Raiders of the Lost Ark Film Review
When I was growing up, there were several pivotal films that influenced my love of movies. They were Back to the Future, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Back to the Future was the first great non-animated film that I had the chance to watch. Return of the Jedi made me a Star Wars fan. And then there was Raiders of the Lost Ark which inspired my love for action films. These special movies introduced me to a world of action, humor, and adventure that I had never experienced before. Up until I saw these films, my cinema experiences were limited to animated Disney films. I’ll admit that these Disney movies were entertaining, but they lacked the range of emotion I discovered in these three films. While it’s hard for me to rank one over the other, I remember watching Raiders of the Lost Ark as an eight year old and being blown away by how much fun it was. Now that I’m older (and wiser), the question that begs to be answered is…does it still hold up?
Raiders of the Lost Ark immediately pulls the audience into the story and opens with a group of men trekking through the South American jungle in the 1930s. As they trudge through the dense forest, they finally arrive at an ominous-looking cave. At this moment, the camera focuses on the hero of the story, Indiana Jones. He is the archaeologist leading this expedition in search of a treasured relic. Armed with only a whip, he bravely enters the cave, and after a few careful steps, finds the sought after treasure – a golden idol. He escapes the cave with it, but not before dodging several booby traps and outrunning a gigantic, rolling boulder. Unfortunately, his arch nemesis, French archaeologist Belloq unleashes a native tribe against Jones and steals the treasure from him. Jones escapes the attack via a water plane but he’s not in the clear yet. Poor Indy is forced to face one of his biggest fears…a snake who happens to also be on this plane.
Jones arrives back in the United States where he works as a professor at a university. The antiquities department calls him in for a meeting and presents him with his most ambitious assignment yet…finding the Ark of the Covenant. Two obstacles stand in his way. First, he must find the Ark before the Nazis discover it and use its powers to gain world domination. Second, he must find the gold piece that will reveal the location of the Ark. This gold piece is held by a woman named Marian who was once romantically linked to Indiana Jones. Their relationship did not end amicably, though, and she still holds a grudge against him. Jones uses his charm to win back Marian’s affections and persuade her to give the valuable gold piece to him. Marian decides to join Jones on his mission, and they travel to Cairo, Egypt, where they begin digging for the Ark. Indy soon encounters Belloq and learns that he is leading the Nazis in their pursuit of the Ark. To help ramp up his race against the Nazis, Jones enlists Sallah who is the best excavator in this region. Together, they eventually find the Ark. Their joy is short-lived, however, and the Germans overtake Indy and his crew. They intercept the Ark and leave Indy and Marian stranded in an impossibly deep pit. Thanks to Indy’s ingenuity, however, they manage to escape and continue to pursue the Nazis, hoping to stop them from delivering the Ark to Hitler.
There are several elements that make Raiders of the Lost Ark a superb action, adventure film. Let’s start with George Lucas’ screenplay. He depicts the hero of the story as a vulnerable, flawed human being who seems to fail more than he succeeds. This is perhaps best demonstrated by the contrast between his character and that of the villainous Belloq. The evil Belloq is better dressed and more charismatic than the laid-back, ruggedly clad Jones. On numerous occasions, he even seems to outsmart Jones without breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, Indy is shown as struggling in his quest for these artifacts. We witness many of the physical injuries he endures along the way, such as gun shot wounds and ugly bruises sustained from fist fights. He even sometimes appears overwhelmed by his circumstances. Jones doesn’t resort to using weapons to escape from dangerous situations, but instead relies on his intelligence throughout the film. All of these factors contribute to making him a very relatable character with audiences.
The screenplay also gives us an intriguing story of good vs evil. The story is set in the 1930s, nearing the time of World War II and the growing threat of the Nazis. The plot is further driven by Indiana Jones’ race against the Nazis to claim the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark itself has a mysterious history, and it was believed to be connected with Israel’s greatest triumphs in the Old Testament. Now, it has vanished and the Nazis are on the hunt for it.
