Review: Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark Is The Definitive Adventure
- May 5, 2018
- 2 min read
Every now and again there comes a movie that, through a one in a million combination of casting, writing, directing, indeed everything that is seen and heard, the creates a timeless work within it genre. Science fiction has Star Wars, fantasy graces its ranks with The Lord Of The Rings. Adventure however, adventure has Indiana Jones.
Archaeologist Indiana ‘Indy’ Jones (Harrison Ford) is an intrepid adventurer, journeying into the deepest, darkest parts of the world, seeking riches and glory. Following a particularly disastrous expedition in South America, Indy finds himself on the verge of the discovery of a lifetime. The Ark of the Covenant, the biblical box said to contain the ten commandments, may have been found. There’s just one small problem, the Nazis are the ones looking for it. Joining forces with an old fling, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) and a close friend, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), it’s a race to find The Ark, save the world and stop the forces of evil.
There are very few directors that operate on the same level as Spielberg. His ability to meld action, comedy, horror and adventure together into a single, consistent piece of cinema is on display in Raiders more than it is anywhere else. A single scene can move from unearthing an ancient relic to being trapped in a hole surrounded by snake filled corpses to a fist fight in the shadow of an errant plane. It’s this pacing, the films ability to rapidly move from scene to scene without ever losing momentum or the viewer, that makes it something truly special. Indy and friends are in almost constant peril from all manner of threats, including the literal power of God, and it’s all moved along by John Williams cracking score.
It is a film forever burned into my memory, with images and sequences that will never be forgotten. Be it maybe the greatest character introduction of all time, the imagery invoked through little more than a hat and a sunset or melting Nazis, Raiders Of The Lost Ark could be a top ten movie moments list in and of itself. It doesn’t hurt that it also features some of the best action scenes ever filmed, most notably an extended chase scene through Egypt and a brawl in a Himalayan bar. Throw in one of cinema’s coolest characters with Indiana Jones himself, expertly brought to life by Harrison Ford, and you have a film that can only be described as a damn good time.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark is Spielberg at his best. While there are films better than it, within its genre, it is unparalleled. The boisterous score punctuates exhilarating scenes filled with death defying stunts, well timed humour and the ever excellent Harrison Ford. It’s almost impossible not to enjoy this movie on some level.
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