Review of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) by Ben L — 25 Sep 2014

Let me be up front and say that Raiders of the Lost Ark is indeed a great movie that I absolutely love and will gladly watch any day. That being said, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is even better. Obviously this is my opinion, and people will dispute this with me forever, and I'm perfectly willing to admit that nostalgia plays into my opinion somewhat. I was a bit young when I first saw Raiders, but Last Crusade hit me at the perfect age. But I do have reasons aside from warm fuzzy feelings that make me love Last Crusade so much. First and foremost of those is the humor. From the opening sequence all the way to the end there are so many good laughs in this movie. Just thinking of certain scenes have me chuckling as I type this ("X marks the spot.") It adds something to the action when they mix in that levity, and I find it irresistible. Then there is the big surprise of this movie. From the outset they sell viewers on this film being a retread of the same formula from the previous films in the series. But all of this is changed in one scene when we realize that Indiana will not be going on this adventure with another woman by his side. Instead the sidekick will be his father.

How awesome is Sean Connery? I mean his interplay with Harrison Ford is just amazing. This storyline gives some good background to the character of Indiana Jones and it also creates some added depth. I love that they largely eschew another shallow romance, and focus on a more character-defining relationship instead. This makes the climax of the movie so much more powerful, and I get the impression that Indy has actually grown by the end of the movie. Speaking of that climax, it is one of my favorite sequences in movie history. I love that the booby traps actually connect with the story being told. The one aspect I haven't even touched on are the action scenes, but they are worth mentioning because they are executed brilliantly. I greatly appreciate how they continued to use so many practical effects and professional stunt men. The boat chase, the plane chase, and the tank chase are all wonderful and get my heart pumping every time. Yes, I can't come up with a single complaint for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It is one of my favorite movies of all time and easily my top film in the franchise.