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Rank the Indiana Jones Films (Spoilers for Indy 4)

1. Raiders Of The Lost Ark - Can't be beat, it is THE perfect entertainment movie. There is no way it could possibly be better.

2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Took things in a bold and striking new direction, managed to incorporate more humor AND more horror at the same time. The best kind of sequel.

3. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - People couldn't handle the originality and independence of its predecessor, so they decided to try making another Raiders. Fortunately, Sean Connery as Jones Sr. and the great interaction between father and son saved it from being a total retread.

4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Not bad, especially interesting because it shows Jones' development of character as an older man. (We see him having grown more comfortable with his role as a teacher, with which he was previously ill at ease, how his known relationship with his father affects his own parenting, etc.) Also does a good job of moving Jones into a new (but, to us, familiar) timeframe. However, the story has more plot holes than the others, is filled with distracting CGI, and suffers from being a little too referential to its predecessor.

-MMoM:D
 
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^^^^Good points all, Mighty Monkey. I was the most disapointed with Last Cusade at the time. I think it suffered the most from "sequal-itis." As I recall, off hand, the only sequal nod in TOD was the bit when the swordsmen come up and Indy goes for his gun which isn't there.

But, as I said in another thread: even a mediocre Indy film is far better than most action/adventure flicks out there.
 
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
 
1. Raiders
2. Last Crusade
3. Crystal Skull
... [gap] ...
4. Temple of Doom (I rewatched this last week, with the other movies... it just hasn't aged well at all)
 
4. Temple of Doom (I rewatched this last week, with the other movies... it just hasn't aged well at all)
I too watched again recently and agree...damn I just want to slap Capshaw every time she screams! :lol:

The whole Thugge concept just wasn't all that for me
 
1. Raiders
2. Last Crusade
3. Crystal Skull
... [gap] ...
4. Temple of Doom (I rewatched this last week, with the other movies... it just hasn't aged well at all)

I just watched Doom again myself, and while I still rank it #2 and think it's a fun, kickass movie... I have to say I never noticed just how thin and simplistic the story was until now.

They've barely even gotten to the underground temple and gotten captured before Indy is suddenly kicking everyone's ass, freeing the children, and escaping with Willie and Short Round in a mine car.

After all the buildup, that whole section of the movie just seems to fly by a little TOO fast. lol. :D
 
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
 
Raiders of the Lost Ark- The Definition of a Classic
The Last Crusade - Fun, good, movie with good action pieces.
Temple of Doom - Ruined by attempts at comedy and rommance, the ditzy blonde character and annoying kid characters. Granted Shorty isn't as annoying as most movie kids, he's still an annoying, precocious movie kid.
Kingdom... - Fun movie, neat seeing Indy again, but fails in a few areas, but still fun to watch.
 
Have to rewatch them again, perhaps when a new box DVD set comes out next year but here are my rankings.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The one that started it all, perhaps the greatest action movie ever made.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Still fresh in my mind and will have to rewatch to be certain but I liked that fact that Indy's character underwent changes, enjoyed the change of pace using the SF angle that paid off nearly as great as that with Raiders (something the other two sequels lacked).
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: You could tell they were running out of steam/ideas with this one, which seems like a retread of Raiders with some obvious fx shots, but the opening sequences were fantastic as was the chemistry between Ford and Connery.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Fantastic action scenes but the storyline was lacking and Short Round and Willie were so annoying as to nearly ruining it.
 
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I honestly can't believe people are rating Crystal Skulls higher than Last Crusade. To each their own I suppose, but damn.

I think alot of people are going to turn around in 6 months time and think "hey, waitaminute, Crystal Skull was crap!". Many people (myself included) did that with Sith.
 
I just saw Crystal and I really liked it, but it wasn't a perennial classic. The only four star bits of it were Area 51 and the jungle jeep chase.

1. Raiders
2. Crusade
3. Crystal
4. Temple
 
I think alot of people are going to turn around in 6 months time and think "hey, waitaminute, Crystal Skull was crap!". Many people (myself included) did that with Sith.

Nah, I though Sith was crap right off the bat. Crystal Skull was far from perfect, but it was at least entertaining. Not as good as Last Crusade or Raiders, but it was still entertaining.
 
1. Raiders Of The Lost Ark - Can't be beat, it is THE perfect entertainment movie. There is no way it could possibly be better.

2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Took things in a bold and striking new direction, managed to incorporate more humor AND more horror at the same time. The best kind of sequel.

3. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - People couldn't handle the originality and independence of its predecessor, so they decided to try making another Raiders. Fortunately, Sean Connery as Jones Sr. and the great interaction between father and son saved it from being a total retread.

4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Not bad, especially interesting because it shows Jones' development of character as an older man. (We see him having grown more comfortable with his role as a teacher, with which he was previously ill at ease, how his known relationship with his father affects his own parenting, etc.) Also does a good job of moving Jones into a new (but, to us, familiar) timeframe. However, the story has more plot holes than the others, is filled with distracting CGI, and suffers from being a little too referential to its predecessor.

-MMoM:D


Awesome points, I agree with your rankings and everything you said up until you wrote that "Crystal Skull" was "not bad."

:)
 
I've finally seen all the films of this series. Some I haven't seen in ages (Raiders and Last Crusade) but I saw two today for the first time: KOTCS and Temple of Doom.

Given our excitement, how would you rank the movies from favorite to least favorite. Me personally, I love these series of films (I think Back to the Future might be my favorite series but Indiana Jones is right up there) and it's great cool that I've finally seen all of them. Anyway, my rankings, after tonight:

The Last Crusade

I'm not sure if I'm in a minority or not on this one but this is my favorite. I loved Connery in the film as Dr. Jones' father and both he and Ford had great chemistry on screen together. Also, the jokes were funny, and the plot was interesting. Like I said, it's been a while since I've seen this film but will watch it soon enough again.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

I can't say too much about this film. I remember really liking it and the famous running from the ball scene always gets to me. I've definately got to see this movie again.

Kingdom of the Chrystal Skull

Yes, so it was very over the top with jungle superhero scenes and the end scene that felt like Steven Speilburg was getting Nolstalgic for a Close Encounters of the Third Kind remake, but I was entertained. The pace was good, the mystery and hunt for the kingdom was great, and there was some good humor.

Temple of Doom

For anyone who calls KOTCS was cheesy, wow this one took the cake easily. The kid being all superhero knocking out guys like triple his size? Jones still having a beating heart at the end after the guy kind of squeezed it tight. Still, I was entertained by it and the rollercoaster ride chase scene in the rail system was really cool.

So what say you.

1) Raiders - a bit grittier, more sweat and aches and pains type actio- ie more edge of your seat stuff, pacing was great; best story & acting too

2) Last Crusade - Closer to the original but more like Skulls in campy/humor, again enjoyable story and pacing

3) Crystal Skulls - Original again, nice 50's angle/style, interesting, but more of what Last Crusade did - ie campy and less grit ; liked the story and pace was good for most part; add a pinch of spice and grit and this could have been a grand slam

4) Temple of Doom - Most cheese, story was weak, not horrible but still the worst of the bunch
 
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