Ranking Indiana Jones Films
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Ranking Indiana Jones Films
Indiana Jones is one of the most renowned movie franchises from the eighties, a series that tried only sporadically successfully to mirror the adventure films of the thirties and earlier. I have never been the biggest fan of this franchise, but a couple of the flicks still appealed to me quite a bit. Here is my admittedly rather unconventional ranking of Indiana Jones movies.
5. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The most maligned entry in the series, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is actually not as bad as people say it is. It’s a passable flick that is almost as silly and as ridiculous as the previous movies. The only reason why I put it in the lowest placement lies in the underutilized and needless SF elements. The weak characters and overwhelming action were also a hurdle.
4. Temple of Doom
The oddest and most dated Indiana Jones movie, Temple of Doom is definitely admirably darker and more intriguing in its tone, but still that tone wasn’t balanced properly, resulting in a messy sequel. The sexism on display was too rampant and the cheesy dialogue and action scenes were also an issue. It is a film where Spielberg tried to do something different with the franchise to middling results.
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark
If I had been more honest, I would have ranked this movie dead last, but I had to put the first entry higher because it established the tone of the series well while introducing that iconic John Williams score, excellent cinematography and a famous turn from Harrison Ford in the lead role. My issue here is that overwhelming action in favor of adventure. The movie is so hectically paced and so weakly developed in plot and characters that its status as a cinema classic continues to puzzle me.
2. Dial of Destiny
Yes, I would actually put the fifth installment in second place as I found this movie to be so underrated and quite lovely. The second act is a mess and most of the characters were quite underdeveloped and forgettable, but the first act was a total treat and that time travel ending was very intriguing. The theme of mortality was also solidly explored and some adventurous moments are so much fun.
1. The Last Crusade
By far the best Indiana Jones movie is The Last Crusade, a film where the franchise was reinvigorated thanks to the introduction of Sean Connery. Ford and Connery’s dynamic was so much fun while the plot was more memorable here and the adventurous elements were more pronounced. It has its issues for sure – the weak supporting characters and some annoying sequences – but it is such an enjoyable, delightfully charming flick that deserves the first spot on this list.
