieu and integrated it into the Indy story. I didn't think for one minute they could have pulled that off. Since the series has always revolved around the pulp-movie genre of the era, the aliens were necessary. By the 50s, the pulp movies were more about aliens and less about stumbling around in ancient tombs, so they compromised and used both.

It was nice seeing Marion again and Shia LeBouef did a decent job. And there was the traditional good mix of action and humor. Overall, it could have been a lot worse.

And since Indy has never really been about realism, the "nuking the fridge" moment didn't faze me.

I hope they do make another Indy movie. I'll be curious to see how far forward in time they can drag the series before they are forced to stop. Who does Shia do battle with in the late 50s? Rampaging Beatniks? What happens when they move into the 60s? Will the villains be Weathermen and Black Panthers? :p
 
1 being the best I would say-
1. Raiders
2. Last Crusade
3. Kingdom Crystal Skull
4. Temple of Doom

I don't dislike any of them, and I base the above on pure personal enjoyment levels of them
 
What aspects of Crystal Skull did you enjoy? I welcome positive comments so hopefully they change my perspective :)
 
Plenty. I watched it twice at the cinema and once more on DVD on Christmas Day. It's not amazing, and the overall plot is a bit weak, but it's a fun movie nonethless IMO.
 
I love the whole series and am sad that Hasbro is not going to continue the toy line into 2009. So many figures they could have done outside the 30 we did get.

1.Crusade
2.Raiders
3.Crystal Skull
4.Temple of Doom

I don't even think ToD is distant to Skull, although there is slight separation between 1&2.

To answer the OP question Lucas has stated that a 5th is possible and being looked at. Ford has also said he's open to it should it happen soon.

What aspects to like in Skull
-the opening Warehouse Chase was great.
-I liked the iconography of Indy below the mushroom cloud
-the University motocycle chase
-the Nazca Peru cemetary hunt
-the Akator sequences

For me it is a solid IJ film. My biggest issue is that they got too far into the alien thing in the final 15min. I mean really I'm cool with simple space aliens. No they had to be interdimensional space aliens. Aliens who live in the spaces between the spaces. I would've been fine with one or maybe two aliens ascending into a ship. No, we had to have one being broken into 13pts that then somehow reassembles into one living being. They just got a tad carried away with the alien(s) but its still an Indiana Jones film.

I mean really.
Its seems most all have no issue with:
- a religious gold box that houses killer ghosts and fiery lightning bolts
- jewel encrusted spiritual stones that shoot fire and replenish ecosystems
- a religious cup that grants eternal life

Are alien(s) really so out of touch with that list of "unbelievable"? Some believe in aliens just as much as some do a god or God.
 
I don't know if it was because I was a kid and enjoyed Temple of Doom, but I know that one is bashed as the weak link of the original movies. Is it because of the darker tone? The storyline? Why do people not like this one?
 
Honestly, the only one I really liked was Raiders. The rest just kept trying to repeat the formula without much success.

ToD and LC weren't horrible, but I just didn't enjoy them all that much. Crystal Skull, though was really, really bad - much worse than the others. Total pile of crap.
 
Black Lodge said:
I don't know if it was because I was a kid and enjoyed Temple of Doom, but I know that one is bashed as the weak link of the original movies. Is it because of the darker tone? The storyline? Why do people not like this one?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why as well, I think it is a fantastic prequel to Raiders. It's different, it's dark, but it's still got enough of the elements to keep it Indy.

I rate it higher than Crusade, because, not only did it seem to be played even more for laughs, but it was basically a beat by beat remake of Raiders. With Connery thrown in for laughs. (And Marcus reduced to a bumbling idiot. Again, for laughs.)
 
I think people also didn't like the smaller scale feel of ToD with the treasure sought after just affecting an Indian village. I loved it. Even Lucas and Spielberg supposedly bash it in the intro to the film. I don't understand how they could like Crystal Skull better!?!?!
 
I put the films in this order:

1. Crusade - the Connery factor elevates this one
2. Doom - the best set pieces in the trilogy
3. Raiders - still a classic, just bettered by its successors

(lengthy space here)

4. Skull - very few enjoyable sequences, way too different in tone and style
 
my faves in order:

1. Raiders-perfect movie





2.Last Crusade-hated what they did to Marcus Brody and Sallah (made them too goofy and silly acting)

3. Crystal Skulls-I am the only person that actually liked Shia I think. Overall tone was a little goofy




4. Temple of Doom-Cant stand Willie
 
Maybe it's me, but I always had a problem with Raiders. Seriously. After the truck chase, I lose interest, because Indy takes a backseat in the final 15 minutes. It's unbelievable that he could hang onto a sub for the trip. the only Indy-centric moment I like after the truck chase is him stealing a uniform Indy-style and the last two minutes of the film "Top .. men" but otherwise, he's tied up to a pole and not involved at all with the resolution of the film.

I don't think Raiders is above criticism.
 
jbrinegar said:
3. Crystal Skulls-I am the only person that actually liked Shia I think.
Click to expand...
I love Shia. IMO he was easily the best thing about Transformers, great in Disturbia, and I enjoyed him a lot in Skull.


The thing is, watching the Indy film it seems most of the time Indiana simply shouldn't bother and just stay at home with his feet up.
If he didn't get involved-
Raiders- The Nazi's still find the Ark, spirts kill them
Crusade- Bad guys find the Grail site themselves, pick the wrong cup and die
Skull- Commies find the Crystal Skull temple themselves, sucked into portal and die
 
I know all of the Indy movies have tons of ridiculous moments, but Shia swinging through the jungle with the monkeys was too much for me.
 
I didn't like that either. However one must realize that the Indy series is about paying homage to the era its in.

Lucas has stated many a time that the original was about honoring the Adventure Serials of the 30's. Likewise due to Indy's age they moved us along and Skull was paying homage to the serials of the 50's. Hence Saucer Men, Nuclear Fear, Tarzan and deadly insects ie THEM.

So while I loath Jungle swinging Mutt Williams I take it in stride knowing its just a bit section paying homage to the 50s.
 
I don't think Willie was intended to be likeable in ToD.

No one has mentioned Short Round (like or dislike?)

ToD scared me when I was a little kid imagining being lowered into the fire by the cultists and having your heart ripped out.

Concerning Crusade, I thought River had a very unique look with the super long hair in the front and train chase was classic.
 
Willie works very well as an audience surrogate. Most of us would get freaked out by the same things she does.
 
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