Nazis are easily the most hated group in the history of mankind, and the thought of them possessing an artifact that will give them supreme power is terrifying. Would the Ark give humans invincibility against armies and help them conquer the world? I don’t know. However, its mere existence and legendary powers make the concept plausible and the adventure believable. Lucas’ strong screenplay is an excellent reminder that his talents far exceed being a special effects and Star Wars guy.
Behind every great screenplay is a smart director. Another reason for the success of Raiders of the Lost Ark was that it was under the direction of Steven Spielberg, arguably the best director of the second half of the 20th century. How he captures the thrills and excitement of the action sequences is amazing. Take for instance, the shootout at the bar, the breakneck speed chase and adrenaline pumping fight scenes in the marketplace, and Indiana Jones’ climatic race in the desert to recapture the Ark from the Nazis. Spielberg is a master at delivering heart racing action scenes, but he also knows when to slow the speed of the movie, giving the audience time to catch their breath and wonder how Indy will get himself out of his current jam. The non-action moments are expertly paced and Spielberg skillfully uses these instances for character development and to build up tension for the next action sequence. In an era of overblown effects and never ending chases, this is a great accomplishment.
In order to be a classic film, a movie has to feature a talented action actor. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford is perfect for the part of the understated hero. I’ve flipped back and forth with my opinion of Ford’s skill as an actor. Finally, I have come to the following conclusion: He is a terrific actor in action films but inconsistent in other kinds of movie roles…and there’s nothing wrong with that! No other actor can bring the hidden strength and charisma that Ford lends to the character of Indiana Jones. When the action heats up, Ford’s acting lights up the screen. The opening bar sequence where he and Marian team up against a gang of mercenaries best showcases this. Even while he’s being beaten to a pulp, he demonstrates resilience and adds a hint of comedy to the scene. I don’t think Ford gets enough credit for his comedic timing, but his facial expressions have the power to make audiences laugh even during the most dire of situations. He may not have received an Academy nomination for this role, but I wouldn’t want any other Oscar winner playing this part.
Last but not least, the movie’s musical score is a key reason behind why Raiders of the Lost Ark is an exceptional movie. John Williams’ score dominates the film and creates the perfect tone and feeling during the most critical moments. Of course, the main theme is legendary, but there are a couple of scenes I want to highlight which illustrate the magnificence of the score. The first is the moment when Indy is searching for the Ark’s location, and he uses the reflection of the sun’s rays from off the gold piece to find it. During this scene, the music begins softly with a few instruments playing. Then, as the sun’s reflection intensifies, so does the music. The melody continues to build until the light radiating from the gold piece bursts up from the Ark’s location. Next time you watch this scene, I challenge you to mute the sound, and you’ll find that without the music, it’s a pretty ordinary scene. Spielberg deserves credit as well, but that was Williams at his best. The other scene that highlights Williams’ remarkable score occurs in two distinct moments at the beginning of the film. One is when the camera first reveals Indy’s face. No introduction is needed because the music lets us know that here is the hero. The other happens when he judges if his bag of sand weighs as much as the idol it will replace. If he’s wrong, he risks activating a deadly series of traps, and the music succeeds in heightening the suspense. Williams’ use of music for two of the most iconic moments was magnificent and is a large reason why the musical score is one my favorite parts of the film.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a timeless classic that will continue to wow future generations of audiences to come. It’s filled with on the edge of your seat thrills, breathtaking stunts, and even a little humor and romance. With so many memorable scenes packed in, I was astounded that this film was shorter than two hours. Not a single moment was wasted. When your only complaint is about how annoying the monkey was, you know you have an exceptional film. This is also a departure for Lucas and Spielberg, who were known for Star Wars and serious dramas like Schindlers List . So, it’s refreshing that they came up with Raiders of the Lost Ark, which appeared to be a film that seemed more fun to create and laid back than their other film projects.
What more can I say? I really love this film! No matter how many times I watch it, it’s like time stands still. Once again, I’m that eight year old boy, who’s captivated by the one-of-a-kind move magic found only in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Brian’s Rating 10/10